Here’s the thing about having a baby: everyone and their mother will give you their opinion on every single thing there is to think about, whether you ask for it or not. I received so many texts and emails from friends, who insisted I pack a variety of things for the hospital—fuzzy socks? “A must!” one friend confessed. “You have to bring a long charger cord,” another chimed in. “Do not forget lip balm,” urged a friend of a friend. So after packing about three duffels full of what everyone suggested I bring, here’s what I actually used during Milo’s birth and our hospital stay. 

How to Pack

When packing for the hospital, I made a huge list on a google doc that I shared with my husband. Each item was broken out into categories. Once I had packed something, I immediately bolded it on the list—pregnancy and mom brain is a real thing friends. 

I packed all of my goods in my favorite duffle—it’s the one I bought before our honeymoon to Africa. It weighs 1LB (yes, that’s right) meaning you can stuff just about anything and everything in it without making it impossible to carry. It was perfect for our safari and continues to be the absolute best bag ever—for a flight or a short hospital stay.

I also packed all of my items in Ziploc bags that were labeled with a sharpie. I knew we wouldn’t have space to unpack our things so having these organized was ideal.

The full packing list for mom and baby is below, but here are a few of the absolute must haves I was so happy I brought along.  

Must Have Items

1.Oil Diffuser

Hear me out: one of the best things I packed was my oil diffuser. Hospitals smell weird and the diffuser and essential oils we brought made the room feel and smell like a spa. We had it running both during birth and during the entire hospital stay. Here’s the one we used. 

2. Fan: 

This was hands down the BEST thing I packed for birth. I used this the entire time while pushing. I was fully standing up on the side of the bed (ICYMI) and casually felt like I was JLO in a music video. 

3. Eye Mask

Hospitals are a 24/7 kind of place. And when you have a newborn, you really have zero sense of whether it is day or night. A silk eye patch both makes you feel like 100 bucks and lets you get some shut eye at the same time. 

4. Silk Pillowcase

Preserve your blowout and get some peaceful Z’s? I think so. I also brought a blanket from Riley Home.

5. Dry Shampoo

I feel like this one is a given, but there was absolutely no chance I wanted to wash my hair in the small hospital shower. I did however bring shampoo and conditioner, just in case. And expensive body wash—trust me on that.

6. Belly Band

I wore this starting the day after birth and definitely believe it helped speed up my healing process. I bought this one from Amazon. 

7. Nice Robe and Pretty Bra

Let me first start by saying, so many people I spoke to told me that I should not bring anything nice. They told me I wouldn’t want to wear something I cared about in the hospital and that I would feel “gross.” The thing about giving birth is that, despite having an entire human come out of you, you are more or less the same person you were the day before. Would a nice change of clothes or a pretty robe make me feel less “gross?” Absolutely. And by the way, I felt the complete opposite of gross: I felt like a goddess and a freaking bad ass superhero. 

8. Compression Socks

I wore these throughout my entire pregnancy and during the birth. I had heard you can get quite swollen during birth so we came prepared. I didn’t feel swollen, but then again, I was wearing these socks the entire time! 

Funny enough, my husband helped put these on when we got to the hospital but had to be removed when my water broke a few hours later. I will spare you the deets. I put another pair back on the next morning—so maybe, bring two sets!

9. Makeup

When I posted on IG that I was packing my makeup bag for the hospital, I received dozens of comments saying I wouldn’t use any of it. Guess what? The morning after Milo was born, I did my entire skincare routine, complete with sculpting tools, eye patches and slapped on some tinted moisturizer and highlighter. When you look good, you feel good, you know? 

The one thing I thought I would use that I didn’t was a set of false lashes and glue. I know it’s extra, but I figured if all else failed and I didn’t have time or a care in the world to put on a face of makeup, a set of lashes would make me feel 10 times better. But hey, you do you. Full list of makeup essentials is below.

10. Birth Ball

I sat on this damn ball for a straight month before Milo was born. We also brought it to the hospital so I could labor while rolling on it. She did, unfortunately (or fortunately?) not make it home. 

11. Items for Mom’s Recovery

Also to note: I brought a few things with me to help with postpartum recovery but did not use any of it. I used all of the goods from the hospital, like the spray bottle and their mesh undies. The nurses were so helpful with stocking my room with supplies and we took a bunch home as well. The one thing that I didn’t get from the hospital that I definitely used when I got home were the Frida Mom cooling wipes. 10/10 recommend. 

What to Pack: the full list

MISC (all yes!)

• SILK PILLOW CASE 

• ROOM SPRAY

• BIRTH BALL

• COOLER FOR PLACENTA (if you are encapsulating it)

• BLANKET 

• BELLY BAND

TECH (all yes!)

• AIRPODS

• DIFFFUSER & OILS 

• LONG CHARGER CORD

• FAN 

SKINCARE (all yes!)

• FACE MIST

• MOISTURIZER

• HYALURONIC ACID SERUM

• EYE PATCHES

• FACE WASH

MAKEUP (all yes!)

• TINTED MOISTURIZER

• LUMIFY DROPS

• CHARLOTTE TILBURY PALETTE 

• HIGHLIGHTER

• GLOWISH FOUNDATION 

• LIP BALM 

• DEO

• BVLGARI BABY FRAGRANCE (for me!) 

• CONCEALER 

HAIR/SHOWER/TOOLS

• SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER (didn’t use!)

• BODY WASH 

• DRY SHAMPOO

• BODY OIL

• BIG HAIR CLIPS 

• FACE WIPES (didn’t use!)

• SCULPTING TOOLS

CLOTHES FOR MOM:

• EBERJEY DRESS PJS— 2 SETS (yes!) 

• One set Victoria’s Secret long sleeved pajama and pant set (yes!)

• ROBE (yes!)

• SPORTS BRA: CALVIN KLEIN (gave birth wearing this!) 

• OUTFIT TO GO HOME IN (wore the same outfit in as I did out)

• OVERSIZED SHIRTS (yes!)

• SLIPPERS (wore the entire time!) 

• COMPRESSION SOCKS (wore the entire hospital stay) 

• VICTORIA’S SECRET NURSING BRA (yes!)

• BIRKENSTOCKS SANDALS (Wore there and home!) 

• SANDALS TO SHOWER

KITCHEN ITEMS

• JUSTINS ALMOND BUTTER SMALL PACKS (didn’t eat)

• COCONUT WATER (yes!)

• CARROTS/HUMMUS (ate during and after birth)

• ELLA’S FLATS (yes!)

• POWERADE ZERO BLUE (drank during birth)

• WATER CUP WITH STRAW (10000% yes)

• DETOX TEA (zero time to make tea, so no) 

• SOLLUNA DETOXY PILLS (definitely took these)

FOR BABY:

• CAR SEAT/STROLLER (we brought the Nuna Turtle Air and it’s great. Super lightweight) 

• 2 SWADDLES (we used the ones from the hospital and put the one we brought over his lap in the car seat on the way out) 

• 1 CUTE OUTFIT NEWBORN SIZE (he wore the newborn size but it was good to be prepared with both sizes in case he was big!) 

• 1 CUTE OUTFIT 0-3 MONTH SIZE (didn’t fit!)

• GOING HOME OUTFIT/HAT (wore!)

• SOCKS NEWBORN SIZE (never wore)

• BOOTIES NEWBORN SIZE (didn’t wear, he wore a footie pajama set)

• 2 BOTTLES (did not even bring!)

• 1 PACK FORMULA (did not bring! we used what the hospital gave us)

• PACI (yes!)