20 Ultimate C-Section Hospital Bag Checklist For A Smooth Delivery (2024)

Cesarean section, also called C-section, is the surgical procedure performed to deliver a baby where vagin*l birth is not advisable.

C-section birth is quite different from vagin*l delivery because it requires surgery. If you are reading this post, most probably, your doctor has already told you of a scheduled C-section.

You do not need to be scared. What you need is to find information about C-sections and plans. While preparing for your C-section Birth, you need a hospital bag for you, the baby, and most likely your plus one.

In this post, I give you in detail, the ultimate C-section hospital bag checklist.In here are answers to important questions you may have as regards packing a C-section hospital bag, essential tips, and 20 essential items for a C-section hospital bag checklist. Happy Reading.

What Is A C-Section Hospital Bag?

A C-section hospital bag is a bag that contains all the essential items needed for the mother and baby before and after a scheduled C-section delivery.

It is pretty different from the regular Hospital bag because the woman has to undergo a planned C-section delivery rather vagin*l delivery.

Why Is It Important To Prepare The C-Section Hospital Bag Early?

Compared to vagin* delivery, where you are expected to wait till labor starts, the date of a scheduled C-section delivery is usually planned. So you may know your date of delivery even before delivery.

Preparing your C-section hospital bag early is essential because your delivery date will come early. Also, early preparation gives you time to add or remove anything you need to.

When To Pack The Hospital Bag

So you are ready to swing into action and get all the stuff ready, but when is the appropriate time to pack the C-section hospital bag? The timing is relative for different women.

But, since a scheduled is C-section delivery is usually planned between the 37th to 39th week of gestation (which may be quite early when compared with vagin*l delivery) the C-section hospital bag should be fully packed before then.

Most women love packing for the baby, especially after completing most of their shopping, and personally, it is the best time to pack. You do not have to pack the bag(s) all at once.

You can take a few day’s breaks before continuing. When you have packed your hospital bag, it is essential to recheck all the items to avoid missing anything to ensure that no one is missing.

When Not To Pack The C-section Hospital Bag

There are chances are that you may not know that you will have a C-section delivery early on in pregnancy, so you may have started packing the regular Hospital bag.

However, when your doctor informs you of the likely chances of a C-section and confirms that you would have to deliver through a C-section, you need to get ready a C-section hospital bag checklist.

C-section Must-Haves

These are some essential items needed for C-section delivery and important C-section care package.

Belly Band or abdominal binder. It is helpful to give support around the belly and the incision site. It also makes women feel more comfortable. You may get it from the hospital, but you can decide to pack yours in your hospital bag because it may not be your size. Pain relief meds. It is helpful to reduce the C-section pains during postpartum. Please ensure the meds you take are prescribed by the doctor.
Stool softener. It is helpful for bowel incontinence which many women experience this after delivery. Please use the product recommended by your doctor.
Maxi cotton pads.
High-waist disposable underwear, preferably in soft cotton material.
Loose tops and pants.
Skin salve for the incision site.
Nursing pillows.
A baby co-sleeper.
A comfortable seat.
A nursing station for all the essential mother and baby gear.
Maternity items like bra, breast pad, maternity tops, etc.
Books and other resource materials for care after C-section.
Treatments to reduce the scar.
Prenatal vitamins.
A sound machine to help the baby sleep better.
Postpartum underwear’s, designed for after C-section delivery.
What Should I Pack In My Hospital C-section Bag?
Light entertainment.
High-waist pajamas.
A Robe.
Toiletries.
Few electronics.
Comfortable socks.
Flip flops.
Disposable high-waist underwear.
Belly Bands.
Nursing bras.
Breastfeeding pillows.
Crop tops.
A shawl.
Compression socks.
Gift for the nurses.
A purse with a small change of cash and credit card.
Essential documents like driver’s licence, your Id, birth plan.
Baby essentials.
A going home outfit for mom and baby.

Realistic C-section Hospital Bag

The realistic C-section bag should contain bare necessities. That is, only the most important stuff should be inside the hospital bag.

It is essential to find out from your hospital those things they will provide, so you know what not to put in your C-section hospital bag checklist.

The best time to ask this question is during your hospital tour. As you carry out a hospital tour, there are a series of essential questions to ask.

Should The C-section Hospital Bag For The Mom and Baby Be The Same?

No. It is better to pack a separate C-section hospital bag for the baby and the mother. So that the nurses would not find it difficult sorting out things for baby and mama from the same bag.

It doesn’t keep things organized, and it can lead to a jumbled mess.While there is no limit to what you can pack, however, if you pack too much, your partner will only end up hurling big bags all around the hospital, plus your room will be filled with stuff you may not need.

Also, you will find it hard to start sorting out things when you need them. So these are some things you should not consider bringing: Here is a helpful tip: pack baby essentials in one bag, pack a little pre-surgery bag, and then a bag after delivery.

The nurses will find it easier to search for things and avoid mess this way.

What You Should Not Pack To The Hospital

Expensive jewelry.
Too many diapers: most times, the hospital provides diapers.
Too many gadgets: more than one phone, camera, iPod, music players, etc., you’ll be so occupied and may not keep an eye on them.
Too much cash; bring your credit card instead.
Too many pillows might be unnecessary. 1 or 2 is okay.
Too much underwear’s. (Underwear are usually provided in the hospital).
Too many beauty products.
Too many snacks and other non-essentials like a bathrobe, bathroom candles, etc.
Heavy baby gear like cots, strollers, bouncers.
A bag that is full of clothes.

What You Need In Your Hospital Bag

So you are set and ready to start packing, you have probably made a lot of purchases, and you ask, what should I pack for the hospital bag? The hospital bag checklist will vary from woman to woman

Sometimes based on hospital requirements, personal taste, your proximity to the hospital, etc. Let’s 20 essential items needed for a C-section delivery.

1. Your C-section Birth Plan

A birth plan is an important document that contains your unique needs and requests that you would want during your C-section. It is most likely that your doctor has scheduled you for a planned C-section.

Once you know the date, you need to sit down and think thoroughly about how you want your C-section to go. For example, you may wish for a gentle C-section so you can write it down on your birth plan.

You could also state that one or two persons should be with you at the theatre, that you would need a doula, a transparent curtain, rather than the surgical curtain, to get a glimpse of what is happening, you want to make videos or photographs, delay cord clamping, immediate skin-to-skin contact, etc.

All these should be written in your birth plan. Practically, not all the requests in a birth plan can be accepted, but your hospital will do its best to accommodate your needs as much as possible.

The birth plan is an essential document for your hospital bag checklist. Please do not fail to include it while you pack your bags.

2. Important Documents

Other things that you shouldn’t miss in your C-section hospital bag checklist are your important birth documents and essential medical paperwork like the test scan, test results, driver’s license, insurance, health plan, and medical records.

Phone number and name of your doctor, any prescriptions you are currently on, your hospital admission papers because sometimes, even if you have pre-registered before, you will be asked to be admitted.

It is essential to check with your hospital, especially when you do a pregnancy tour. Check crucial questions during a pregnancy tour to know what documents they will need for a C-section.

3. Maxi Pads For After Birth

You will need thick pads to hold down any blood and lochia after birth. Usually, for the first few days, the bleeding is heavier, which is why you go for the thick Maxi-pads.

You do not have to pack so much in your hospital bag, just a few that you will need for the postpartum stay. Usually, the hospital make provisions for you so take a few in your C-section hospital bag checklist.

4. High-Waist Underwear

You need to shop for undies that are soft, comfortable and high-waist to minimize scratching in the surface of the incision site, plus you need these undies to hold up your pad during postpartum bleeding. Please go for the ones that are not too tight and made with soft cotton materials, and are comfortable.

If you do not want to deal with the hassles of washing, especially as t you are dealing with the stress of tending the baby and the pains of the C-section incision site, get disposable high-waist undies.

5. Nursing And Breastfeeding Clothings

Though you may not start breastfeeding immediately, you need to keep some breastfeeding items like breast pads, maternity bras, etc.

It would be best if you used them if you already have milk flow to avoid leaking. The breastfeeding bra will help keep the breast firm. You can also keep a nipple cream Inside the bag In case of nipple dryness.

6. Toiletries

For your basic hygiene and overall appearance, you need some essential toiletries for your C-section hospital bag checklist.

Things like comb, hairbrush, hair band, hair scrunch to keep your hair in place (the last thing you need has hair all over your face): Roll-on, body spray, hair shampoo, and conditioner.

You can pack them up in a small sachet to reduce the load, body spray, body cream, etc. It is advised that you stick to the essentials while packing your toiletries. Sometimes too much stuff may be unnecessary.

7. A Breastfeeding Pillow And Extra Pillows

The breastfeeding pillow will be beneficial when cradling your baby and for breastfeeding. Although you should not touch or put any strain on the incision area, using a breastfeeding pillow instead of the regular pillow can help you position your baby above the incision site.

Sometimes, after a C-section birth, sitting and lying may be awkward because of the pains. What you can do is to get extra pillows to help you support your back, neck, waist, bum, etc.

You may not be sure if the hospital will provide extra pillows. To avoid uncertainty, you may want to put breastfeeding pillows and some extra pillows as part of your C-section hospital bag checklist.

8. Plastic Water Bottle With A Bendable Straw

After C-section, you will be probably be allowed only light meals and lots of fluids because you are giving out a lot through blood loss and lochia, even from breastmilk. It would help if you stay hydrated.

Another importance of taking fluids is that most times after birth, women experience bowel incontinence where they find it hard to poo. To avoid this, you need to drink water often.

Having a soft plastic water bottle at hand with a bendable straw will help you sip water and other fluids easily. I like the bendable straw because you do not have to raise your neck too high to drink, so you are void pressure in the incision site.

9. High-Fibre Snacks

Taking fibers is very important. It helps avoid bowel incontinence. Since you will be eating mainly soft meals and drinking lots of fluids, it will help prevent pooping difficulty. You may also get a stool softener as an extra aid for constipation.

You can add some pack’s of high-fiber cookies, biscuits or nuts as part of your C-section hospital bag checklist to help you avoid constipation.

Bowel incontinence is something you want to avoid after birth, especially after a C-section, because it can severely strain the bowel and affect the incision site.

10. Toothbrush And Paste

Oral hygiene is super important. So it would be best if you put a small pack of toothpaste and a new toothbrush in your hospital bag.

The hospital will provide them, but not all hospitals do, so to be safe, slip in a small tube of paste and a new pack of soft bristle brush into your bag as part of your C-section hospital bag checklist.

11. Baby Essentials

Here are some things some essential baby gear items you need in your C-section hospital bag checklist: baby diapers, baby onesie, baby car seat, formula bottles, formula, baby wipes, baby oil, soap, lotion, receiving blanket, diaper rash creams, washcloth, baby cap, special outfit for going home, etc.

Be sure to ask your hospital what things they are providing not to pack too many things. Sometimes the hospital offers pads, diapers, formula bottles, and some other baby essentials.

I would advise that you pack your baby essentials in a separate bag so that your baby’s things do not get mixed up with yours.

12. A Special Outfit For Going Home

When it is time to go home finally, you need to look cute like a beauty queen you are, for you have done no more small work; you have brought a new being into this world.

While doing baby and mama shopping during pregnancy or packing your hospital bag, pick out a nice outfit for going home. If you are shopping for pants, try loose high-waist pants and loose blouses. If you are going for the gown, ensure it is not too tight or clingy.

13. Comfy Socks

It is ideal and an intelligent move to pack socks into your hospital bag as part of your C-section hospital bag checklist.

The hospital may provide you with socks, but the ones provided are not suitable for you, probably not your size, you would be uncomfortable. So, it is best to add one or two pairs of comfy socks to your hospital bag.

14. Compression Socks

It is needful, especially if you experience leg swelling during pregnancy. The socks help to boost blood circulation in the leg. After C-section, you may not be allowed to move around for a while. To avoid swelling in the feet, you can wear compression socks. Put a pair into your C-section bag, and you are good to go.

15. Slippers

You can use this when your socks are on, and it is more comfortable than walking barefooted or only on socks. For me, I packed a pair of rubber flip flops and a pair of leather slippers which I used at the hospital ward and the bathroom.

16. Writing Materials

Who knows, you may need to write down some important facts or information after your delivery, so slipping in a small notepad, pen or pencil inside your C-section hospital bag checklist is not a bad idea.

You may decide to include your pregnancy journal too. You can write about your experiences at the hospital, before and after your C-section.

17. A Light Shawl/Sweater Or Blanket

There are chances are that the hospital is going to be cold sometimes and warm out sometimes. In case you feel cold, you can cover up with a shawl or wear a sweater. So include them as part of your C-section hospital bag checklist.

18. A Bag For Your Plus One

Whoever will be with you at the hospital and doing the significant running around and errands will need a bag; it may be an overnight bag.

For example, your partner may need some things like toothpaste and toothbrush, light snacks, soft drinks, a change of underwear, cell phone, charger, water, cash, credit card, comfy shoes, ID card and driver’s license, some shirts, a present for the mother and the baby etc.

19. Gift For The Nurses Or Doctors

As a way of appreciation, it is usually nice to give small gifts to the nurses around when you are leaving. You can provide small packs of chocolate bars, cash gifts, beautiful cards, or other simple gifts to the nurses.

As you pack your bags, place in these gifts if possible, label them, so you do not forget.

20. A Purse With A Change Of Cash Or Credit Card

You may not need it in the theatre, but you may want to buy one or two things with money after your C-section. When you are almost close to your due date, put some cash and a credit card into your hospital bag and pack it along with your hospital bag as part of your C-section hospital bag checklist.

C-section is a pretty quick procedure and with high success rate. You need not fear, just arm yourself with the right information and prepare adequately.
Wishing you safe delivery.
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