Ultra Breathable Nursing Pads, Pack of 50

Colostrum and milk leaking in the first days after birth is common and often unexpected, and this is the kind of small, easy-to-forget item that's genuinely worth packing alongside the maternity pads and nipple cream already covered here. Medela's pads are 1.6mm thin with adhesive strips to hold them in place inside a nursing bra, so they don't show through clothing the way a bulkier reusable pad can, and each one is individually wrapped — useful for a hospital bag where hygiene and packing space both matter.

Against washable/reusable nursing pads, the trade-off is the usual one: disposables are less eco-friendly and cost more over months of use, but for the specific job of a hospital bag — where laundry facilities aren't available and you want something you can use once and bin — individually wrapped disposables are the more practical choice. They're designed for small-to-medium leaks rather than heavy let-down, so very heavy leakers may find they need changing more often than the pack suggests.

As a hospital bag item this is a low-cost, easy-to-overlook addition: pack a handful loose in a side pocket alongside the maternity pads and nipple cream, not necessarily the full 50-pack.