I'm 35 Weeks Pregnant—These Are the Products I'm Taking to the Hospital With Me

Today, I'm officially 35 weeks pregnant, which means that sometime in the next few weeks, I am going to have an actual, real-life human child. Yes, with all going well, I should have at least another couple of weeks to myself (hopefully giving me enough time for a total binge of The O.C. during my first week of maternity leave), but after that, all bets are on as to when bump will officially become baby.

So last weekend, I decided it was about time that I stopped ignoring the advice of my pregnancy app and actually started thinking about packing my hospital bag. But I have to say that as a beauty editor I found the checklists available to be a little… uninspiring. The NHS list is great if you're as clueless as I am about what your baby might need while you're in the hospital, and Bounty's list is one of the few that recognises that your birth partner will need to pack a bag too, but I don't feel like any of the lists available made concessions to the fact that new mums might be in need of a little TLC.

Disclaimer: This will be my first baby, so I'm aware that I have pretty much no idea about what to expect when I go into the hospital or what the aftermath will really be like. But I know one thing: During some of the most difficult times in my life, having the right products with me to calm the senses provides a little pampering and generally acts as a bit of a pick-me-up that's proved to be invaluable. 

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(Image credit: @MICARICKETTS)

So while I might try hundreds of trending beauty products each week and have a pregnancy skincare routine that some might consider excessive, I've narrowed down my own hospital bag to 21 key products (and a few little extras) that I think every mum-to-be would benefit from packing. I've used a combination of other lists on the internet, recommendations from friends and family and my own intuition to create a pretty comprehensive hospital bag checklist that I hope will prove useful and restorative to any other expectant mums out there.

Warning: This list isn't about the breast pads, nipple cream and giant knickers—it's about the products you can pack that will make you feel good as a mum. Pick and choose what works for you, and most importantly, good luck!

The Essentials

#1: Clear Makeup Bag

#2: Toothbrush

#3: Toothpaste

#4: Deodorant

#5: Shampoo

#6: Hair Mask or Conditioner

#7: Dry Shampoo

#8: Shower Gel

#9: Body Lotion

#10: Lip Balm

#11: Hairbrush

#12: Makeup Wipes

#13: Cleanser

#14: Cleansing Cloth

#15: Moisturiser(s)

#16: Hairbands

The Extra Touches

#17: Hand Sanitiser

#18: Face Mist

#19: Room Spray

#20: Eye Mask

#21: Makeup

Next up, this is how my skincare routine changed after I found out I was pregnant.

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Mica Ricketts

Mica Ricketts is a freelance beauty editor, copywriter and regular contributor to Who What Wear UK. She also writes for titles including Marie Claire Refinery 29 and Cosmopolitan, and previously worked at Who What Wear UK as Beauty Editor. With experience in both editorial and content management, she also works with beauty brands and small businesses on brand messaging and content strategy. As a busy mum of two, she is passionate about finding efficacious beauty products that can disguise all signs of tiredness with minimal effort.