💼 Gear & logistics · Around 35 weeks (month 8)
🧳 The Hospital Bag and Your Survival Kit
The maternity ward isn't an all-inclusive resort. Pack the bags around week 35 so you're not scrambling on the big day. And remember, you're not just a pack mule: labour can last 12 to 24 hours, so make sure you bring your own survival kit.
Dad's Survival Bag
- A phone charger with an extra-long cable (2 to 3 metres / 10 ft): in delivery rooms, the plug socket is always miles away from the bed.
- Loose change or contactless payment, because the hospital coffee machine is about to become your new best mate.
- Snacks and a refillable water bottle: energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, sandwiches. Hospital catering won't be feeding the birth partner.
- A spare change of clothes and fresh underwear, so you still look and feel human after pulling an all-nighter.
- A basic washbag: toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant.
- An offline playlist and a small Bluetooth speaker, to set a soothing atmosphere.
The other bags to pack
1. Baby's 'Delivery Room' pouch
1 wrapover (kimono-style) cotton bodysuit, 1 warm sleepsuit, 1 newborn beanie, 1 pair of booties or socks, 1 cosy cardigan. This is baby's very first outfit—keep it right at the top.
2. Baby's postpartum stay bag
5 to 6 wrapover bodysuits (newborn and 0–1 month sizes), 5 sleepsuits, 2 baby sleeping bags / sleep sacks (TOG 2 or 2.5), 3 hooded baby towels, 1 soft baby brush, and a generous stack of muslin squares.
3. Mum's hospital bag
2 to 3 loose, comfortable outfits, pyjamas or button-front nightshirts (handy for skin-to-skin and feeding), high-waisted cotton or disposable briefs, extra-large maternity pads, a cooling face mist spray, and a nursing pillow.
4. Dad hack
Keep things strictly separated into two bags: the delivery pouch, ready to grab instantly, and the main postpartum suitcase, which can safely wait in the boot of the car. Trust us, nobody wants to watch you frantically rummaging through a 20 kg suitcase between two contractions.
Read next
This guide doesn't replace medical advice. When in doubt, call your doctor or your local emergency number.