As I gear up to have my second child (!!), my biggest concern has been figuring out a plan for taking care of my daughter. Our nearest family members are 1,000+ miles away, and while we have a few incredible friends on call when the day comes, I’ve been paranoid about how everything will come together. (It doesn’t help that people keep commenting on how “low” my stomach is, suggesting the baby will come early.)

While I create my hospital bag and a phone tree of who to contact when the contractions hit, I’ve also been working on a sibling bag for Em. I’ve pre-packed it with essentials for up to a three-day stay, pinning a note to her backpack with the items I can’t load in advance (like toothpaste, the special blanket she sleeps with at night and her favorite stuffed animals). It’ll serve as a quick reference of what we need to grab, so there’s no rifling through the bag to try to determine what we’re missing.

What to Pack in a Sibling Bag (or Overnight Bag):

I’m aiming for a compact mix of the practical stuff she’ll need, entertainment to keep her busy and comfort items while we’re away from her. Also, just so you know, this post contains affiliate links, which means we earn a commission off of purchases made through them. It helps fund the operation of this site.

• Sleeping bag
• Pillow
• Stuffed animal(s) and/or blankie
• Tablet and charger
• Yoto Mini player and headphones with charger
• Sketch pad
• Coloring book
• Crayons
• Water Wow! Book
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Hairbrush
• Hair ties
• Detangler
• Kids’ shampoo/body wash
• Nightgown
• Clothes for three days (just in case)
• Non-perishable snacks (like pretzels, Pirate’s Booty, apples)
• Refillable water bottle

As we creep closer to the big date, I’ve got to ask: Is there anything I’m missing? Parents, anything you wish you would’ve provided for your kid or planned ahead?