Every hospital-bag post on the internet is too long. This one is too, but at least it's specific to Philadelphia hospitals.

I've attended births at Pennsylvania Hospital, HUP, Jefferson, Einstein, Lankenau, Bryn Mawr, Paoli, and Virtua Voorhees. The bags that work are smaller than you think. Here's what I tell my clients to actually pack.

Start with what your hospital provides

Every Philadelphia-area hospital provides:

  • Hospital gown (you can also wear your own — most prefer the gown for the first hours)
  • Mesh underwear (more than you need — take extras home)
  • Maxi pads (industrial size, not glamorous, very effective)
  • A peri bottle
  • Witch hazel pads (Tucks)
  • Numbing spray (Dermoplast)
  • Ice packs for perineal use
  • Diapers, wipes, and a few baby outfits
  • Receiving blankets (you'll bring one home)
  • Baby hat
  • Pump access if you need it (with hospital-grade pumps available)

What that means: stop packing duplicate versions of these. Stop packing six maxi pads. They have more.

The actually-useful list

For labor

  • Lip balm — Hospital air is dry. Labor is hard on lips.
  • Hair ties + scrunchies — More than you think.
  • A long phone charger (10ft minimum) — Outlets are never where you need them.
  • A small fan (battery or USB) — Labor heats you up. Most rooms feel hot.
  • A focal point — A photo, a small object. Something to fix your eyes on during contractions.
  • A robe — For walking the hallways. Black or dark colors hide everything.
  • Slippers with backs — You'll walk a lot. Flip-flops fall off. Slippers without backs trip you.
  • Snacks for the partner — The cafeterias close. The vending machines are bleak. Bring real food.
  • Water bottle with a straw — Drinking from a regular cup during labor is hard.
  • Your own pillow — Just one. Use a non-white pillowcase so you don't accidentally leave it at the hospital.

For after the birth (you)

  • Two nursing bras or comfortable bralettes — One to wear, one to wash.
  • Three pairs of loose, dark cotton underwear (in addition to mesh undies) — For when you come home.
  • A going-home outfit — Loose, soft, dark. You're still going to look 5 months pregnant. Pack accordingly.
  • Toothbrush + toothpaste
  • Shampoo + conditioner + body wash — Travel sizes. You will want a shower at hour 6.
  • Face wash + skincare basics — Whatever feels like normalcy.
  • Deodorant
  • Glasses if you wear contacts — Your eyes get tired.
  • Phone, charger, headphones

For the partner

  • Change of clothes (2 sets)
  • Toothbrush
  • Snacks (already mentioned — but truly: do this)
  • A pillow and small blanket — The fold-out couches are short and the sheets are thin.
  • Their own phone charger — They will forget.

For the baby

  • Going-home outfit (one newborn size + one 0–3 month — newborns vary widely)
  • A small blanket for the car seat (in cold months)
  • The installed car seat — Don't just bring the car seat. Have it installed and inspected before 37 weeks. Many Philadelphia fire stations do free car seat checks.

Documents

  • Photo ID
  • Insurance card
  • A printed birth plan (one page, max) — Even if your doula or doc has a copy
  • Pediatrician's contact info — Your hospital will ask. Have a chosen pediatrician by 36 weeks.

What to leave at home

  • Diapers and wipes — They provide them.
  • A diaper bag stuffed with newborn-care items — They send you home with the basics.
  • Five different outfits for baby photos — One outfit. They'll be in hospital wraps most of the time.
  • Birth-pool inflatables / candles / your essential oil diffuser — Most Philadelphia hospitals don't allow open flames; some don't allow oils. Check before.
  • Books — You will not read.
  • Make-up + heat tools — You will be in active recovery. The energy goes elsewhere.
  • Anything you'd be sad to lose — Hospitals are not lost-and-found-friendly.

Pack three bags, not one

This is the trick that saves you in the moment:

  1. The labor bag (medium duffel) — Things you'll want during active labor. Snacks, water, phone chargers, your own pillow, hair ties, focal point.
  2. The postpartum bag (smaller bag) — Toiletries, going-home outfit, comfortable underwear. Tuck inside the labor bag.
  3. The baby bag (tiny) — Going-home outfit, car-seat blanket. Tuck inside the labor bag.

When you're in active labor, your partner can just bring the labor bag in from the car. The rest stays in the car until you're moved to the postpartum room — usually 1–2 hours after birth.

Hospital-specific tips

A few notes from working in different Philadelphia L&D units:

  • Pennsylvania Hospital + HUP — Small rooms. Pack light. Visitor parking validates with your nurse.
  • Jefferson — Newer suites with hydrotherapy tubs. Bring a swimsuit top if you want to use the tub modestly.
  • Einstein — Bring snacks. Café options are limited late nights and on weekends.
  • Main Line hospitals (Lankenau, Bryn Mawr, Paoli) — More spacious rooms. Easier overnight stays for partners.

When to pack

Have the bags packed by 36 weeks. Not because most people go that early — most don't — but because being packed reduces a layer of anxiety in the last weeks. Park them by the door. Forget about them.

Want a printable version of this checklist tuned to your specific Philadelphia hospital? Reach out and I'll send the PDF.

Good luck. You'll do great.