What’s in My Hospital Bag (And Why I Kept It Simple)

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If you've spent any time on social media, you've probably seen those beautifully packed hospital bags filled with matching labor gowns, cozy robes, slippers, pajamas, snacks, Stanley cups, and just about every postpartum product you can imagine.

And if that's your thing, go for it!

But if you've read any of my other blogs, you probably already know I'm all about keeping things simple.

I didn't feel the need to buy a special outfit to give birth in or spend hundreds of dollars on things I'd only use for a day or two. In fact...I gave birth in a sports bra. 😂

For me, comfort mattered a whole lot more than looking cute.

So if you're someone who's trying to keep your hospital bag simple too, here's exactly what I packed, what I actually used, and what I chose to bring again for baby number two.

Many of the postpartum recovery products I packed are also featured in My Honest Postpartum Essentials: What I Actually Used, where I share why I loved each one and how they helped during those first few weeks. I'll keep this post focused on what I packed, but if you want more details on the recovery products themselves, be sure to check that one out!

For Me

True to my style, I packed everything in a bag I already owned that was big enough to fit what I needed (lol). I actually won it in a raffle while pregnant with my first. A large pink bag before I even knew I was having a girl...how cool is that? Most of what I brought were everyday essentials, along with the postpartum recovery products I personally preferred using instead of the hospital's.

• Phone

• Phone charger (I'd recommend a long one!)

• Wallet/ID/insurance card

• Vitamins

• Slippers

• Kitsch Nylon No Damage Hair Ties

• Curl defining hair brush

• Comfortable oversized clothes (either mine or my husband's)

• Fruit of the Loom sports bra

• Wirarpa Women's Underwear High Waisted

• Oral-B electric toothbrush

• Revitin toothpaste (fluoride-free)

• Kitsch Coconut Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

• California Naturals Body Wash

• Humble Aluminum-Free Deodorant, Simply Unscented

• Frida Mom Postpartum Underwear for C-Section Recovery

• Cora Organic Cotton Pads

• Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle

• Frida Mom Belly Binder

• Motherlove Sitz Bath Spray

For Baby

A lot of these are also products I'd put on my baby registry again, but I'll keep this section focused on what I actually packed for the hospital.

The hospital provides many newborn essentials, but these are the few items I wanted to have for my daughter from day one because I preferred the products I had already chosen. I ended up keeping things just as simple when packing for baby number two.

• Earth Mama Simply Non-Scents Body Wash

• Earth Mama Simply Non-Scents Baby Lotion

• Little Planet 100% Organic Cotton Onesies (newborn and 0–3 months depending on how big your baby is!)

• 100% Organic Cotton Heritage Knit Textured Baby Quilt Blanket

• Parasol diapers (TCF)

• Parasol wipes

• Baby Trend Infant Car Seat

At the end of the day, your hospital bag doesn't have to be perfect. The hospital provides so many of the essentials, and you can always have someone bring you something if you realize you forgot it.

These are simply the items that made me feel the most comfortable and the products I personally wanted to have with me.

If you're anything like me, I hope this gives you confidence to keep things simple and focus on what really matters...meeting your sweet baby.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below!