Double check to make sure you have your picture ID and insurance card. Don’t bring expensive jewelry unless you really have your heart set on wearing it for the photos. Only bring enough cash for parking and snacks but leave the rest at home. Hospitals provide diapers and wipes—leave your stash at home. You also don’t have to worry about bringing a breast pump, if you were to need one the hospital has those too. Bring your toiletries, (don’t forget your bobby-pins and hair ties if you have long hair!) and anything that’s comforting to you like your own pillow in a bright case, essential oils, or pictures from home. Here are ten great tips from other moms on items they were so glad to have had:

1. Kaleea H. Your contacts! I thought—of course for a long birth I’d only be comfortable in my glasses. But I was so hot my glasses kept fogging up and the sweat made them slide down my nose when I would bend over (which ended up being most of my birth positions).
2. Tanya B. Wireless nursing bras or regular comfortable sports bras. I wasn’t planning on breastfeeding and didn’t bother much about my bra choices. But even for people not breastfeeding—you’re still going to have your milk come in which means leaking, tender, and swollen breasts. Get a size up in something comfortable and get breast pads to absorb leaks.
3. Lauren S-C. More comfy clothes than you’d think you would need. All my hormones after the birth made me sweat a ton and I was relieved to have fresh clothes to change into especially with all the visitors. Bring a few options with short sleeves because they check your blood pressure…a lot.
4. Cassy S-S. Scent-free deodorant. Post-birth hormones had me sweating continually but I didn’t want to do heavy deodorant because it felt like my baby was nursing right up by my arm-pit and the deodorant smell was overwhelming. I had my husband run out for a scent-free deodorant so my baby wasn’t inhaling cucumber breezes along with her milk.
5. Sharon R. Adult diapers. I know. You don’t want to imagine a reality where you would need these. You’ll be so glad you have them. They are so much better than the pad in the mesh hospital thing or giant bulky pads in your own underwear. Just do the diapers. They have better coverage and easier clean up. Cause yea, you bleed that much the first 72 hours.
6. Sandra W. A going-home outfit—not one of those baby bag sleepers without separate legs. The only outfits I packed were those baby sleepers I thought were so cute before the birth. I totally forgot you can’t put a baby into a car seat in those.
7. Sarah R. Baby nail clippers! My baby was ten days late and had really long fingernails… but our hospital didn’t supply clippers because of liability issues and our baby got super scratched up before we could get some.
8. Kara K. Flip-flops for the bathroom and shower. I thought I wouldn’t trust the hospital floors and am so glad I brought these and a pair of hard soled slippers.
9. Jessica F. Lanolin aka nipple cream and a nipple guard. My baby sucked blisters that bled into her mouth and the cream a friend had told me I might need and stuffed into my bag was the only reason I was able to keep breastfeeding. The nipple guard was also a lifesaver. Paint a streak of bright nail polish on it to keep it from being completely invisible when you’re scrambling for it during mid-night feedings.
10. Fiona M. Thank-you cards. I had an outstanding nurse team and ended up really wanting to personally thank them for what they did for me. My mom told me to bring these and I’m so glad I did.