Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
Pack your hospital bag about three weeks before your due date. The NHS guide to packing your bag for labour suggests this because only about 1 in 20 babies arrives on the due date. If your doctor has told you that you may deliver early, pack sooner. Keep the bag somewhere easy to grab and make sure your partner or whoever is taking you to hospital knows where it is.
Hospitals in India differ a lot in what they give you. Some private hospitals hand over a full kit of pads, baby clothes and toiletries; others give almost nothing. A two minute call to the maternity ward, or a question at your next antenatal visit, will save you from packing things twice or missing something important.
Documents
Put these in one folder or zip pouch at the top of the bag:
- Your antenatal file with scan and blood test reports
- Photo ID for you and your partner
- Health insurance card and any cashless approval papers
- Your birth plan, if you have written one
- A list of any medicines you take, plus the medicines themselves
For you
Clothes
- A loose, comfortable outfit to wear in labour
- Two or three front opening nighties or kurtas if you plan to breastfeed; feeding nighties with zips or flaps make night feeds easier
- A light dupatta or shawl, since wards and operation theatres are often air conditioned
- Slippers with a good grip, and a pair of socks
- Five or six pairs of comfortable, high waisted underwear; disposable ones save washing
- Two or three comfortable bras, including nursing bras if you are breastfeeding
- A loose outfit for going home. You will still look a few months pregnant, so pack something that fitted you around six months
Toiletries and postpartum care
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, hair ties and lip balm
- Soap or body wash, and a small towel
- Two packets of super absorbent maternity pads, as the NHS list suggests, even if the hospital gives some
- Breast pads
- Nipple cream, if you would like to have one with you
- A plastic bag for dirty clothes
Comfort
- Your own pillow in a coloured cover, so it does not get mixed up with hospital pillows
- An eye mask and earplugs; wards are rarely dark or quiet
- Snacks and a water bottle. Check with your doctor whether you can eat during labour
- A hand fan or face mist for hot days
- Phone, charger, an extra long cable and a power bank
- Spare glasses or contact lenses
- Something to pass the time: a book, music or downloaded podcasts
For your baby
- Three or four soft vests or onesies, in newborn and 0 to 3 month sizes, since you will not know your baby's size until birth
- A going home outfit suited to the weather
- Cap, scratch mittens and socks or booties
- Two muslin cloths for burping and spills
- A blanket or shawl to wrap your baby for the journey home
- A small pack of newborn nappies and cotton wool or plain wipes
Wash new baby clothes once in a mild detergent before packing them.
The ride home
If you are going home by car, have a rear facing infant car seat fitted before your due date. The American Academy of Pediatrics, in its car seat advice for families, says all infants should ride rear facing starting with their first ride home from the hospital, and a rear facing seat must never go in front of an active passenger airbag. Practise fitting it once so you are not learning in the hospital car park. If your baby is born early, the AAP advises that preterm babies be checked in hospital to make sure they can sit safely in a semi reclined seat.
For your partner or birth companion
- A change of clothes, toothbrush and deodorant
- Phone and charger
- Snacks and drinks for long waits
- Cash and a card for the pharmacy, canteen and parking
- A list of phone numbers of family members to update
- Any medicines they take
In many Indian families a mother, mother in law or sister stays with the new mother. If a relative will be staying overnight, ask the hospital about visitor rules and pack a light sheet and pillow for the attendant's bed.
If you are having a caesarean
- Pack extra high waisted underwear and loose clothes that do not press on the wound
- Bring a few more changes of clothes, since the stay is usually longer than after a vaginal birth
- Ask your doctor whether they recommend an abdominal binder before you buy one
Expecting twins? Double the baby list and choose a larger bag.
Questions parents often ask
How many outfits does my baby need in hospital?
Three or four vests or onesies is usually enough for a two or three day stay, plus one going home outfit. Pack two sizes so at least one fits.
What if I forget something?
Most things can be bought from the hospital pharmacy or brought in by family. The documents and your medicines are the only items worth checking twice.
Printable checklist
Download the printable hospital bag checklist and tick items off as you pack.
