Phoenix mom, Michelle Conarty and her husband were overjoyed with excitement when welcoming their first boy, Aiden (5), in 2018, followed by their second boy, Austin (3), in 2019.
Although both pregnancies were exciting, Michelle recalls experiencing confusion and stress that came with preparing for a baby.
“Like many new moms, I had to educate myself on how to prepare for birth, including what to pack in my hospital bag,” she said. “The hospital checklists I found online were inconsistent and the entire process was overwhelming.”
With her first baby, Michelle said she ended up packing many items she didn’t need, and forgot items that would have been helpful. While feeling more prepared with her second baby, she still found packing her bag for the hospital to be a lot of work.
“I thought to myself, ‘Packing a hospital birth bag shouldn’t have to be so hard, confusing or time consuming,’” she said. “I recognized there was an opportunity in the market to help new and veteran moms to worry about one less thing during pregnancy.”
In April, 2021, Michelle launched Lily and Llama, curating pre-packed hospital bags for expecting moms, and says the response has been incredible.
“The main mission of L+L is to help expecting parents worry about one less thing during pregnancy, while feeling confident about bringing the right items to the hospital.”
Why it’s important to have a prepared hospital bag
Expecting parents have a lot to prepare for, between the nursery, strollers, car seats, hospital bags and everything in between.
The items inside Lily and Llama’s pre-packed hospital bags come in a large weekender tote bag, and are delivered directly to customers’ doors, saving moms money and hours of time.
“Our products are not only must-haves for the hospital, but the neutral colors, and high-quality items are essentials for new moms and babies to use for many months and years beyond birth,” said Michelle.
Who could benefit from Lily and Llama’s pre-packed bundles?
While new moms have expressed how much Lily and Llama’s products have helped them, Michelle said they also benefit veteran moms who simply want to worry about one less thing during pregnancy.
“We have a lot of returning customers who gift our Lily and Llama pre-packed hospital bags to other expecting mamas, as it makes the perfect baby shower or holiday gift,” she said.
Lily and Llama offer different bundle options to fit varying budgets, and moms will find inclusive sizing options ranging from small to 3X.
