Last updated: September 2026 · By Clare Maddalena, founder of LushTums, Senior Yoga Teacher, Doula and FEDANT-accredited Antenatal Educator with nearly 25 years' experience supporting families through pregnancy, birth and beyond.
The quick answer
Have your hospital bag packed by 36 weeks. For labour, pack your maternity notes, birth preferences, a loose top, a water bottle with a bendy straw, snacks, lip balm, hair bands, a long phone charger and headphones. For after the birth, pack big comfy knickers, maternity pads, a button-front nightie, nursing bras, breast pads, toiletries and loose clothes to go home in. For your baby, pack nappies, sleepsuits, vests, a hat, muslins, cotton wool, a cellular blanket and a rear-facing car seat fitted in the car. Even if you're planning a home birth, it's worth having a bag ready in case plans change.
So, are your bags packed?
Forget your due date for a moment. From 37 weeks your baby is considered term, so midwives recommend having your hospital bag packed and ready from 36 weeks, just in case your little one decides to arrive early.
Planning a home birth? Pack a bag anyway. Sometimes plans change on the day and a transfer to hospital is so much calmer when everything is ready to grab. (For some home birth inspiration, read Sam's lovely home birth story.)
Keep your bag somewhere easy to grab and make sure your birth partner knows where it is. If you're travelling any distance from home after 36 weeks, take it with you.
Many people find it easiest to pack one bag for labour, one for after the birth and one for your baby, so things are simple to find when you need them.
Top 10 hospital bag essentials (if you only read one list)
Maternity notes (or your maternity app, with a charged phone)
Your birth preferences
A water bottle with a bendy straw
Snacks for you and your birth partner
A long (2–3 metre) phone charging cable and headphones
Lip balm and hair bands
Maternity pads and big comfy knickers
A button-front nightie for skin-to-skin and feeding
Nappies, sleepsuits, vests and a hat for your baby
A rear-facing car seat, fitted before the big day
What to pack for labour and birth
Your maternity notes – many NHS trusts now use digital notes through an app, so make sure you know your login and keep your phone charged. If you have paper notes, bring them.
Your birth preferences – print a few copies and go through them with your birth partner well before the day, so they can speak up for you if needed. Our antenatal education courses can help you work out what matters most to you.
An old t-shirt or loose, breathable top – hospitals can be very hot, so think soft cotton. Choose something you won't mind getting stained.
A water bottle – a sports bottle is easy to drink from during labour, and bendy straws mean your birth partner can hold it for you to sip hands-free.
Hair bands, a wide headband or a scarf – to keep your hair off your face.
Snacks for you and your birth partner – think high energy and easy to eat: bananas, oat bars, dried fruit, sandwiches, jelly babies. Wondering if you're allowed to eat? Read Should I eat in labour?
Lip balm – breathing through contractions and hot hospital air can really dry your lips.
A facial spritz or cooling mist – lovely for staying fresh and cool during labour.
A dressing gown – for pacing the corridors or for time on the ward afterwards.
Comfortable slippers or shoes that are easy to slip on and off.
Music and headphones – a calming or energising playlist, hypnobirthing tracks, birth affirmations or guided relaxations.
A TENS machine, if you're planning to use one. Put fresh batteries in before you pack it.
Massage oil or aromatherapy, if you'd like them. Check your hospital's policy first, as some don't allow oils to be diffused.
A book, magazine or tablet – for quiet moments in early labour, or if you're having an induction, which can take a while.
Your own pillow – hospital pillows can be flat and scratchy. Use a coloured or patterned pillowcase so it doesn't get mixed up with the hospital's.
Any regular medication, in its original packaging.
Any colostrum you've collected – if you've been doing antenatal colostrum harvesting, bring the frozen syringes in a cool bag with an ice pack, labelled with your name, and tell your midwife when you arrive.
What to pack for after the birth
A loose, soft, button-down nightie or pyjama top – perfect for skin-to-skin and feeding.
Several pairs of big, comfy cotton knickers – size up so there's room for maternity pads, and bring ones you won't mind throwing away. Disposable maternity knickers are handy too.
Maternity pads – more than you think you'll need. Around 20 to 24 is a good start.
Nursing bras – two or three, remembering your breasts may grow when your milk comes in (usually around day two to four).
Breast pads, in case your milk comes in while you're still in hospital.
Nipple cream – a purified lanolin or plant-based balm for those early days of breastfeeding.
Toiletries – travel sizes save space. Unscented is a lovely choice, as your baby will love your own natural smell.
A towel – not every hospital provides one.
Flip-flops or sliders for the shower.
Eye mask and earplugs – postnatal wards can be busy, bright and noisy day and night.
Phone and charger – for all those precious photos and sharing the happy news.
Loose, comfy clothes to go home in – nothing with a waistband that digs in – plus trainers or flat shoes.
Spare clothes for you and your birth partner, in case you stay a couple of days.
If you're formula feeding – most hospitals ask you to bring ready-made formula and your own bottles, so check before you go.
What to pack for your baby
Nappies – more than you think. Newborns can get through 10 to 12 a day.
Front-fastening sleepsuits (with feet) and vests – about five of each.
A hat – for keeping your baby cosy when they're dressed and away from you. When they're snuggled skin-to-skin on your chest, your body warmth does a wonderful job.
Scratch mittens, or sleepsuits with built-in mitts.
A cellular cotton blanket rather than fleece, which can make babies too hot.
Cotton wool – plain water and cotton wool are still the gentlest way to clean newborn skin for the first few weeks. Water-based baby wipes are a handy alternative.
Muslins – you'll never leave the house without one once your baby's here!
A going-home outfit – stretchy all-in-ones are easiest.
A warm layer for leaving – a cardigan or pramsuit for cooler months. Avoid bulky snowsuits in the car seat, as they stop the harness fitting snugly. Put a blanket over the top of the fastened straps instead.
A rear-facing car seat – most hospitals won't let you leave by car without one. Choose an i-Size (R129) seat, fit it before the birth and practise the harness so your partner isn't wrestling with it in the car park.
Having a planned caesarean?
You'll need a few extras, such as high-waisted knickers that sit above your scar, bendy straws and peppermint tea. Have a look at our c-section hospital bag checklist and our guide to what happens during a belly birth and best recovery tips for after a c-section.
Top tip from LushTums
Pack your bag, then unpack it and repack it with your birth partner. When it's all happening and you're busy birthing a baby or resting with your newborn, they're the one who needs to know what's where. It'll save you trying to CALMLY explain which pocket holds your hair band, favourite lip balm or packet of jelly babies halfway through a contraction!
Frequently asked questions
When should I pack my hospital bag?
By 36 weeks. From 37 weeks your baby is considered term and could arrive at any time.
What should I pack in my hospital bag for labour?
Your maternity notes, birth preferences, a loose top, a water bottle with a straw, snacks, lip balm, hair bands, a phone charger, headphones and comfy slippers.
How many bags do I need?
Many people find three small bags easiest: one for labour, one for after the birth and one for your baby. That way your birth partner can bring them in as needed.
Do I need a hospital bag if I'm having a home birth?
Yes. Plans sometimes change, and having a bag ready makes a transfer to hospital much calmer.
How long will I stay in hospital after giving birth?
After a straightforward vaginal birth, many people go home within 6 to 24 hours. After a caesarean, it's usually 24 to 48 hours. Pack a couple of spares just in case.
What do I need to take home a newborn baby?
A rear-facing car seat fitted in your car, a going-home outfit, a hat and a cellular blanket to tuck over the harness if it's cold.
Get your body and mind ready too
Packing your bag is one part of preparing for birth. The other part is you. At our LushTums Pregnancy Yoga & Birth Prep classes in Brighton (and online with LushTums At Home), you can:
Make friends with other parents-to-be due around the same time
Ease pregnancy aches and ailments
Sleep better
Learn breathing and relaxation techniques for a calmer, more confident birth
Discover positions and movement to help you through labour
Want to go deeper? Our antenatal education courses in Brighton & Hove cover everything from labour and birth choices to feeding and the early weeks. After your baby arrives, join us for LushTums Postnatal Yoga to rebuild strength from the inside out.
Become a LushTums teacher
Do you feel passionate about birth and want to support others through pregnancy and early parenthood? Join our team of wonderful teachers. No previous yoga or birth experience is needed. Our in-depth training teaches you everything you need to set up your own rewarding, flexible pregnancy yoga business in just three months. Find out more today
This article is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your own midwife or doctor. Always follow the guidance your hospital gives you.