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This pregnancy has flown by… and third trimester snuck up on me fast! And like anything first-time mom related, I’ve been focusing on what to get our baby so she’s all set when she decides to make her arrival. But what I realized over the last few weeks is – what about the must-have items for my momma hospital bag, and postpartum recovery?!

So often, women constantly put others needs above their own, and this is a classic case of just that. After going through our baby registry, and getting the nursery put together (almost done – can’t wait to share the reveal with you soon), I figured it was time to start thinking about what I’d be stocking up in my hospital bag and at home for postpartum living.  

After talking to a few of my mom friends, here are the items that they recommended I look into for our impending hospital stay and the after that follows. 

Momma Hospital Bag

1. Snacks – Snacks are at the top of the list and were recommended by ALL. Sometimes, vending machine snacks just don’t cut it so we’ll be packing a few of our easiest grab & go snacks. We’re talking trail mix, Veggie Straws, and granola bars to keep with us. 
2. Gatorade/Electrolytes – Another item that was mentioned that I didn’t think much about was electrolytes and/or Gatorade. If you’re planning on breastfeeding, pumping your body up with some extra electrolytes during those first few long nights is something to consider. You can either go for a pack of mini-Gatorade bottles or something like a LiquidIV to throw in your water bottle. 
3. Water Bottle/Cup – If you know anything about me, I’m a huge water girl – haha. I drink more water than every other beverage, and it’s always been that way – so this was an important one for me to remember. A few tips I heard from other moms: find something with a straw, and if it has a bendable straw, that’s even better. That way your partner can help feed you the water during times when you might not have energy to do it yourself. I’m thinking of bringing my tried & true favorite Yeti Rambler Water Bottle and purchasing the Yeti Bottle Straw Cap to go along with it. Or, do I go with something new and test out the crazed Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler?!
4. Toiletry Set – Everyone has their favorite travel size toiletries, so I’ll keep this brief. I’ll be bringing my typical “weekend away” toiletry bag, and adding in this Earth Mama travel kit that was gifted to me. 
5. Hospital Gown – While many just use what the hospital provides for labor, I heard that it’s a great idea to bring a “hospital/delivery gown” to have to change into after the baby is born! A fresh set of clothes that has easy access points for anything the doctors may need, and for breastfeeding if that’s in your game plan. I chose the Kindred Bravely 3 in 1 Gown after reading the reviews.
6. Cozy Robe – Unlike the hospital robes that are a little itchy – this cozy waffle robe is perfect for the post-delivery outfit. This showed up in the mail this week and is SO soft. I think I’ll be wearing it my entire maternity leave. 
7. Comfy Shirts + Sweatpants – Planning on bringing this comfy set of maternity nursing shirts & my favorite Target maternity joggers. 
8. Nursing Bras – I can’t speak to these too much as I’ve only purchased two, but will be bringing one nursing + pumping bra, and one that’s solely for nursing. 
9. Nursing Pillow + Sleeping Pillow – Everyone – and I’m telling you dads included in this – recommended bringing your own sleeping pillow for mama + dad to the hospital, and maybe a comfy blanket too. I’ll also be bringing the My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow with for when the time comes to use it! 
10. Slippers – Fluffy slippers are a favorite of mine for everyday use – I wear them around the house most days. And one of my early pregnancy symptoms was cold feet! So, I’ll be throwing in this pair into my bag to have in case that symptom returns or the temp is a little cooler. 
11. Nipple Cream + Gel Pads – From the breastfeeding mamas I know, they’ve all recommended a variety of creams, cooling tools etc. I’m going to start with trying out this nipple cream and these 3-in-1 gel pads. 
12. Cotton High Wasted Undies – Another must have, and this all can depend on the type of delivery you have as well. But, either way – cotton & high waisted were recommendations no matter which route you take, which landed with me purchasing this pack of undies.
13. Long Charger Cord – An extra long charging cord for your phones because you’ll never know where the outlet in your hospital room will be! 
14. Chapstick – It’s the little things, but apparently giving birth and the hospital air can lead to chapped lips? Either way, I’ll be tossing in an extra Burt’s Bees into my toiletry bag. 
15. Compression Socks – If you’re prone to swelling, throwing in a set of pregnancy compression socks into your bag may be a play. They’ll make the walk out of the hospital even more exciting! 
16. Sandals – And again, if you’re prone to swelling… bring a pair of sandals with a little extra give. I’m planning on bringing (or even wearing there) my favorite pair of Birkenstocks and adjusting the straps if needed. 
17. Peri Bottle – Self-explanatory but another must have from all my mama friends. 
18. Amazon Fire Stick – If your hospital has Wifi – you may be able to use your Amazon Fire Stick on the hospital TV’s and stream your favorite shows. Pro Tip: Nurses Gifts – I love to shower those who help me with love & gifts, so I’ll be making a little thank you basket of goodies to share with the nurses and doctors that help us bring in our baby girl to this world. Thinking about including some coffee drinks, energy drinks, lotions, snacks, etc.And don’t forget the items you’ll need for baby – I’m following Morgan’s checklist for that which you can find here. The biggest ones being – car seat, announcement outfit/sign, take home outfit and a few swaddles. The hospital will have everything else you need for the first few days!

 

Postpartum Essentials

After all those nights in the hospital, you want to come home and feel prepared for those first few days as a new family without scrambling trips to Target or late night Amazon orders (although those are bound to happen as well).

Here are a few things we’ll be stocking up on to ease into life back at home:

19. Frida Mom Hospital Kit – This came as a recommendation from many mamas out there – because it’s a one stop shop for a lot of the best postpartum must-haves. 

20. Tucks – To be completely honest, I had not heard of these until I asked on my Instagram for recommendations, but it was a top recommendations for healing the lady parts. 

21. Epsom Salt – Having epsom salt on hand for those post-birth sitz baths was something we talked about in our new parent class, so I figured I’d stock up on a few bags… because who doesn’t love a bath?

22. Lanolin – Another must have cream around the house & recommended by many nursing mamas. 

23. Perineal Ice Packs – Because – having a baby does a toll on your body & ice packs will be needed!

24. Depends Overnight –  Another recommendations for the nights at home where your body is still recovering and an extra layer of padding may be needed to spare the bedsheets. 

25. Colace – This recommendation came from my parenting class and a lot of momma friends, so I’ll be taking their advice and having some of this on hand. 

Pro Tip: Freezer Meals – This was a recommendation after reading a few other blogs – prepping & packaging as many freezer meals ahead of time as you can. Once baby is here, you’ll want to be loving up on that new family member and not worrying about cooking. Which has me thinking – we should write a blog about the best freezer prep meals… Kyle cooked up a few postpartum meals for the Molitor’s when Ellie was born, so I’ll be snagging a few of those too. 

And if you need a checklist for what to pack in dad’s bag, look no further. Morgan has the details on all of those items which you can read about here.