The hospital bag is one of those topics where everyone has an opinion, lists abound on the internet, and yet you arrive at the maternity ward having forgotten something essential — or with a bag that's too heavy because you packed everything "just in case."
I'm going to give you the list as I would have liked it before Gabriel's birth: complete, organized, without superfluous items — and from the perspective of a dad who experienced the preparation from the other side.
When to pack the hospital bag?
The general rule: from the 32nd week of pregnancy (8th month). This is early enough not to have to rush to pack it, and not too early to have time to adjust.
Some mothers prepare it as early as the 7th month — that's even better. Premature births are rare, but they happen. Better to be prepared.
How to organize the bag?
I recommend a suitcase or a large wheeled bag divided into two clear zones:
- A zone for mom: clothes, documents, personal care
- A zone for baby: clothes, diapers, infant care
Some parents prefer two separate bags. This is practical if the dad (or accompanying person) goes home between visits — he can retrieve what he needs without rummaging through everything.
The list for mom
Essential documents
- Health insurance card and supplementary health insurance card
- Maternity record (pregnancy monitoring)
- ID card
- Current prescriptions
- Birth plan if you've written one
Do not put documents at the bottom of the suitcase — have them within reach upon arrival.
Clothing and comfort
- 2 to 3 nightgowns or nursing tops (easy-opening if you're breastfeeding)
- 1 lightweight bathrobe or fleece jacket (maternity wards are often air-conditioned)
- 3 to 4 large panties or mesh maternity panties
- Socks (feet get cold during labor)
- Slippers or non-slip house shoes
- A comfortable outfit for going home
Hygiene and personal care
- Heavy-duty overnight sanitary pads (the first hours postpartum are intense — no need to take the ones from your maternity ward if you have your own)
- Gentle shower gel, shampoo
- Toothbrush, toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Lip balm (the labor room is drying)
- Hair ties
- Thermal water spray (very useful during labor)
- Nursing pillow if you plan to breastfeed (some maternity wards lend them — check beforehand)
Miscellaneous
- Phone charger and/or power strip (outlets are scarce and poorly placed in rooms)
- Snacks and drinks for the accompanying person (maternity ward vending machines have hours)
- Headphones or earphones
- A book or something to occupy yourself during dilation
The list for baby
Clothing
- 3 to 5 long-sleeved bodysuits (newborn size AND 1-month size — babies are sometimes larger than expected)
- 3 snap or zip pajamas (avoid buttons at night)
- 2 pairs of socks
- 1 newborn hat
- 1 sleeping bag or swaddle suitable for the season
- 1 "going home" outfit for baby
Diapers and changing
- 1 pack of size 1 diapers (don't take too many — some maternity wards provide them, and babies sometimes go straight to size 2)
- Alcohol- and fragrance-free wipes, or cotton + water
- Protective cream for baby's bottom
- 2 to 3 bibs
Infant care
- Rectal thermometer (most reliable at this age)
- Physiological saline in single doses (to clean eyes and nose)
- Soft cotton pads
- Nasal aspirator (to be confirmed with the maternity ward)
Feeding
- If you're breastfeeding: nothing to plan for the maternity ward — the staff will assist you
- If you're bottle-feeding: initial formula milks (1st age) are often provided by the maternity ward — check before filling your bag with cans
What we often forget
This is the real added value of a list made by someone who has experienced it. Here's what standard lists regularly forget:
- The power strip: only one outlet available for two phones, a portable battery charger, and the room's kettle — it happens
- Snacks for the accompanying person: labor can last 12, 18, 24 hours. Vending machines close at night
- Mesh panties: provided by some maternity wards, but not all — and they are much more comfortable than your usual panties right after childbirth
- Thermal water spray: it seems anecdotal, but during hours of labor, it's precious
- A going-home outfit for mom: we think of baby's outfit, rarely mom's, who doesn't return with her pregnancy belly but not yet with her pre-pregnancy figure either — plan something comfortable and loose
What not to pack
- Many new baby clothes (they'll grow quickly — no need for 15 newborn sizes)
- Toys and stuffed animals (unnecessary at the maternity ward for a newborn)
- A changing pad (maternity wards are equipped)
- Too many cosmetic products (you won't have time)
A word from Baptiste
Preparing the hospital bag is a special moment — concrete, practical, but full of emotion. It's often when it becomes real.
What I remember from the experience with Gabriel: it's better to have a light and well-organized bag than a heavy bag where you can't find anything when you need it. The essentials fit in a few things.
Baptiste — Gabriel & Compagnie "Chosen by a dad. Approved by babies."
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