What to Pack in your Hospital Bag: A Charleston Mama’s Guide to packing your hospital bag courtesy of Holy City Babies!

If you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy—first of all, congratulations, mama! 🎉 You are getting so close to meeting your sweet baby! 💕 Here at Holy City Babies Portrait Studio in Charleston, SC, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with so many expectant mamas during their pregnancy (pregnancy announcements & fun gender reveal photoshoots as well as Maternity Portraits at our Charleston portrait studio and/or on location in and around Charleston!) One topic of conversation that always comes up is: What to pack in your hospital bag! Whether you’re a first time mom or if you’re diving back in, there are always new, helpful items to consider adding to your hospital bag that will come in hand after delivery! To make things easier for our Low country mamas, we’ve created a simple checklist to help you prepare—no matter where in Charleston you plan to welcome your baby!

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When Should You Pack Your Hospital Bag?

Most Charleston-area OB providers recommend having your bag ready by 36–37 weeks. Babies sometimes decide to surprise us, so being prepared ahead of time helps to reduce stress—especially if you’ll be navigating traffic (and you know you will!😜) between Downtown Charleston, James Island, Folly Beach, John’s Island, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, or West Ashley to get to your hospital or birthing center

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What to Pack in your Hospital Bag: The Essentials

For Mama

Items that might make make your postpartum and labor stay more comfortable, whether you’re birthing at MUSC Downtown, Roper St. Francis, East Cooper Medical Center or Trident Medical Center

✔ Birth Plan + Insurance Info
✔ Long Phone Charger (6–10 ft)
✔ Your Pillow (hospital pillows are flat/not great) + a warm/comfy blanket (same reason, hospital’s are cold and blankets are thin!)

✔ Cozy Robe & Nursing-Friendly Nightgown
✔ Non-Slip Socks or Slippers
✔ Postpartum Undies & Pads (Hospitals provide some, but extra (good ones) help!)
✔ Basic Toiletries (Chapstick is crucial!)
✔ Water Bottle with Straw Lid
✔ Snacks for After Deliver

✔Earth Mama Nipple Butter (I’m telling you, it’s miracle cream) get it here: Give me the good stuff!

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What to pack in your hospital bag: For Baby

The hospitals and birthing centers around Charleston generally supply basic newborn items like diapers, wipes, and swaddles. You may still want to bring:

✔ Going Home Outfit (NB + 0–3M)
✔ Preferred Swaddle or Sleep Sack
✔ Nail File (Newborn nails are sharp!) + Brush 🤞🏻😉
✔ Car Seat (fit test required before discharge)

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For Your Support Person

Partners need essentials too, especially if they’re staying overnight at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, Roper Saint Francis or East Cooper Medical Center, which often have limited bedding for guests:

✔ Change of Clothes
✔ Warm Hoodie (Hospitals run cold!)
✔ Snacks & Drinks
✔ Phone Charger
✔ Camera, Go Pro or charged/ready Phone for First Photos!
✔ Pillow from Home (hospital pillows are flat/not great) + a warm/comfy blanket (same reason, hospital’s are cold and blankets are thin!)

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Optional Nice-to-Haves

⭐ Re-Chargable / Portable Fan for Labor or if you’re mama-baby room is too hot!
⭐ Bluetooth Speaker for Birth Playlist
⭐ Heating Pad
⭐ Nursing Pillow
⭐ Light Makeup Bag for Post-Birth Photos
⭐ Small Tote for Hospital Provided Goodies

A Note for my Low country Mamas!

My sincerest Congratulations to you 🎉 & very best wishes for you & your sweet baby! 🫶🏻

One thing is certain — you are about to experience one of the most profound, life-changing moments of your life! 🫶🏻 If we haven’t met yet, I want you to know that I would be positively delighted to be asked to support you & your growing family in helping you to beautifully preserve these milestone memories! 💛

I would absolutely love to shoot a Fine Art, Editorial Style Maternity Portrait Session for you at my Avondale Portrait Studio — Holy City Babies (1020 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407) and/or on-location in and around Charleston before your baby arrives! 😍

I can also help with:

📷 Beautiful, Photojournalistic Birth Photography Services at your hospital, birthing center or home!

📷 Fresh 48 Photoshoot at the hospital or birthing center after baby arrives!

📷 Fine Art Newborn Portrait Session at Holy City Babies

At Holy City Babies Newborn Photography Studio in Charleston, SC, our newborn sessions are designed to spoil tired new mamas and honor this beautiful season with:

✨ Professional hair & makeup service provided (in-studio) prior to your parent/family portraits!
✨ Studio wardrobe for mamas (if needed!)
✨ A giant archive of Newborn Props (wraps, hats, bonnets, tie backs, rompers, drops, furs, baskets, buckets, bowls, etc.) for our beautifully styled newborn portraits sets!
✨ A calm, comfortable, cozy environment for your baby’s newborn portrait session at our studio!

Most newborn sessions are scheduled when baby is 12–21 days old, so it’s a great time to plan ahead! I can only take 5 Newborns at the studio each month (in addition to the other types of portrait sessions I shoot there!) so I recommend booking as far in advance as possible to ensure my availability for your baby! 🫶🏻

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Charleston Birthing Locations You Might Be Packing For

Many moms in the Charleston area will deliver at one of these hospitals or birthing centers:

Downtown Charleston

• MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital & Birth Center
• Frequently used for high-risk pregnancies and NICU support

Mount Pleasant

• East Cooper Medical Center
• Known for private postpartum rooms and newborn services

West Ashley

• Roper St. Francis Hospital (Bon Secours St. Francis)
• Popular for low-intervention vaginal births

North Charleston / Summerville Area

• Trident Medical Center
• Summerville Medical Center (Dorchester County moms love how close it is during rush hour!)

Birthing Centers Near Charleston

• Charleston Birth Place (North Charleston)
• Lowcountry Out-of-Hospital Midwives
• Ideal for families planning a birth center or home-birth experience

Packing lists may vary slightly depending on whether you’re delivering at a traditional hospital, a birth center, or at home with a midwife—so if you have a pre-registration tour, ask about what they provide!

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Final Thoughts

Your hospital bag doesn’t need to be perfect! Pack what makes you feel comfortable, leave what doesn’t, and know that every hospital and birthing center around Charleston is ready to support you.

You’ve got this, mama. 💛 You are strong, you are brave, you are capable and you are exactly what this baby needs! What’s about to happen is going to be simply — miraculous! 🎉

When you’re ready, I’m here for you! xo – Brittany