Wondering if you’re getting started with packing your hospital bag too early?
Maybe you’re worried about leaving it too late.
The truth is this is one of those issues where there is no right or wrong answer.
But there is practical guidance you can follow so you don’t rush packing your bag and give yourself time to get everything you need. This article is going to set out the most sensible prep timeline for packing your hospital bag to help you get organised!
Putting together your hospital bag is a crucial part of preparing for your due date.
This is the bag that will contain all of your essentials and clothes for yourself during the birth plus clothes for your newborn baby.
While a due date can give you a rough guide of when your baby may be born, it’s not a deadline set in stone.
So if you plan to pack your hospital bag the day before your due date, you may find this is too late. On the other hand, you could find you wait for baby for another two weeks after that date.
To be well prepared for any eventuality – and make sure you don’t have to rush – it’s best to pack your hospital bag a few weeks ahead of your due date.
This advice is echoed by the NHS, which says you should start packing your hospital bag at least three weeks before your due date.
So, at how many weeks should you start packing your hospital bag? You should get started with gathering the essentials in the third trimester at 30 weeks and have your bag ready by 35 weeks.
The nesting instinct can be quite strong during pregnancy. You may be eager to get everything ready super early in your pregnancy.
That’s not to say you can’t get started a little earlier. However I would not start packing your hospital bag until 20 weeks at the earliest.
It’s at this stage you will have the 20 week scan and, if you are choosing to find out the sex, you will have an idea of what gender you are having.
This helps with decisions about things such as clothes.
Is it too early to start packing your hospital bag?
If you find yourself asking whether you’ve started packing too early, the truth is there are no rules when it comes to getting ready for your due date!
Some people can be superstitious about doing any preparation before the 12 week scan.
There is some practicality to this way of thinking, because most losses sadly happen within those early weeks, according to the baby loss charity Tommy’s.
Once you’ve had a scan and are reassured that things are progressing well, then you can follow whatever baby prep timeline you want.
Just like when it comes to when you should start buying baby stuff, the answer is when you feel ready. But in plenty of time before the baby arrives to give you time to buy everything you need.
When to pack your hospital bag
The best time to start packing your hospital bag is once you’re in the third trimester. Starting at 30 weeks gives you plenty of time to order anything you’re missing.
Getting it sorted leaves you with one less job to do so you can rest, get the nursery organised and enjoy the start of your maternity leave.
The reason for not putting too much stock in your specific due date is that few babies actually arrive on the due date your healthcare professional will give you.
A due date assumes pregnancy will last 40 weeks – but your pregnancy is considered full-term at 37 weeks. You could give birth between 37 and 42 weeks.
A 2013 study of about 18,700 women in Australia found that just five per cent of births happened on their due dates.
In 2017, 73 percent of babies born in the US arrived before their due dates.
So as you can see, that due date is really just an estimate that’s necessary to give you some guidance, rather than a clear indication of your baby’s birthday.
We suggest you:
- Start gathering all of the stuff you will need at 30 weeks.
- Find a bag that can fit everything by 34 weeks.
- Get everything folded neatly and organised in the bag by 35 weeks.
This is a nice and relaxed prep timeline that gives you lots of time to shop a good bag!
What should be in your hospital bag?
A good hospital bag will have plenty of space and compartments to help you organise all of your stuff.
These are the items that you should include in your hospital bag:
- Your birth plan and hospital notes
- Outfit for giving birth – preferably a nightie with poppers or similar for breastfeeding
- Dressing gown
- Slippers
- Clean outfit (PJs or a tracksuit) for after giving birth
- Outfit for going home
- Underwear x5
- Nursing bra
- Maternity pads x20
- Breast pads x 10
- TENS machine for pain management if you plan to use one
- Snacks
- Phone charger
- Washbag with toothbrush, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant hair ties and any make-up you want to bring
- Outfits for baby x4 – Bodysuit to be worn under sleepsuit
- Hat for baby
- Nappies x20 (Possibly more if you are having a C-section and may be in hospital longer)
- Cosy pramsuit for baby for going home
- Muslins x2 (I love the giant muslins best as they also double as blankets)
- Blankets x2
- Car seat
I’ve got a downloadable checklist for your hospital bag here. You can find my guide to what to pack in a hospital bag for dad here.
When to pack your hospital bag for a second baby
You should follow around the same timeline when packing your hospital bag for a second baby as for your first. So aim to have the bag packed by 35 weeks at the latest.
There’s an assumption that first babies are always late and second babies are often early. However every pregnancy is different.
Having said that an analysis of Centers for Disease Control data found first babies are less likely to be born on the due date than subsequent children. The analysis showed first babies are more likely to be late than subsequent babies.
Researchers in this study found that if conception occurs within a year of the birth of the first baby, then the second pregnancy is often shorter.
However there are no huge differences involved.
Your due date is just a rough guide in any pregnancy, so go by the number of weeks and try to be ready a few weeks ahead of your due date just to be on the safe side.
Final thoughts on your hospital bag prep
I hope this has helped you figure out your baby prep timeline.
You may also enjoy my articles about getting your house ready for baby and important things to do in the final trimester.
A good checklist can help things feel less overwhelming when it comes to gathering essentials for your baby and getting things done around the house like getting the nursery organised.
