This weekend I had a bit of a scare, I woke up at almost 35 weeks pregnant thinking I was in labor!! And what really had me panicking was all the stuff I still had to do. Like pack a hospital bag! Yikes!!!

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You would think by my third baby I’d have things figured out, but nope. I was up at 1 am, having contractions, and frantically adding things like diapers, maxi pads, and nipple cream to my Amazon cart (I linked all of my favorites in case you’re interested.)

Luckily for me the contractions stopped but that little scare definitely lit a fire under my butt.

Time to start packing a hospital bag!

With my first, I overpacked big time. I packed like I was going away for a girls’ spa weekend, and I didn’t end up needing half of what I brought.

With my second I had a scheduled c-section (read more about that here) and I was determined to have a smooth recovery, so again I overpacked.

And didn’t use half of what I brought.

Instead my hospital room was filled with random stuff that I didn’t need. I actually brought a tiny crockpot so I could warm-up homemade soup (which I brought with me as well), what was I thinking?!

Then as I was packing my bag for baby #3 I had a revelation, so I’m going to share with you my best tip for the perfectly packed hospital bag. Are you ready???

Keep Your Hospital Bag Packing Simple

Believe me when I say you will not need anywhere near the amount of stuff you think you will, and the things you do truly need the hospital will have. Including for the baby!! They have shirts, blankets, diapers, and wipes for baby.

Sure you might end up spending a couple days in the hospital (maybe more if you have a c-section) but trust me it’s not the same as taking a weekend trip. You won’t need a change of clothes for every day or a bunch of accessories. You’ll just need the basics.

This time around I kept it to two nursing tanks, two pairs of sweats, and some underwear (I like an extra large granny panty!) for when I go home (you’ll get the fancy mesh kind in the hospital!).

I threw in some socks just in case, but they have special socks with grippy feet at the hospital. And I’ll wear a sweatshirt to the hospital, sometimes those rooms can get chilly!

And all you’ll need for baby is whatever you plan to bring him home in. That’s it!!

I do throw in a few toiletries (like dry shampoo and a toothbrush), but even that stuff I keep to a minimum. And if you did forget them in your bag, the hospital can usually rummage up some basics like shampoo and toothpaste.

I’ll admit that I do throw in my make-up bag. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don’t; but it’s nice to have the option. Some days a little dry shampoo, mascara, and tinted chapstick go a long way in making me feel human. But I definitely don’t pack like I’m going to have glamour shots taken in the hospital.

Once that baby comes you’ll be on cloud nine and you won’t even notice that you haven’t changed your shirt. Not to mention the last thing you’ll want to do when you get home is unpack a humungous suitcase!

Keep it simple, Mama!!

Trust me, I think you’ll be surprised at how simple it can be to pack your hospital bag. Stop stressing over every little detail, just skip to the basics- you won’t regret it!

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Do you have any hospital bag must-haves? Share below!!