What’s in my hospital bag, the second time around!

At 37.5 weeks pregnant with my second baby, I finally got around to finishing my hospital bag! To be honest, I had been putting it off because I was finishing a ton of work I had to leave in stock so that I can fully dedicate to my baby once born – well, “fully” if you count the fact that my attention will also be divided between my husband and 2-year-old toddler. 

I started getting a bit angsty since my belly started to feel heavier and heavier and that natural “nesting syndrome” kicked in at full speed. This time around though, I spent waaay less time making the “perfect bag” to carry with us for when “Baby No.2“ decides to step into the world. I remember creating my first hospital bag out of at least a couple of hours of research and a few weeks of finding the right products.

Having a second baby, though still tiring, makes many processes easier since you’ve already experienced what worked or didn’t work for you and your time with your previous baby. It’s true, every pregnancy is different but prepping for it becomes easier. I’ll share the (short!) list of essentials I’m bringing with me this time and I’ll also leave a link to my first hospital bag here, so you can see the difference. By all means, if you’d like to add many more things to yours DO so, it’s YOUR hospital bag and you’ve got to include the items that will make your labor and delivery process and hospital stay comfier.  Without further ado, here’s what I’m bringing in my hospital bag, this second time around:

FOR MOM

• 1 set of super comfy pajamas, veeery stretchy. I plan on being either in my pajama bottoms or my leggings most of my stay! 
• 1 robe (for easiness breastfeeding – my hospital does offer cute gowns so I wore the hospital gown last time and will wear it this time).
• 1 change of clothes or “going home outfit”, which includes leggings and one t-shirt . I’m already going to have the maternity jeans I go with and truthfully, I’ll be wearing my pajama bottoms or leggings and my robe during my stay.

• 2 nursing bras: I have a seamless one similar to this one and one that’s not seamless, only to use when changing to go home. 
• Comfy slippers: I actually put them on once I checked into my delivery room, even used them to walk the hospital aisles while in labor, and till I left! 
• 3 bags of Raspberry Tea Leaf: recommended by midwives and doulas worldwide, it helps strengthen uterus and aid in early and active labor!
• 3 bags of Mother’s Milk tea: a natural way of promoting lactation.
• Nipple shields – not sure how my breasts will react this time after having breastfed one baby, but the first weeks with my firstborn involved a lot of pain. I used the Medela Soft Shells to protect my nipples after feeding and sometimes their “Contact Nipple Shields” for breastfeeding my baby (only when the pain was unbearable, because baby could get used to the texture of the shield and not prefer the bare nipple afterwards).

• Nursing pads: something easy to forget but that is a MUST. 
• Lansinoh Lanolin nipple cream: SO relieving, and it’s safe for baby 
• A couple of big pads: sorry for the reality-check, but everyone knows the period after giving birth is not pretty. Besides the pain, if you give birth vaginally, you will most probably experience heavy post-partum bleeding. The hospital offers a few super-absorbent pads and I can always ask them or more, some so I’m packing only two.
• Toiletries: face wash, face lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, travel-sized shampoo
• Hospital documents 

*I’m not bringing any pain medication or medicated pads for pain relief “down there” since I was provided a ton of them at the hospital. They also have me a soothing spray, but I know some places don’t give them out so I’m linking them here:

–Tucks: medicated pads that ease burning sensation and pain.

–Dermoplast: the same as above, but in spray form.  

FOR DAD

• Clothes for 2 days 
• 1 set of pajamas
• Lots of snacks + breakfast bars (I get the hospital food, he prefers this for breakfast)
• Cell-phone charger
• Toiletries 

FOR BABY

• Car seat, properly installed! THE most important thing!
• Swaddle blanket/receiving blanket – even if they give me one at the hospital, I prefer having my own (they’re softer!)
• Thick blanket (for when we leave the hospital) 
• 3 pairs of socks
• Hand mittens (just in case Baby has long nails when born!)  – I have these ones 
• 1 set of pajamas (although baby might just stay in diaper + swaddle blanket like last time) 
• 4 newborn=sized diapers (they also give me some at the hospital, so I’m counting on those too)
• Unscented wipes for sensitive skin
• 2 burp cloths 
• 1 hat (they give us one at the hospital as well) 
• Going home outfit 
• Diaper bag: I purchased this one on Amazon because it had many good reviews and wasn’t too expensive. I’ve used several different models in the past and I really didn’t want to invest too much on a diaper bag this time. The only thing I needed from it was that it had to “backpack style” because I needed it to be super handy – especially now that we’ll have to carry two diaper bags when we leave the house with our two kids!

I hope this list was useful for you and that you can plan your hospital bag with enough time. Let me know in the comments if you added any different items on your second hospital bag or if you have any questions! Remember, these are items to give you a bit of comfort during your stay, but the ultimate most important comfort of all will come from the joy of FINALLY carrying that bundle of joy in your arms. Have a lovely birth experience mamas!