When do you pack your hospital bag? This is a crucial question that all expectant parents want the answer to. If you pack your bag too soon, then it could collect dust at the front door. More than that, packing your bag too soon means that you might forget to pack some of the essential things that you will learn about as your pregnancy progresses. But packing your bag too late could mean that you are stressed and rushed to get it done. So when do you pack your hospital bag? What time is a good time during your pregnancy to think about packing your bag?
Let's face it, everyone has ideas on what you should be packing in your hospital bag. You won't have any shortage of advice on how many clothes, labor stress relievers, or baby items you should bring to the hospital with you. But the thing that most people don't really talk about is when you should be thinking of packing everything. Packing your hospital bag is one of the most stressful things about your pregnancy, and the last thing you need when you are pregnant is more stress. A good way to reduce the stress that comes with packing your hospital bag is to make two lists. The first list will be things that you would like to pack in your bag and the second list will be things that you have already put into your bag.
The first list is one that you will make notes on throughout your pregnancy. For instance, one day you might find a relaxing CD that you love and you might decide that you would like to listen to that during labor. But you don't necessarily want to pack that CD right now because you will need it to help you sleep at night. So you will put that on your list of things you would like to pack. So when you answer the question of when do you pack your hospital bag, you will have this list ready to go with things that you would like to bring.
The second list will be of things that you have already put in your hospital bag. These are things that you will not need until it is time to deliver your baby. For instance, you might get the perfect outfit to bring home baby at your shower. You can wash this outfit and stick it in your bag now so that you don't forget about it later. And because you have written it down on your list of things you have already packed, you won't forget where it is.
So when do you pack your hospital bag? Many people find that 34 weeks is a good time to pack. You will be close enough to the end of your pregnancy that you should have a good mental image of what you might need during labor, but you will be far enough away from delivery that the odds of you forgetting anything are slim. Because you should have your two lists, the actual packing of your bag should be simple. If you are asking yourself when do you pack your hospital bag, remember that when you use your lists, you can easily see what you need and you are less likely to forget anything.