What We'd Actually Pack in a Hospital Bag | Honey & Sage

There is no shortage of advice when you're expecting a baby.

This isn't a comprehensive checklist. It's simply what we'd tell a friend sitting across the table from us.

Pack less than you think. You'll use less than you think. But the things that matter? They matter a lot.

What I'd tell my friends

Bring your skincare routine

Hospital lighting and recycled air is brutal on your skin. You don't need to pack light — bring the full routine. Cleanser, moisturiser, whatever makes you feel like yourself. You'll be grateful when you're running on two hours of sleep and still want to feel human.

Oversized pyjamas and high-waisted underwear

Go up a size. Seriously. Your body has just done something extraordinary and it needs room. Soft, loose pyjamas mean you're comfortable whether you're nursing, being examined, or shuffling to the bathroom. High-waisted underwear that sits above where a C-section incision might be (even if you're not planning one) is worth every cent. Pack more pairs than you think you'll need.

A book

Everyone tells you to sleep when the baby sleeps. Lovely advice, impossible to follow. Your mind races, the ward is noisy, and adrenaline doesn't have an off switch. A book — not a parenting book, just something you actually want to read — gives your brain somewhere to go when sleep won't come.

Fresh fruit and a big water bottle

Hospital food does its best. But there is nothing like fresh fruit when you're exhausted and starving at 3am. Pack a bag of whatever you love — grapes, strawberries, easy peel mandarins — and fill the biggest water bottle you own. Staying hydrated after birth is genuinely important, and having something cold and fresh to reach for makes it easier.

For baby

Soft swaddles that hold their wrap, and zip-only onesies

Swaddle blankets that actually stay wrapped are worth their weight in gold. Babies startle themselves awake and a good swaddle buys everyone more sleep.

As for clothing — zip-only onesies, full stop. No snaps at 3am. No fumbling with buttons when you're half asleep and a small human is screaming. Zip down, change, zip up. Done.

What I'd do again

Pack my full skincare routine — it was one of the few things that felt like mine

Take my own pillow — there is nothing like your own pillow and it doesn't hurt to have extra for support around your belly

Buy high-waisted underwear a size up well before my due date so it was ready to go

Throw a book in the bag — I read more in than I thought I would

What I'd skip

The enormous 'just in case' bag — we used about a third of what we packed

Fancy nursing nightgowns — an oversized t-shirt & button down pj's did the job just as well

You don't need to get everything right before your baby arrives. Most parents figure things out one decision at a time. Pack what makes you feel comfortable and cared for — the rest you can send someone to get.