I know there are LOTS of lists out there for what to pack for labor, but I wanted to post my own. If you’re planning a hospital birth or a birth center birth, this list is for you! (One nice thing about home birth is you don’t need to pack…) You won’t need EVERYTHING on this list, but this will give you some good ideas to get you started! Scroll down past the image for more details on the whys and hows of the items on the list.

Comfort Items for Labor

Music This can be a whole post of its own – and someday I will write it. Basically, make two playlists or Pandora stations: one for relaxing music and one for energizing music. You don’t need special music, chances are you already have plenty of music you like.
Lip Balm Bring several of these, because those little suckers tend to get lost during labor. Moms in labor tend to get dry lips and hospitals either won’t have anything you can use, or they’ll give you a small tube of Vaseline and charge you $20 for it.
Tennis Balls Or, if you prefer, racquetballs. As a professional, I prefer racquetballs for their ability to be sterilized between clients, but tennis balls work just as well for personal use. These can be used for a rolling massage on the lower back or pressed firmly into mom’s lower back for counter pressure if she is experiencing back labor.
Unscented oil/lotion Laboring women are really extra sensitive to smell, so I recommend unscented. You can always bring a scented *and* an unscented if you want to give the scented a try. Just have mom take a sniff before you slather it everywhere in case it is too much.
Massage Tools I wouldn’t recommend you go out and buy any, but if you have massage tools around the house that you like, go ahead and throw them in your bag. If they are the vibrating kind, make sure you have batteries – and spares – for them.
Warm socks It’s normal for women to feel cold feet in labor. Sometimes it is the figurative kind (I’ve heard lots of moms say “I don’t think I’m ready to be a mom!” in labor.), but here I am talking about the literal cold feet. Warm socks – several pair – are good to have on hand. The kind that have tread on the bottom to make it less slippery are good if you have them. Or bring slippers.
Food Moms are burning LOTS of calories in labor, and if you’re hungry, EAT. Researchers are proving that food and drink in labor are just fine. Here’s a great article on what kinds of foods are good in labor.
Dim light Sometimes it is hard to get nice dim light in a hospital, especially in the bathrooms. If you’d like to labor in the tub and have dim light, bring some battery operated candles or a smallish flashlight.
Birth Ball Many hospitals have these, but it can be nice to have your own for use in early labor at home, or in case the hospital’s ball is not available. Get a standard exercise ball, sized right for you. I recommend it should be the burst resistant kind, and one that can hold 500 pounds of force at minimum. (I *know* you don’t weigh that much. We’re talking about FORCE, not weight!)
Pillow You may or may not want to bring your own. Most hospitals have plenty. But if you’re super attached to your pillow (like I am!) you will want it in labor. If you tend to bring it (or wish you could bring it) when you travel, you’ll want to pack yours. But DON’T have it in a white pillow case! It would really be sad to have it get lost in the hospital linens. Anything but white or close to white!
Fan Some moms really like a small battery operated fan.
Cheat Sheets I always tell my classes “Labor is an open book exam!” It’s OK – and GOOD – to look at your reference materials. Bring any books you read, any handouts from a childbirth class, and have mom make a list of things she wants to try. I also really like the iBirth App and the book “Deliver!” for this.
Birth Plan If you created a written document, print out several copies and bring them. Neon paper is good and helps keep it from getting lost in the shuffle. Give to your nurse, post one on the wall, etc.
Flavors for ice If you’re restricted to ice chips, having something to flavor the ice chips and add a little calories can help. This can be juices, electrolyte drinks, etc. Just no caffeine!
Ziplock Bags I use these mostly for creating ice packs (fill with ice, seal, wrap in a towel) or hot packs (Get a towel soaking wet with the hottest water from the tub or shower and seal it up so it doesn’t drip. Wrap in a towel or gown.) Occasionally I’ve used it to seal up something smelly (like a tuna sandwich with pickles one dad brought!) so mom can’t smell it any more. I bring sandwich size and gallon size and I prefer the freezer kind. They’re tougher.
Band for long hair If you have long hair, you may want to put it up to get in the shower, bath, or just because you’re hot and sweaty. Even if you never wear it up, pack something so you have the option. Most women just use a pony tail holder, but you could bring a clip or a shower cap, too.
Hand mirror I can’t emphasize enough that it needs to be an UNBREAKABLE hand mirror! Some women really benefit from seeing the results of their pushing. This is why many hospitals provide mirrors. Unfortunately, some hospitals mount the mirror to the ceiling (so it only helps if mom is on her back) or they have a small mirror on a big pole. An unbreakable hand mirror can be used in ANY position and has a lot more flexibility. They are particularly useful when mom is squatting, kneeling, or standing to push.

Toiletries

Toothbrush/toothpaste Because that hairy feeling in your mouth is no fun. And because moms want their partner to have fresh breath!
Hairbrush Because it can feel nice to brush your hair out and feel good. Some moms use hair brushing as a labor comfort technique, too.
Contact lens supplies & spare glasses While most hospitals won’t make mom remove contacts for birth, even with a cesarean, if they’re bothering her she’ll want to take them out. And backup glasses so she can still see baby clearly at birth if she takes them out.
Deodorant Remember what I said above about moms being extra sensitive to smell in labor? ’nuff said.
Spare clothes for both partners Labor can go long, it’s nice to have something fresh to change into when it has been 24 hours. Plus I’ve seen moms pull their fully clothed partner right into the shower with them, and then you REALLY want something else to wear! Some partners will bring a swimsuit in case mom wants him in the tub or shower with her.

Basically pack everything you would pack for a weekend getaway, for BOTH parents!

Other Items

Camera Since I am also a birth photographer, clearly birth photos are something I value and I would hope most parents do, too. Don’t trust them to just your cell phone camera. Have a better camera on hand, along with spare batteries, a spare memory card, and a charger if it uses a special camera battery. Or just hire a birth photographer and leave it in the hands of a pro. (BONUS! When you have a pro, both parents can be in the photos!)
Phone charger Or iPad charger, Kindle charger, or charger for whatever electronics you might be bringing to the birth room. You don’t want your phone to die just before you send out the “BABY IS HERE!” text!
A list of the people you want to remember to contact, so that no one gets forgotten. I would hope that families would cut new parents some slack, but I’ve seen a lot of pettiness over who gets called first, who gets a text and not a call, etc. etc.