Cadence

Hospital bag checklist

A starter list for you, your birth partner and your baby. Change anything, choose who packs what, and keep a short list to grab on the way out.

How to use it

  1. Rename, add or remove items so the list fits your plans.
  2. Add who is packing each item, and mark items as you pack them.
  3. Use Grab for things you can’t pack early, like a phone charger.
  4. Print it, or save it on this device. No signup.

Not saved

For you

  • Pregnancy notes and documents your maternity unit asked for
  • Phone and long charging cable
  • Birth preferences, if written down
  • Loose, comfortable clothes for labor
  • Dressing gown and slippers or easy shoes
  • Several changes of underwear
  • Maternity pads
  • Toothbrush, toiletries and lip balm
  • Hair ties
  • Glasses or contact lenses
  • Snacks and a refillable water bottle
  • Headphones, a book or music
  • Comfortable clothes for going home

    For your birth partner

    • A change of clothes
    • Toothbrush and toiletries
    • Snacks and drinks
    • Their own phone charger
    • Plan for travel and parking
    • Numbers of people to update after the birth

      For your baby

      • Bodysuits and sleepsuits
      • A hat and socks or mittens
      • Diapers
      • Muslin or burp cloths
      • A blanket
      • An outfit for going home
      • Car seat, if going home by car

        Good to know

        Ask your maternity unit what it provides

        Units differ. Some provide diapers, pads or towels; others ask you to bring them. Your unit can also tell you about parking and what to bring for the journey home.

        One bag or two?

        Some people pack one bag for labor and a second for after the birth, so the first stays light. Choose what suits you and your space.

        Where is my list saved?

        Only where you choose. Until you press Save, your list lives on this page and is lost when you close it. After you save, it stays in this browser on this device. We never receive it. You can remove it at any time.

        Starter list informed by public guidance, including the NHS guide to packing your bag. It is a starting point, not medical advice.

        Packing is one part of the plan.

        Cadence: Pregnancy & Birth keeps packing lists for you, your partner and your baby alongside appointments, questions and a contraction timer. It is being prepared for public release. Get the launch email.