Things I Recommend for Preparing for Babies + Hospital Packing List
Here’s my own personal packing list for preparing for baby’s arrival and your hospital bag
Hospital Bag
For you
Robe / Loose clothes for you to wear
Slippers / comfortable shoes to wear going to your car and back
Phone charger
Hair Tie
Water bottle
Phone and Camera
Keys
Wallet
ID / Documentation
Birth Plan - if you have one
Change of Clothes for yourself
Favorite easy snacks to eat that would give you some energy. I baked myself some chocolate chunk cookies for some power ups!
Remind your partner he also needs to bring his stuff!
For baby
Clothes for baby to come home in (make sure you consider weather) (1-2 just in case baby poops on it)
Toque/Head accessory (for photos)
Newborn baby diaper size
Swaddle blanket (doubles as blanket for the baby)
Wipes
Sign (name or letterboard etc.)
Car Seat
If it’s at all possible - ask your partner or hire a photographer to document your time at the hospital. You might not feel like it, but you will treasure these photos / videos forever.
For your Nursery / When you get home
Clothing
5-7 Sleepers OR bodysuit+pants per size (0-3, 3-6, etc.) My sister loved using sleepers especially in the newborn phase, and I highly recommend getting double zippered ones! I love the ones from Mebie Baby cause I love neutral shades. When Chase was tiny I used a lot of the bodysuits instead but with Jasiel, I used the zippered sleepers as a newborn(the double zippers are a huge plus). I just couldn’t stand the snap on ones! The Wrapover / Kimono ones are great if the baby doesn’t like clothes going over their heads. As she got older, around 3 months, I also put her in bodysuits and pants cause I cannot stand how sleepers go from being too big to just right/too tight. Also cannot stand the ones with covered feet cause it limits their use. With bodysuits + pants, you can mix and match depending on sizes, and their feet are free so they have traction and who doesn’t want to touch their cute toes?! I recommend this number so you don’t have to do laundry every single day.
2-3 Sleep Sacks in each size. In the newborn to 3 months time (or before they start rolling around), I really liked the Ergopouch Cocoon sleep sack with Chase around because it was easy to use, you just zip them inside. This time around though I found using the SwaddleMe was really good because you can get them in really tight with the velcro In the first week or so you might not need the sleep sacks yet (so you can use all the pretty swaddle blankets you’ve received) but as they start becoming more alert and you would like to try more independent sleep, then the sleep sacks are great. They give them a snug feeling but at the same time reduce the chance of them waking themselves up with their hands. As they get older, once they start rolling, you can get those one-size-fits-all ones with their hands free, like the Perlimpinpin / Kyte Baby / Gunamuna (lots of other brands like these now tbh) are great. Doesn’t matter how big you get them at this stage cause they can use it for awhile. I have Jasiel in the 6-18 months one from Kyte Baby and I love it. Chase used them until he was 1.5 years old then we transitioned into a blanket.
1-2 outfits you would LOVE to put your kid in but you know it’s not practical (like knit ones lol - I don’t understand why these are so popular because a lot of them can’t be machine washed/dried). I do use the knit sweaters as a layering piece when we go out, but definitely not for at home.
Accessories like hats/toques are great especially during the cold weather. Buy these after baby is born because you don’t know their head size. No need to buy a lot of bonnets etc until you can make sure your baby would even wear them haha. I love the Briar Baby ones but my littles didn’t like them! I love the Bowy Made ones for Jasiel this time around.
3-5 pairs of socks - to use in the cold weather. These are ok to be in bigger sizes
Note on shoes - they technically don’t need it - but once Chase was interested in standing, I started putting soft sole shoes on him just so his feet don’t get dirty haha.
Note on rompers - these are hard to put kiddos into especially when they are still in diapers. Unless they have snaps at the bottom, don’t even bother.
Sleep
Chase slept in his crib from the first day home from the hospital, in his own room. This was partly due to me having a hard time sleeping hearing his every sound (I didn’t know babies made so much random sounds while they slept). My sis used a bassinet until her baby started rolling. You do you! Safe is best.
With Jasiel, she also made a ton of sounds in her sleep but this time I slept in her room so that I could tend to her needs quicker without her waking up the whole house haha. But, she still sleeps in her crib, I slept on the sofa converted into a day bed. As she regulated her feeds, I eventually migrated back to my own bed, and just used the monitor on the lowest volume.
Diapering
I liked pampers but my sis liked huggies - every kiddo is different! So if you find yourself leaking a lot, you might need to try other brands. As Chase got bigger, I also really liked the Kirkland brand ones. With Jasiel, I just started with the Kirkland ones cause it was the cheapest. They don’t have the newborn ones though, so I did a box of pampers with those ones then moved up to size 1 right away. The weight limit on those boxes are just a guide - feel free to size up when your baby needs it or you’re getting a lot of blowouts.
Wipes - Kirkland / Costco brand is just the best.
Paper Towel - I used this for Chase mostly because he was a boy to avoid pee shoots and for occasional wiping.
Diaper Genie or Ubbi. One solid place to put all the diapers in and keep the stink in, too. Especially once they start having solids.
Sudocrem for diaper rash
Washing / Skincare
4-5 washcloths to wash your baby with
Burp cloths - in the beginning, you’ll need these in bigger sizes because they spit up a lot. Aden and Anais have great thick ones that you can use for everything. I have 6-8 of these ones so that I can have a couple lying around - one in the bedroom, one in the living room for example and another one in my diaper bag. You can also use the swaddles you receive. I never used swaddles for swaddling really - the sleep sacks did the trick. Eventually, I stopped using them probably around 3-4 months when the baby no longer spits up as much, and these days, I use them as a hand towel after washing her hands/face from eating solids.
Burp bibs - get 3-5 because there will be a season where they drool a lot (i.e. teething), but Chase was such a big drooler, so at some point I had 20-24 in rotation because I would be using 5 a day lol. Turns out, Jasiel also was a big drooler so now I also have this many in rotation. I love the ones from Loulou Lollipop cause they have the cutest designs and they’re super thick so that she’s not wet.
Baby Butter from Naetal Skincare - for eczema. If it gets worse, see your doctor. With Jasiel, her skin really did well with the Eucerin Eczema Care so I used that mostly as well as an all-body lotion.
Hooded towel - to keep your baby’s head warm as a newborn. After that, I found that the hooded towels were too small so I just used adult sized towels haha.
Tubby Todd, Aveeno, Naetal Skin Care are great for baths
Baby Carrier
I personally loved carrying baby in a carrier for walks, outdoor time, and even just around the house so I can do stuff with baby. Now with Jasiel, I use it all the time to extend naps (after a short 30 min nap in the crib), helping me when she’s being fussy, going out for walks (we usually get at least 20-30 mins of outdoor time) or just to get through bedtime with Chase haha. Anything!! Baby carrying is not for everybody - I personally loved it and Chase loved it too! You do you (or what your baby likes).
Solly Baby - I loved using this when Chase was teeny-tiny. Great for keeping them close and while you’re recovering. Not the easiest to put on. With Jasiel, I didn’t even bother putting this on.
Wildbird - This one has a cult following for slings. I want to say I love them but they weren’t as comfortable for me as they are only on one shoulder. My sister liked them more and I had gotten her one. (Update after a month - I still can’t find myself using this, but recently they just launched a structured carrier and I’m getting one, so I’ll let you know if it works well or not!) (Update - I got their Aerial Carrier and loved it but my Happy Baby carrier was a LOT lighter, so I ended up selling it around 6 months!)
Ergobaby 360 Carrier - This is the one I wore Chase in the longest and it sits on your hips. Because I’m so tiny, this was great for me even if I carried Chase for hours. He napped in here for a looooong time on the go, like when we went to church, etc. I used this from 3 months to about a year old then when we transitioned to one nap we didn’t bother using it.
Happy Baby Carrier - This one has a cult following too and it’s apron style, so it’s great even when baby is still tiny (7 lbs) and great for C-section mamas. I’m trying this one out this second baby because it folds so tiny into my bag, it’s somewhere in the middle of a wrap and a structured carrier. (Update after a month - I love that they offer fit checks. There’s a bit of a learning curve but I do love using it over the wildbird). (Update after 7 months - I love it! I actually got the OG one the first time and now I have the Revolution as well so I can wear her facing out). It’s so soft and light and I get to carry her everywhere!
Diaper Bag
With Chase I used the Azaria Bag a lot. I loved the look and easy access for various items.
Mina Baie - love the look of this brand and it’s great for dressier days, but comfort wise, it’s not the best.
Dagne Dover - this is the bag I think I’ll be using for both Chase and baby cause it’s roomy enough, has all the compartments I need and it’s super comfortable on my shoulders. (Update after 5 months - I stopped using it cause it was tooo big for my stroller so I just used my old North Face backpack) (Update after 7 months - still using North Face backpack + lunch bag now that she’s having solids)
Checklist:
Wipes
Tissue/Paper Towel
Diapers (5-10) depending on how long you’re out and age of baby, can reduce to 1-2 as they get older
Extra clothes for baby (1-2)
Extra top for yourself (1) / Nursing Cover (Only if you’re nursing! If not you can leave this in the car)
Burp Cloth and/or Burp Bib
Age-appropriate Toy
Snacks (for yourself and baby - 6 months and up)
Hand Sanitizer, Sanitizing Wipes
Sunscreen (in the summer)
Dog Poo Bags (or something similar) to put diapers / dirty clothes in
Water bottle (you’ll need this if you’re nursing!!)
Emergency Pack (put this in your car) - Similar to what you would put in the diaper bag. Never hurts to have extra stuff
Feeding
This list drastically changes depending on how you decide to feed, but these have been my essentials as a combo feeder this time around. With Chase, we switched to formula after 1 month but with Jasiel I’m continuing to pump and supplement if I need to (more on this in another post)
Dr Brown Bottles - these are what we used with Chase and still use them with Jasiel
Bottle Brush
Nursing Pads
Haaka (I barely used this second time around though!)
Lansinoh Therapearl Hot/Cold or some kind of microwaveable hot compress for your shoulders
Earthmama Organics Nipple Balm
Dr Brown Bottle Drying Rack / Boon Drying Rack
Bottle Warmer
Baby Brezza Sanitizer + Drying Rack
Baby Brezza Formula Pro - if you decide to go this route
Lactation Cookies - I like the Salted Caramel Booby Boons and the Munchkin Milkmakers - they’re great snacks too tbh
Legendairy Liquid Gold supplements
Breast Pump - i have the Medela In Style Pump but I have heard so much good stuff about the Spectra. I also have a portable one now, the Elvie Stride because I just can’t be strapped to the wall and I love the flexibility of doing this anytime anywhere, but I use both of these a lot as a pumping mama.
Microwavable Sanitizing Bags
Prenatal Ease Nursing Vitamins + Omega 3 Supplements
Medical Stuff
These are just good things to have around the house!
Infant Tylenol
Infant Advil
Gravol (they’re technically not supposed to have this until later but you can give them a small amount) for allergic reactions
Vitamin D drops
Hydrasense to loosen up stuffy nose
Nose Frida to suck the stuffy nose (I also got the Braun automated one this time around! It seems to work a little bit more gently than the Nose Frida but I’ll have to update if this works well or not) (Update after 7 months - I now use Pumpinose as it works way better!)
Other
Snuggle Me - I loved having this as a lounger to put the baby in when Chase was little. With Jasiel we didn’t use it at all.
Baby Bjorn Bouncer - I loved having this to put the baby in when they’re a bit older like 2 months and can interact a bit more. Chase loved this but around 4-5 months he would escape from this if I don’t strap him in. Jasiel also wanted to get out of this thing even though we had a little toy attachment on it.
Toys - I loved @infantinsights’s recommendations for toys and activities for baby. Lovevery has great subscription box toys for each season of their lives, I didn’t do it for Chase but I did look at it to see if there’s anything cool every time and would replicate it. I got one of the subscription boxes for Jasiel, and she didn’t play with the toys. Could be just personality or she just really likes Chase’s toys instead.
“Jungle Gym” - a nice place to put the baby in during their awake time, helpful during the first 1-3 months. Both my kiddos rolled pretty early both ways so they constantly left the jungle gym. By the time they were 4 months old they didn’t play with it anymore. But every kiddo is different!
Taking Cara Babies - great resource for learning about baby’s sleep
Brands I love
Babies outgrow clothes very fast - in a span of weeks so if you don’t have hand-me-downs, buy them on sale if you can. If you’re like me and wants to buy something nicer, limit yourself to 1-2 and make sure you take photos of them while they’re wearing them before they get outgrown. If anything, invest in the nicer clothes when they are in 6-12 months or 12-18 months because those clothes can last months at least. When you get to the 2-3 year mark, they can wear clothes for more than one season at least! If you live in North America like me, you’ll need to consider the season that your baby is born in. Both my babies are born in the summer but then fall/winter is just around the corner, so having long sleeves isn’t a bad idea!
H&M - they go on sale every single weekend (never buy things full price!), so make sure you’re a member and that you have the app. Great for baby essentials and cute outfits, too. As they get older they also have a Character shop for all things Spiderman, Lego, Pokemon - which Chase loves! For some reason, H&M pants just never fit Chase right. You’ll realize that very quickly - it depends per kid!
Zara - They have clothes for babies but I find theirs were better as the kiddos got older. I also wait for their quarterly sales but make sure you build your cart early because their stuff goes FAST. I buy often on sale for next season. Never hurts to buy bigger sizes. Chase loved wearing the jeggings from Zara - he still refuses to wear regular jeans haha. I also loved buying shoes for Chase here - from slip-ons to rain boots, etc. My favorite buys for him here were rain jackets, winter jackets, sweatshirts and special event clothes.
Uniqlo - Great for essentials! I loved buying leggings for Chase here (they ran long on him, which is great cause he can wear them for so long). They also have great neutral bodysuits for everyday use. As he got older, the Airism line of clothing is great for doing sports/activities, etc.
Mebie Baby - great brand for essentials like sleepers, body suits, bibs, etc.
Loulou Lollipop - great local brand for sleepers, body suits, bibs, etc.
Current Tyed - Love this local brand for Chase’s swimsuits cause they’re long sleeved but shorts which makes them really easy to wear and provides great sun protection
Little Bipsy - Love this brand for “cool” kid clothes, unisex.
Jax and Lennon - Love this local brand for fun, warm-toned attire with the softest material. Watch out for sales!
Old Navy - Great for patterned clothing, buy on sale and perfect for going to daycare clothes
Wheat Kids Clothing - Danish brand that has amazing rain suits and thermo suits - they run large on Chase but it’s great for using it for more than one season
Jan and Jul - love their hats! I prefer the rain suits etc. from Wheat Kids though cause of the colors haha.
Native Shoes - great for outdoors / water / summer shoes
Minimoc (now heyfolks) - great for first shoes
Tubby Todd - hair/body wash and hair conditioner
Online Shops I frequented for baby
I personally enjoyed purchasing items online because I spend a lot of time on Instagram so I get introduced to various brands that way, LOL! These are a few of my favorites that I liked to look at for inspo and sometimes, I’ll get something from them!
Luca Elle - Kelowna, BC
Merely Me - Ontario
Minimono - Ontario
Maude Kids Decor - Calgary, BC
Bubba Deluxe - Australia
Jamie Kay - Australia
Online Shops for Mommy
I often try to wear whatever I can without getting maternity clothes, but some things are essential - like getting maternity leggings and shorts. Tops you can always get away with usual ones / dresses. Jumpsuits and rompers will be your best friend in the summer (both my babies are).
Nothing Fits But - dresses for maternity/post-maternity, mommy and me dresses
Storq - Comfy maternity/post-maternity wear
Smash and Tess - great for rompers
Pepper - great for small boobs
Uniqlo - maternity leggings
I will continue to update this list as I remember more :)
xoxo,
Karla