Take the stress out of packing your hospital bag with our quick and easy guide. We have all the essentials that you and your new baby will need during your hospital stay totally covered!

1. Pillow – it’s difficult enough to get a good nights sleep in a hospital. Make it that little bit easier with your own favourite pillow from home.

2. Clothing – yep you’ll be needing to take a few items of clothing with you! Pop in a couple of nursing tops, nightys or PJs, socks, underwear and some comfortable stretchy clothes you can wear home.

3. Socks and slippers – these are going to make getting around the hospital so much easier… and they’ll keep your little tootsies warm too!

4. Toiletries – apart from the obvious things like deoderant, toothbrush and toothpaste, pop in any other toiletries you use on a regular basis. Things like face wash, makeup wipes, lip balm, moisturiser, hair brush, hair ties, shampoo and conditioner, hair dryer and makeup will make you feel so much better.

5. New Mum stuff – you’ll need to take some sanitary pads, nipple cream and nursing pads to the hospital.

6. Snacks – bring some of your fave energy boosting snacks along with you – you’ll need them!!

7. Electronics – before you leave for the hospital, make sure you pop in your mobile phone, camera, video camera, ipod, tablet/laptop and of course your chargers!

8. Health Insurance Card/Birth Plan/Medical Information – put your health insurance card into your bag along with a copy of your birth plan and any relevant medical information your doctor has asked you to bring. That way, they’ll all be ready when you need them!

9. Magazines or a book – sure you probably won’t have heaps of spare time on your hands, but who knows! Sometimes a flick through a gossip magazine will be just what you feel like in between feeds, visitors and sleeps.

10. For the baby – make sure you’ve got a change of clothes, newborn nappies, a blanket, swaddling wrap, wipes, nail clippers and your baby book.

11. Car seat – ok this one is not going to be packed into your hospital bag, but you do need to make sure you have your baby car seat installed before you head to the hospital!