Hospital bag checklist for delivery: mother, baby and companion
Quick answer
A hospital bag checklist for delivery has three parts: papers and money (NID, checkup card, reports, cash), the mother's things (loose front-opening clothes, pads, a shawl, toiletries, a phone charger) and the baby's things (soft cotton clothes, caps, socks, nappies, wraps). Pack it by about 34–36 weeks and keep it by the door.
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At a glance
- Who it is for
- Pregnant women and their families getting ready for the birth, from about 34 weeks
- Key takeaways
- Pack one bag for mother and baby, one file for papers and money, and a small bag for the person staying with her.
- Papers matter most: NID, the checkup (ANC) card, test reports, scans and the blood-group report.
- Pack by about 34–36 weeks and keep the bag where anyone at home can grab it at night.
- Bring nothing for the baby to eat or drink: no honey, sugar water or mustard oil. Breastfeeding starts within the first hour.
A hospital bag checklist saves a lot of last-minute searching, especially when labour starts at night and the family is rushing to find a CNG. Packed once, calmly, it means nobody is hunting for the checkup card at 3 a.m.
Below is what to pack in your hospital bag for delivery at a Bangladeshi hospital or clinic: papers and money, the mother's things, the baby's things, the companion's bag, and extras for a caesarean. Treat it as a rough guide. Every hospital is different, so ask yours what they provide.
Urgent signs first: if any of these appear, go to hospital now, with or without the bag; someone can bring it later. The full list is at the end of this page and in pregnancy warning signs.
Urgent signs in pregnancy
- Heavy bleeding from the vagina, or any bleeding with pain, dizziness or fainting: call 999 and go to hospital now.
- A fit (convulsion): call 999 and go to hospital now.
- Trouble breathing, chest pain, collapse: call 999 and go to hospital now.
- Any other bleeding or spotting: go to hospital now.
- Fever of 38 °C or more, or shivering: go to hospital now.
- Severe headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, or sudden swelling of the face or hands: go to hospital now.
- Severe belly pain, or pain that doesn't go away; in early pregnancy, pain on one side, or pain at the tip of the shoulder: go to hospital now; call 999 if she faints.
- Fluid leaking from the vagina before 37 weeks, or green, brown or bad-smelling fluid at any time: go to hospital now.
- The baby moving less than usual, or not at all, from about 24 weeks: go to hospital now; don't wait until tomorrow.
- Regular tightenings or pains, pressure low down, or a backache that comes in waves, before 37 weeks: go to hospital now.
When should you pack your hospital bag?
When to pack the hospital bag: by about 34–36 weeks. Full term is 37–42 weeks, so the baby can arrive any day from 37 weeks, and some come earlier. Work out when 34 weeks falls for you with the due date calculator.
- Pack earlier if your doctor expects an early birth, or if she is travelling to her mother's house for the delivery.
- Keep the bag by the bedroom door or the main door, and tell everyone at home where it is.
- Put a copy of your birth plan and emergency card on top, with the hospital, the driver and the blood donors.
- From 37 weeks, when pains come regularly or the waters break, go to the hospital in your plan. At the 36-week checkup, ask the doctor exactly when to leave, and write the answer on your plan.
Hospital bag checklist: papers, money, mother and baby
Use this hospital bag checklist as you pack, and tick off each line. Quantities are rough; a normal birth often means a stay of a day or two, a caesarean several days.
| For | What to pack | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Papers | NID for both parents, the checkup (ANC) card, prescriptions, test reports, scans, the blood-group report | One waterproof file; take photos of each on your phone too |
| Papers | The birth plan card; numbers for the hospital, doctor, driver and blood donors | Printed, and saved on every phone |
| Money | Cash for admission, medicines the hospital asks you to buy, transport and food | Some in small notes; mobile banking as a backup; split it between two people |
| Mother | 2–3 loose, front-opening kameez or nightdresses, with dupattas | Front opening makes breastfeeding easier; a loose waist matters after a caesarean |
| Mother | Plenty of maternity pads or soft clean cloth, and several pairs of loose cotton underwear | Take more than you think; ask whether the hospital supplies any |
| Mother | A shawl or light chador, socks, and sandals with grip | Wards can be cold under fans or air conditioning |
| Mother | Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, comb, hair ties, a towel, a small bucket or mug if the ward has none | Government wards often have fewer supplies than private clinics |
| Mother | Phone, a long charger cable and a charged power bank | Plugs are few, and load-shedding happens |
| Mother | A water bottle, dry snacks, a plate, a glass and a spoon | Many hospitals do not provide food or drinking water; ask yours |
| Baby | 3–4 soft cotton outfits that open at the front, 2–3 caps and pairs of socks | Wash them first and dry them in the sun |
| Baby | Soft old cotton kantha or wraps, and a thin blanket | Newborns lose heat fast; skin-to-skin on the mother's chest also keeps them warm |
| Baby | Newborn nappies or soft cloth nappies, cotton wool and a small bowl | Plain water and cotton are enough for cleaning |
| Baby | A going-home outfit and wrap | Something warm in winter, something light in summer |
| Companion | A change of clothes, toiletries, a thin mat or sheet, snacks, water and a pen | Many wards have no bed for the person staying with her |
What extra should you pack for a C-section?
Whether the birth is normal or by caesarean is decided with your doctor, sometimes on the day, so it helps to pack for either. A C-section hospital bag needs a few extras:
- More clothes and pads, for a stay of several days.
- High-waisted, loose underwear and very loose clothes that do not press on the stitches.
- Slip-on sandals, since bending down is hard for a few days.
- A companion who can stay day and night, to lift the baby and help her to the bathroom.
- Extra money for the longer stay, and any medicines the hospital asks you to buy.
What not to bring to hospital for the baby
- Nothing for the baby to eat or drink before breast milk: no honey, sugar water, mustard oil or ghee. Breastfeeding starts within the first hour, and breast milk alone is the baby's food until about 6 months. Honey is not given at all before the first birthday.
- Formula “just in case”. If a doctor advises formula for your baby, they will tell you what to get.
- Oil, powder or ash for the cord. The hospital will tell you how to care for it.
- A pillow for the baby, not even a small mustard-seed pillow. A newborn sleeps on the back on a firm, flat surface; see baby sleep from 0 to 12 months.
- Gold, jewellery and large amounts of cash in one place. Leave valuables at home.
In a Bangladeshi home: elders, buying baby things early, and visitors
- Baby things before the birth: some families prefer not to buy them early. That is a harmless custom. Washed old cotton clothes and kantha from the family can go in the bag, or a relative can keep a few new things at their home until the baby arrives.
- The evil eye: if your family wants a small kajal dot against the evil eye, keep it on the baby's forehead, never in the eyes, and it can wait until you are home.
- Food for the mother: families often bring food from home. Make sure she eats properly, with fish, rice, dal and vegetables, and drinks plenty of water. Cutting a new mother's fish, vegetables or water can harm her recovery.
- Mosquitoes: many wards have them, so a small mosquito net or long sleeves help, especially in the dengue season.
- Visitors: keep the hospital visits short. Relatives can see the baby at home after a few days, when the mother has rested.
What you might say to the family
- Amma, we won't buy much before the birth. I've only washed some old soft clothes and put them in the bag.
- The bag is behind the bedroom door. If I'm not home, take it and go.
- Amma, please say the dua for the baby, but no honey. Only mother's milk for now.
- Let her eat the fish and drink water. She needs it to heal.
- Please come and see the baby at home in a few days. She needs to rest now.
A 7-day plan to pack the hospital bag
Start around 34 weeks with this hospital bag checklist. One part a day is enough, and each evening note what is packed and what is still missing.
- Day 1: ask your hospital what they provide: pads, baby clothes, food, drinking water, a bed for the companion.
- Day 2: put the papers in one file, and photograph each page on your phone.
- Day 3: wash the baby clothes and kantha, dry them in the sun, fold and pack them.
- Day 4: pack the mother's clothes, pads, shawl and toiletries.
- Day 5: pack the companion's bag, and split the money between two people.
- Day 6: put the birth plan card on top, and show everyone at home where the bag is.
- Day 7: check the list once more, and set a phone reminder for 36 weeks to recheck the charger, power bank and cash.
The bag is one part of the plan. For the hospital, night transport, blood donors and money, see how to make a birth plan.
When to go to hospital straight away
With any of these signs, go now, whether the bag is ready or not. Go to the hospital in your birth plan, or the nearest hospital where babies are born, and take the checkup card.
Warning signs in pregnancy
- Heavy bleeding from the vagina, or any bleeding with pain, dizziness or fainting: call 999 and go to hospital now.
- A fit (convulsion): call 999 and go to hospital now.
- Trouble breathing, chest pain, collapse: call 999 and go to hospital now.
- Any other bleeding or spotting: go to hospital now.
- Fever of 38 °C or more, or shivering: go to hospital now.
- Severe headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, or sudden swelling of the face or hands: go to hospital now.
- Severe belly pain, or pain that doesn't go away; in early pregnancy, pain on one side, or pain at the tip of the shoulder: go to hospital now; call 999 if she faints.
- Fluid leaking from the vagina before 37 weeks, or green, brown or bad-smelling fluid at any time: go to hospital now.
- The baby moving less than usual, or not at all, from about 24 weeks: go to hospital now; don't wait until tomorrow.
- Regular tightenings or pains, pressure low down, or a backache that comes in waves, before 37 weeks: go to hospital now.
- One leg painful, red or swollen: go to hospital now; call 999 if she is also short of breath.
- Being sick so much she can't keep fluids down for a day, or passing very little urine: see a doctor today.
- Itching on the hands and feet in later pregnancy: see a doctor today.
- Burning or pain when passing urine: see a doctor today.
- Thoughts of harming herself, or of not wanting to live: stay calm and close to her; call 999 if she is in danger now; otherwise see a doctor the same day.
- Someone at home is hurting her or threatening her: if she is in danger now, call 999.
After the birth: call 999
- Bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour or less, or large clots: call 999 and go to hospital now.
- A fit; severe headache with vision changes; sudden swelling of the face or hands: call 999 and go to hospital now.
- Trouble breathing, chest pain: call 999 and go to hospital now.
A finished hospital bag checklist and a packed bag by the door mean one less thing to think about when the day comes. ParentMind helps you note what happens each day, see patterns and get guidance: how ParentMind works.
Questions parents ask
When should I pack my hospital bag for delivery?
By about 34–36 weeks. Full term starts at 37 weeks, and some babies come earlier, so a bag packed a few weeks ahead means nobody is rushing at night. Pack sooner if your doctor expects an early birth, or if you are travelling to your mother's house for the delivery. Keep it by the door and tell everyone where it is.
What do I need to take to hospital for a newborn baby?
Three or four soft cotton outfits that open at the front, two or three caps and pairs of socks, soft kantha or wraps, a thin blanket, newborn or cloth nappies, cotton wool and a small bowl for cleaning with plain water, and a going-home outfit. Wash everything first. Bring nothing for the baby to eat or drink: breastfeeding starts within the first hour.
What documents are needed for delivery in a hospital in Bangladesh?
Usually the NID of both parents, the checkup (ANC) card, prescriptions, test reports and scans, and the blood-group report. Keep them in one waterproof file with photos on your phone. At discharge, keep every paper the hospital gives you about the birth; families often need them later, for example to register the birth.
What extra things do I need for a C-section?
Pack for a stay of several days: more clothes and pads, high-waisted loose underwear, very loose clothes that do not press on the stitches, and slip-on sandals. Plan a companion who can stay day and night, and extra money for the longer stay and any medicines the hospital asks you to buy. Since the decision is often made with the doctor on the day, packing for either is sensible.
How many bags should we take to the hospital for delivery?
Usually two bags and one file. One bag holds the mother's and baby's things, a smaller one holds the companion's, and a waterproof file holds the papers, the birth plan card and most of the money. The file stays in the husband's or companion's hand the whole time, so the important things are never left in a vehicle or corridor.
Is it okay to buy baby things before the birth?
Yes, and many families do. Others prefer to wait because of family custom, which is harmless. If your family waits, pack washed old cotton clothes and kantha, or ask a relative to keep a few new basics at their home. What matters is that the baby has warm, clean clothes and wraps in the bag on the day.
This article is general information, not medical advice. For health worries, talk to a doctor; if someone is in danger, contact your local emergency number.
