How-to: pack your hospital bag
Ready to pack your maternity hospital bag? Whether you’re the kind of mum who’s prepped by 32 weeks, or you’re more inclined to be stuffing nappies into a bag mid-contractions – knowing just what to pack in your hospital bag can make your birth experience just a little bit easier.
We’ve put our experience together to create a pregnancy hospital bag list for personal essentials – for you, your birth partner and your new baby. Download it, print it, add any specific items you’d like to take and check them off as you go.
The key to a perfect pack is choosing the right bag
The criteria for choosing a hospital holdall should be simple. Is it practical? Does it fit your style? Does it have a life beyond baby?
All our favourite hospital bags tick each of these boxes. Each also comes with our quilted change mat, so you can launch straight into changing nappies on any surface.
Read on for our top 3 hospital bags for the perfect pack, leaving you ready to quickly grab when it’s go-time.
Ida Eco Holdall
Our top pick for a hospital bag is the best-in-class Ida Eco Holdall. As our biggest baby bag, it boasts plenty of room for your hospital things and doubles as a changing bag! Ida is crafted from recycled materials, putting less pressure on our planet by using fewer resources while also diverting landfill and repurposing existing materials.
So what else makes it our top pick as a hospital bag? Ida has two thermo-insulated bottle holders (for your trip home with babe), an adjustable crossbody strap that also detaches (making it easier for you or your birth partner to carry or hang off the stroller), a total of 7 internal and external pockets plus a wipe-clean finish for mess-free adventures with your newest family member! Plus a large waterproof internal compartment for any wet clothing.
Selby
Eco Changing Bag
Next great hospital bag on our list is Selby. All Finnsøn changing bags are ‘cool mum bags’, and all Finnsøn bags have plenty of pockets, so what makes Selby different? For a start, Selby has a whopping 9 external and internal pockets, including 4 zip pockets – perfect for easy-to-lose items you’ll need, like earplugs, hair ties and hairclips, and of course your phone, charger & headphones.
Selby also takes an organised approach to your hospital pack, with compartments for your clean clothes and those destined for laundry, a spot for newborn rompers – plus anything else you can think you.
Also handy, Selby can adapt to a buggy organiser bag, with two side D rings (just need the Osten clips). Plus, it’s stylish and practical so has a long life long past a maternity hospital bag.
Inge Eco Changing Backpack
Another great option for a handy hospital bag is our baby changing backpack, Inge. It is the ideal partner backpack, or even a designated newborn bag.
Inge still has plenty of pockets (a huge 9 combined, inside and out) and is the ultimate hands-free option, which easily attaches to a pram.
If you’re taking multiple hospital bags, Inge fits comfortably in the repertoire – especially for birth partners who are the baggage handlers! Inge on your back, Ida by the handles and one hand free for squeezing.
We’d love to see your hospital bag essentials! Upload a pic to Instagram and tag us @wearefinnson and don’t forget to download our hospital bag essentials list below.