Home · Wedding words · Hospital bag tips
Wedding words

Hospital bag tips — what to pack and what to leave out

Hospital bags are consistently over-packed and under-prepared. Here is how to get it right.

Pack three bags, not one

Labour bag (snacks, lip balm, phone charger, TENS machine). Postnatal bag for mum (pyjamas, toiletries, maternity bras, breast pads). Baby bag (sleepsuits, hats, nappies, wipes). Keeping them separate means you can find everything quickly when it matters.

The most forgotten item

Cash for the car park. Hospitals rarely have contactless parking, and the last thing you want on arrival is to hunt for an ATM.

The birth partner's bag

Often forgotten entirely. Snacks, a charger, a change of clothes and a list of people to text when the baby arrives. Labour can be long — prepare the birth partner properly.

Print our free hospital bag checklist and work through it by 36 weeks.