Pregnancy

Pack the hospital bag at 36 weeks — then stop rearranging it

6 August 2026 · 3 min read

Notes, chargers, and a snack beat a capsule wardrobe. The checklist in Tools is enough.

Most units ask you to be packed from 36 weeks in case labour starts overnight. You do not need a new identity. You need your notes or app summary, a charger, a long phone cable, pants, a feeding top, nappies, and something you will actually eat at 3am.

Leave the car seat in the car. Pack two outfits for you, not seven. If you want a TENS machine, test it at home first. The hospital bag checklist in Tools is written for a UK or US ward bag — tick what you own and ignore the rest.

Export a doctor summary PDF before you go if you have been logging blood pressure, kicks, or contractions. Paper still wins when Wi-Fi does not.

Informational only. Midwife Pocket is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Bleeding, leaking fluid, reduced movement, or feeling unwell — contact maternity triage.

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