US hospital bag checklist

Most US hospitals provide the basics for your stay, so the biggest hospital-bag mistake is buying duplicates. Pack documents, comfort items for you, two sizes of going-home outfit for the baby and supplies for your support person. Call your hospital first and ask what it provides.

What the hospital usually provides

Supplies vary by facility, so ask yours before buying any of these:

• Mesh underwear and maternity pads
• Ice packs and a basic peri bottle
• Diapers, wipes and receiving blankets for the baby
• Formula and bottles if you need them
• A hospital gown (your own is a comfort upgrade, not a need)

Documents and logistics

• Photo ID and insurance card
• Birth preferences, printed; one page is plenty
• The trip home: a correctly fitted rear-facing car seat if travelling by car. Confirm your hospital's discharge requirements.

Find a car-seat inspection station through NHTSA, and read ACOG's guide to knowing when labor begins for when to head in.

For you, during labor and the stay

• A robe or gown that opens at the front for skin-to-skin and feeds
• Grippy socks or slippers
• Lip balm and hair ties
• A one-handed water bottle you can sip from bed
• Your phone with a long charging cable
• Loose, maternity-sized going-home clothes

For the baby

• A going-home outfit in two sizes (newborn and 0 to 3 months)
• Check which baby supplies your hospital provides and pack any extras it asks for

For your support person

• Snacks and water; hospital cafeterias close
• A phone charger and a change of clothes
• A pillow from home, with a non-white pillowcase

Save money: what not to buy

Do not buy a breast pump at retail before checking your insurance. Under the ACA most health plans must cover breastfeeding support and equipment, but what exactly (manual or electric, rental or new) varies by plan, and some older grandfathered plans are exempt. HealthCare.gov explains the coverage; ask your plan first.

• Use what the hospital gives you before buying your own version
• Skip pre-packed “everything” bags beyond one kit you will actually use
• Skip supplements and anything that promises to start labor

The kit duplicates some hospital freebies; its value is the better gown, the angled peri bottle and having everything pre-packed. The robe is an optional comfort item; the free hospital gown works too.