Your ultimate hospital bag checklist to make preparing for birth a total breeze (2024)

If in doubt, a good first port of call is your NHS midwife, who can steer you in the right direction. There's also a very handy Which? Birth Choice guidewhich lets you know what will already be available at the hospital you’ll be giving birth in to save you some valuable packing space.

“Being organised is a great way of not allowing your mind to be overwhelmedby practical tasks when you wantto be relaxing and preparing for a calm labour and birth,” says Pip. “Remember: you are packing for at least three people - mum, birth partner(s) and baby … or babies - and keeping each person's bits separate allows for easier access when you need them.My next bit of advice for easy searching is labelling! Make life super simple and pack your muslins together in a clear bag labelled muslins, your first outfit, going home outfit, post birth underwear etc. and have a separate bag for clothing that gets dirty and used in hospital so you don’t have baby poo stains mixing with your clean items.”

Now you've done your initial research, you can peruse (and shop!) our ultimate hospital bag checklist ahead of the birth of your new arrival.

Hospital bag checklist for mum

Maternity notes: An absolute essential so that your midwife can quickly access your medical history and birth plan. Keep these to hand in your handbag rather than buried at the bottom of your suitcase as they'll be asking for them a lot.

Pyjamas or nighties: You'll spend a lot of time horizontal in your bed so plumping for soft, comfortable clothes and loose-fitting pyjamas or nightdress is a must. If you're planning on breastfeeding, opt for a front-opening nightie or nursing top for easy access.Also, take more changes of clothes than you think you might need.

Bed socks: Your feet can get pretty chilly on the maternity ward so treat yourself to a fluffy pair of soft bed socks for the ultimate, comfy luxury.

Dressing gown: Unless you have a private room, you'll be on a shared ward with other mums so it's handy to have a chic but practical dressing gown to cover up when you pop to the communal bathroom. It can also get quite cold on the ward, especially in winter, so layering up is essential. Dressing gowns are also super ideal to wear if you're breastfeeding.

Flip flops: Flip flops are the perfect footwear to slip on and off when using the communal bathrooms or walking around the hospital ward. We barely took ours off.

Slippers: Whilst flip flops reign supreme as the more practical choice of footwear to wear around the maternity ward, there's nothing quite as comforting as slipping your feet into a fluffy pair of slippers. If you're on a budget then the disposable hotel-style slippers from Amazon are perfect.

Tracksuit: You might be on the ward for a fair few days so if you feel like changing out of your PJs (if not, we aren't judging), then a tracksuit is a happy medium between sleepwear and actual clothes. A good tracksuit is easy to slip on, comfortable and helps you feel more ‘pulled together’ without all the effort; it's also the ideal ‘going home’ outfit.

Nursing bra: Nursing bras are one of the most vital bits of kit to own when you're a new mama – and the very best maternity bras can be worn throughout pregnancy, too. They are made from super soft material and give easy access for baby when feeding. Whether or not you choose to breastfeed, a nursing bra is a more comfortable option when you're in hospital and your breasts can feel tender after birth. It’s likely your bra size will rise as your milk comes in so consider getting fitted in your second, third and "fourth" trimesters, too.

Breast pads: Breast pads, also known as nursing pads, are small absorbent discs that slip inside your bra and soak up leaked breast milk and prevent the dreaded leakage. It’s worth stocking up on some breast pads well before your due date because your breasts can actually start producing milk as early as the second trimester of pregnancy (who knew?). According to a Lactation Consultant from Medela: “Most mums experience some level of leaking breast milk, which may start in very small quantities during the last trimester of pregnancy. It is usually heaviest in the early weeks after birth; as your milk comes-in, when breastfeeding and your milk supply is establishing. After this early stage many women often experience less breastmilk leakage. Occasionally during breastfeeding, mums note that the non-nursing breast starts to drip milk with a milk ejection, which is perfectly normal. Wearing a bra pad collects the milk until you are ready to switch.”

Nipple cream and shields: If you choose to breastfeed, those early days can leave your nipples quite sore as your baby gets to grips with the best feeding position. That's why slathering on a nipple cream can be a saving grace when you start your breastfeeding journey. Silver nipple caps were also an absolute essential for our Website Director in between feeds. Silver is a natural antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial metal that also contains anti-inflammatory agents so heals and prevents cuts, wounds, cracks, soreness, and infections.

Maternity sanitary towels: Now for the less glamorous stuff: maternity pads. While the hospital may provide some, packing a big pack of heavy-duty maternity pads is an absolute necessity. People don't warn you just how much you may bleed after birth (don't worry, it's completely normal), and often your regular sanitary towels don't cut it. We love the pants-style pads as they're hardworking and more comfortable.