While scrolling through my cousin’s baby shower registry, I kept thinking that I wanted to give her a more personalized gift and a gift that was also for her as the mom, not just for baby. She is one of my closest friends having grownup nearby and only a couple years apart so I wanted to make her shower gift special.
After many Google and Pinterest searches, I decided to give her a bag to take to the hospital with all of the essentials she would need while there – plus a gift of two for her husband! Gift giving is my primary love language so I was beyond thrilled when she told me that this gift was her favorite and that it meant the most to her because of how thoughtful it was.
Since she loved this hospital bag gift so much, I’ve compiled everything I included here to share!
The Bag
I gave my cousin this Weekender bag from Target and think it’s a great option. It is spacious and also a great value. It’s a good deal at full price but I remember buying it on sale making it even better.
This Weekender and this Mini Weekender are also good options. They have been one of my top NSale picks year after year. I recently bought the Mini Weekender for birthday and bridal shower gifts plus bought the Barbie edition for myself because Barbie pink. I prefer the Target Weekender for a hospital bag because of the lower price and likelihood it will be on thrown around and on the hospital floor but all are great options.
The Essentials
Tumblers – Staying hydrated is important and I figured the convenience and satisfaction of having ice cold water on hand would be appreciated so I bought these tumblers. I got one each for the parents-to-be and they still use them daily months later!
The viral Stanley tumblers as well as Simple Modern tumblers are great choices as well. I also have had a 30oz Yeti with a straw lid for years and still reach for that one daily. There’s so many options on the market, overall I recommend tumblers that are insulated with a decent capacity to prevent having to refill them frequently.
Portable Charger – It’s hard to know what the outlet situation will be when going into the hospital so having a portable charger ready to go removes that concern. I love these and have bought multiple for gifts because of their compact size.
Dimmable Light – Having a dimmable light will allow for an ambient glow without needing the harsh ceiling lights on at all hours. This can also be used in the nursery afterward.
Portable Fan – This fan will be ideal if the room is getting too hot and you just feel like you need some air. This fan can be adjusted to ensure the perfect positioning and it is also perfect to use on your baby’s stroller later.
Tripod – This gift made my cousin laugh out loud. She never thought she would need this but I saw it recommended as useful if she wanted to look at her phone handsfree while in bed or for FaceTime calls with family and friends. She and her husband ended up using it for FaceTiming and couldn’t get over how useful it was. I bought her this tripod and bought one for myself as well – highly recommend! For one of my best friend’s bridal shower gifts, I got her this tripod because it’s more compact so it will be easier to take on their honeymoon. It can be used as a traditional tripod as well as a selfie stick so the couple can get pictures without having to stop someone to ask random a passerby.
Baby Outfit – Including an outfit for baby is a great way to include something actually on the baby shower registry. It will also be one less the parents have to think about since it’s already packed as part of this gift.
Bag In Bag
I am a big fan of the bag in bag life. Including a toiletry or makeup bag will help keep smaller items organized.
Makeup / Toiletry Bag – I bought my cousin this makeup bag and filled it with all the random little things that she may have otherwise forgotten for herself. I added in some more makeup items than she would really need but I knew she would want to put a little bit of makeup on for pictures.
Lip Balm – I always consider lip balm a packing essential. I hate having dry lips so thought this would be helpful to include. This “swivel stick” has been my favorite for 10+ years.
Hand cream – This hand cream has been another go-to of mine for years. It’s not sticky, absorbs quickly and actually works.
Toothpaste, tooth brush and mouthwash – A small travel set for each of the parents-to-be will be much appreciated when they’re stuck at the hospital leading up to and following the birth of their new bundle of joy.
Body wash – I wasn’t sure if there would be time or an opportunity for a shower but wanted to help my cousin be as prepared as possible. Mini body wash is perfect because it don’t take up too much space.
Eyelash curler and mini mascara – Curled lashes and a swipe of mascara can make all the difference to bring some life back to the face. I wanted my cousin to have the option to for a picture with her newborn in case she wanted to apply a bit of makeup for photos. I gave her this Tarte set.
Tinted Moisturizer – My go-to tinted moisturizers are both from Tarte. I gave my cousin this one for the added SPF benefit but also have and use the full-size of this one almost daily as part of my makeup routine.
Bronzer, Blush & Highlighter – This cheek palette is perfect for traveling! I always keep one in my travel bag so I knew this was a must when planning what to include in my cousin’s gift.
Makeup brushes – A set like this is incredibly compact and also great to leave in a travel bag so it’s one less thing to unpack and re-pack before a trip.
Hair brush – This is the mini version of my favorite detangling brush. I figured my cousin could throw this in her travel bag to use in the future beyond just this hospital stay.
Hair ties – These hair ties are one of my favorites for their gentleness. They rarely leave a crease mark on my hair even when I’d have my hair up in a tight ponytail or bun during a workout.
