I'll be honest with you. When I packed my hospital bag before the birth of my first daughter in 2018, I made some choices I deeply regretted within about six hours of giving birth.
The biggest one? I packed underwear that was only slightly larger than my pre-pregnancy size.
I don't know what I was thinking. I think I was optimistic — which is a lovely quality in a pregnant woman but a terrible quality when it comes to packing postpartum underwear. My body had just done the most extraordinary thing. It had grown a human being and brought her safely into the world. And there I was, in a hospital bathroom, trying to squeeze into underwear that was never going to fit, especially once you fit the jumbo surfboard maternity pad inside. I had to leverage the mesh undies the midwife had kindly offered me as a backup.
Here's my honest advice: pack your underwear as if it has to fit you while you're still pregnant. Forget where your body was before. Pack for where your body is going to be in those first 48 hours postpartum, because it's going to be swollen, tender and bleeding — and it deserves to be comfortable.
This is why I now stock Bubba Bump Disposable Postpartum Underwear at Love In The Moonlight. They're high-waisted, stretchy, disposable, and designed specifically for after birth — whether you've had a vaginal delivery or a c-section. I wish they'd been in my bag in 2018.
That experience — and everything I've learned since becoming a mother of two and building this brand — is why I put this checklist together. It's not a generic list you'll find on every baby website. It's the honest version.
Before You Pack: Check With Your Hospital First
Every hospital in Australia is slightly different in what they provide and what they ask you to bring. Some public and private hospitals provide nappies, formula and basic toiletries. Others don't.
With that said, here is what I'd recommend packing regardless.
For Mum — Labour and Birth
Comfortable, loose clothing for labour: An oversized t-shirt you don't mind getting messy. Some women prefer to wear the hospital gown — entirely up to you. But having your own familiar fabric can be grounding when things get intense.
A comfortable bra or crop top: Whether you opt for a water birth or not, this is very helpful if you don't want to be completely naked in front of a multitude of doctors and nurses. Yes they are about to see your lunch, but they don't have to see everything if you don't want them to!
Warm socks: Birth suites can be cold. Warm, non-slip socks are a small comfort that makes a real difference, especially during the early stages of labour when you're upright and moving.
Hair ties and a headband: You will not want hair in your face. Pack more than you think you need.
Lip balm: If you're using gas and air, your lips will dry out. This is a small thing that will feel enormous at 3am.
A birth playlist or podcast, downloaded offline: Don't rely on hospital Wi-Fi. Download whatever helps you feel calm before you leave home.
Your birth preferences: Print a copy. Keep it in the top of your bag where your midwife can easily find it.
For Mum — Postpartum Recovery
This is the section I wish someone had handed me as a checklist before my first birth. Recovery doesn't start when you get home. It starts in that hospital room.
- Disposable postpartum underwear — the right size: As I mentioned — pack these as if you're still pregnant. Bubba Bump Disposable Postpartum Underwear are high-waisted, absorb significantly more than a regular pad, and won't irritate a c-section wound or a tender perineum. Pack at least one full pack (8 pairs) for a 2-night stay.
- A perineal wash bottle: The Bare Mum Perineal Wash Bottle is specifically designed for post-birth care — it has an ergonomic upside-down design and an angled narrow neck so you can use it without bending or straining. Fill it with lukewarm water. It will be your best friend every time you go to the bathroom in those first few days.
- A warm and cool perineal insert (aka- an ice pack for your perineum): When I had my first baby, I relied on the hospital's perineal ice blocks. They were uncomfortable, clunky, and frankly not pleasant. What I didn't have — and desperately wish I had — was a Bare Mum Warm & Cool Insert. It's a flexible, reusable gel insert that can be heated or cooled to provide targeted relief to the perineum or lower abdomen. It's soft, pliable even when frozen, and OB-GYN and midwife approved. Pack it. Seriously.
- Maternity pads: Heavy-flow, long, and as many as you think you need — then double it. The first 24 hours postpartum involves significant bleeding (lochia). Your hospital may provide some but they will look like a surfboard and not be your first choice comfort-wise, so bring your own too.
- Comfortable, loose pyjamas and a robe: You'll be sleeping in these, walking the corridor in these, and potentially having visitors while wearing these. Loose, soft, and easy to breastfeed in if that's your plan. Button-front tops make life easier. I also recommend breastfeeding singlets to wear underneath a robe or your PJ's with a built in breastfeeding bra.
- Nipple balm: Whether you plan to breastfeed or not, pack it. If you do breastfeed, your nipples will thank you from day one. Willow By The Sea have a great mini set for new mums, perfect for the hospital.
- A good belly oil or moisturiser: Your skin has been stretched to its limits. Willow By The Sea Belly Oil is a beautiful blend of organic oils that absorbs quickly and helps with itching, stretch marks, and general skin comfort in those early postpartum days.
- Toiletries — travel size Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste: A shower after birth is one of the best feelings you will ever experience in your life. Be prepared for it. The Bondi Wash Cleansing Hair Travel Box is a gorgeous all-in-one option that covers hair and body, comes in a gift box format, and is made from natural ingredients — pregnancy and breastfeeding safe.
- Going-home outfit: Comfortable, loose, and nothing with a tight waistband. Maternity leggings and a soft flowy top are perfect options.
For Mum — Practical Essentials
- - Phone charger (a long cable if possible — hospital power points are never where you need them)
- - Portable phone charger / power bank
- - Snacks — no-one is hungrier than a breastfeeding woman and hospital food has its limits. In my experience, I was ravenous. Pack things that don't require refrigeration: muesli bars, nuts, crackers, dried fruit, chocolate.
- - Water bottle — a large one with a straw so you can drink lying down
- - Medicare card, private health insurance card if applicable
- - ID
- - A book/Kindle or downloaded shows — the hours between feeds can be quiet, especially at night
- - Pillow from home (optional but genuinely comforting — pop a coloured pillowcase on it so it doesn't get mixed up with hospital linen)
For Your Support Person
Remind them to pack:
- - A change of clothes
- - Snacks and their own water bottle
- - Phone charger
- - Something to do during the quiet stretches
- - Comfortable shoes — they'll be on their feet a lot
For Baby
As noted above, confirm with your specific hospital what they provide for baby — some public hospitals provide nappies, wraps and basic clothing for the first night. I recommend to pack your own things regardless - you can't be sure the items provided will be comfortable, fit right, have been pre-washed in sensitive laundry detergent, etc:
- - 3 newborn onesies with built-in mittens (to stop any accidental scratches) and a going-home outfit (size 0000 or 000 — newborns are smaller than most people expect)
- - 2 muslin wraps or swaddles
- - Nappies (newborn size) — 1 small pack
- - A beanie - hospitals are cold!
- - Infant car seat — fitted and ready in the car before your due date
What NOT to Pack
- - Valuables or jewellery
- - Too many clothes (you will likely be in the same pyjamas/leggings for most of your stay)
- - Anything you'd be heartbroken to lose or stain
The Gift Version
If you're reading this because you're buying a new mum gift for yourself or someone you love — we've done the hard work for you. Our Hospital Bag Essentials Gift Set includes the Bondi Wash travel kit, Bubba Bump disposable postpartum underwear, Bare Mum Warm & Cool Insert, Bare Mum Perineal Wash Bottle, and Willow By The Sea Belly Oil — everything a new mum needs for those first days postpartum, in one beautiful package.
If you have a work colleague you're buying a maternity leave gift for, you might be looking for something a little less about physical recovery, and a little more about rest, recovery and pampering - we've got some great options for you too. The Rest & Relax Gift Set is a beautifully curated collection of self-care essentials, thoughtfully chosen to help a pregnant or newly postpartum woman in your life slow down, relax, and feel truly pampered. Inside, she'll find a Silk The Label Essential Silk Sleep Mask, Love Tea Pyramid Tea of her choosing (breastfeeding, digestive support, calming, sleep, or lemongrass & ginger) and the SWIISH Collagen Under Eye Mask. The full range of maternity-leave gift sets can be found here.
Because she deserves to be thought of. Not just the baby.
With love, Avril xx
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