Your Hospital Baby Supplies Checklist

Congratulations! You are about to have a baby. This is a very exciting time in your life, but you are probably also stressed and nervous. You might have already packed your bags for the hospital and even have some baby scrapbook supplies ready but are wondering what, exactly, you need to pack for your baby. Here is some helpful information on your hospital baby supplies checklist.

What You Need

The short answer is this: you need nothing. Every hospital with a labor and delivery section is equipped to handle a mother coming in without any bags or preparation. They have blankets, clothing, hats, diapers, formula, bottles, nipple cream, and more. So do not worry if you end up going to the hospital without your carefully packed bag.

Even so, there are some things that you should plan on bringing and that should be on your hospital baby supplies checklist. If you are cloth diapering, you should plan to bring your own diapers to the hospital. The hospital will provide disposable diapers, but not cloth. You should also bring your own bag to carry them home in. However, many cloth diapering mothers choose to leave cloth diapers off of their baby supplies checklist and use disposables for the first few days. This way the meconium can get through the baby and you will not have to clean it up.

Another thing that should be on your baby supplies checklist is clothing. Most hospitals offer a first baby picture service, and if you want to get that done you should plan on picking out an outfit for your baby. You can also bring a blanket to put underneath the baby for the picture. This is especially important to have on your baby supplies checklist if you have a very vibrant outfit for the baby that might not match the photographer's background.

Aside from these fun, but not necessary, items, you absolutely must have a car seat with you at the hospital. This should be the first item on your baby supplies checklist. Hospitals will not allow you to leave the hospital with your baby unless you have a properly installed rear-facing infant car seat for your child. There are countless organizations that help people get car seats for their children, so if you cannot afford one make sure to put looking up this information and contacting these people onto your baby supplies checklist!

Other than that, the hospital will provide you with feeding utensils if you plan to formula feed, and you have your own breasts if you are breastfeeding. Now try to relax and enjoy the next few weeks before your baby comes!