When my beautiful baby girl was born early, she spent a few weeks in the NICU. A stay in the NICU is not planned. So it’s not something you can exactly pack for in advance. And having a perfectly packed hospital bag is a pretty low priority when you are in the middle of an incredibly traumatic and overwhelming experience. But, if I had been more prepared and had all of these items in my NICU hospital bag from the start, it may have made a difficult situation a little bit easier. There were a few times that I missed out on first baby moments simply because I didn’t have the right stuff with me. And I had already missed out on so many moments. All hospitals and situations are different, but I am hoping my experience and this post will help others with a little one in the NICU have the tools to find moments of joy during a difficult time.
1. Blanket and Pillow
The days are long and emotional. You will be so tired. If there is a chance to sneak a nap in, do it.
We were very fortunate that our NICU room had a couch and a recliner chair (not all rooms have this). The hospital provided lots of pillows and a few blankets, but there was something comforting about having our own things. We spent so much time there and it was helpful to have a few comfort objects from home to make the environment more familiar.
I brought a washable blanket like this for myself, and a soft baby blanket like this one for snuggling our baby.
2. Long Phone Charger
We used our phones for everything (ordering food, doctor phone calls, work, keeping track of my pumping schedule, etc.) and couldn’t always sit by an outlet. An extra long phone charger was helpful in making sure we always were right next to our phone, even if we were holding the baby and had to stay put. I ordered this charger from Amazon.
3. Kindle
Having a Kindle in our NICU hospital bag was a life saver for me. When we could hold our little girl, we often had to hold her for hours at a time so she wasn’t transferred too much. It was hard to stay awake during all those warm baby snuggles without something to focus on. I couldn’t hold a book and turn the pages, but I could hold my Kindle. It helped to check out a bunch of books on Libby and read while I enjoyed the baby cuddle time.
I love the Kindle Paperwhite. It is so much easier than reading on a phone screen. I bought mine refurbished during an Amazon sale and it worked out really well!
4. Headphones
Make sure you pack a good pair of headphones. You can listen to music or podcasts, watch a show, or talk on the phone without disturbing the baby. Headphones also help with staying awake while holding your baby.
5. Swaddles
For the first few days, our little one only wore a diaper and hospital swaddle. Then a nurse asked if we wanted to use one of our own swaddles. I was thrilled and wish I had known this was an option earlier in our stay.
The simple act of using my own swaddles made an enormous difference. I finally felt like I had some influence over my daughter’s daily routine, as I would if she were home with us. And she looked completely adorable.
I did realize that not all swaddles are the right size. When babies are super tiny, you don’t want too much fabric. But you still need enough fabric to swaddle them tightly.
My favorite stretchy swaddle is from Posh Peanut (it comes with a cute matching headband!).
These aden + anais swaddles are my favorite muslin swaddles.
We also used these Burt’s Bees Baby cotton blankets as swaddles and as sheets for her bassinet.
6. T-Shirt Onesies
For weeks I was so excited to dress my baby in cute onesies, but she was still wearing only a diaper and swaddle. Then one day our nurse said she was ready for clothes and asked what I had brought.
I had taken most of the baby clothes home that I originally brought to the hospital. And I only had footed onesies, which didn’t work with all her cords and monitors. So I had to borrow a t-shirt onesie from the NICU. I was so so sad to miss out on this first outfit moment.
I wish I had kept a few super soft premie and/or newborn short sleeve and long sleeve onesies in my NICU hospital bag or in the room. You won’t need pants, just the tops. T-shirt onesies make it possible to still access the cords. These short-sleeve onesies and long-sleeve onesies are my favorites because they are so soft.
7. Nursing Pillow and Nursing Cover
You will want a nursing pillow while holding the baby and if you are breastfeeding. I used my Boppy nursing pillow as arm support while holding our baby. I also brought a My Breast Friend nursing pillow, which the lactation team recommended when I was starting out.
The My Breast Friend pillow was much easier than the Boppy when trying to breastfeed with baby attached to lots of cords. It was more secure for transfers and had a platform to keep her more stable. Now I use my Boppy nursing pillow, but I am so glad I had the My Breast Friend pillow in the NICU.
You may also want a nursing cover if you are pumping. I did not wear a cover while breastfeeding, but it was nice to cover up when I needed to pump. This was my favorite nursing cover for pumping.
8. Top for Skin-to-Skin Contact
Pack a button up top in your NICU hospital bag for you and your partner to do skin-to-skin with the baby. You can also wear a cami tank top and slide the baby inside or a wrap top like this cozy wrap sweater (one of my favorite maternity finds). We tried to hold our baby skin-to-skin as much as possible and it was nice to have something easy to change into at the hospital.
9. Books to Read to Baby
At first, we had to keep the room calm, quiet, and stimulation free. But as our baby got stronger, it was good for her to hear our voices. The doctors and nurses recommended that we sit by her as she slept and read books aloud. I packed a few favorites including Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman. Reading to her gave me a way to connect with her when I couldn’t snuggle her, which helped.
10. Snacks
We were always hungry and always missing meals. We would be about to run out to grab lunch or dinner and a doctor would come. Or there would be a rare opportunity to snuggle our baby that we couldn’t miss. Or lactation would stop by the room to chat. Food became a low priority.
Some hospitals may have a fridge for families so you can bring your own food, but we did not have that. Eating out constantly became super expensive, so we started packing snacks. Technically, eating meals in the room was not allowed, but a quick snack here and there was fine.
Our go-to snacks were granola bars, muffins, cracker and cheese snack packs, nuts, and apples.
I would recommend packing a small cooler lunch bag full of snacks each day just in case you can’t slip out for a meal. And if anyone asks how they can help, tell them you need restaurant gift cards or meals delivered to the hospital.
Other Suggestions for Your NICU Hospital Bag
Here are a few other things you may want to add to your NICU hospital bag packing list:
- Pictures of your family, dogs, or house to show your baby or hang up in the room. You can also use cute drawings from siblings or family members.
- Stuffed animals to put around the room or prop up in the baby’s bed.
- Soft infant hats.
I hope this list of NICU essentials is helpful. If your family is currently has a baby in the NICU, my heart goes out to you. Or, if you are preparing just in case, I am sure these items will be just as helpful in a regular maternity recovery room.
If you have your own recommendations for items you found helpful in the NICU, please share in comments to support others navigating the same difficult path.
P.S. My favorite newborn essentials and the advice I wish I had received as a first time mom.
Note: If you buy something through the links on this page, I may earn an affiliate commission (at no cost to you). I only share products I genuinely like and use in my own life. I try to keep the details on this page updated, but please check all information before making your plans as the information may have changed. Thank you so much for your support.
