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