Since Dads aren’t the focal point of labor and delivery, it’s very easy to forget to prep them for the big day. There’s plenty of articles and books about “Mom Essentials” and “Do’s and Don’ts for Newborns”. Fathers are briefly mentioned or glossed over. To be fair, they aren’t delivering the baby and have the mobility to come and go from the hospital. That doesn’t mean that they should have to spend money on essentials the day of. Since birth is unpredictable a 24 to 48 hour stay can turn into weeks of recovery for the newborn and/or mother. Not all novice and veteran parents live a reasonable commuting distance from the hospital. If your due date is approaching and neither of you have thought about Dad’s Hospital Bag, there’s still time to prepare. Not sure what to pack? Fatherhood influencer, Dad Think Bigger, has a helpful Reel that I’ll transcribe for you with a few add-ons.
Dad’s Hospital Bag
- Button Down Shirt – Skin to Skin helps Dad’s bond with babies. Since hospitals tend to be cold, you won’t have to be completely shirtless to soothe your baby
- Cash – Cards are useful but don’t really to heavily on it. You might get stuck trying to get your card unlocked for a fraud alert. Card machines maybe down at the hospital cafeteria and vending machines. The on-site ATM may charge ridiculous service fees for out of network banks
- Snacks and Drinks – it’s easy to forget to stay fueled and hydrated. If your trying to limit leaving the delivery room. You’ll want to be prepared and alert for your babies arrival. Add a few of Mom’s favorites too. She might deliver when most stores and restaurants are closed
- Pillow and blanket – Amenities vary per hospital. If there’s space for Dad to get some sleep, it doesn’t mean the pillows and blankets on-hand will make that a restful snooze
- Change of Clothes and Toiletries – Again not everyone lives a reasonable distance from the hospital. The recovery room has a private bathroom with shower. Use what’s available to stay on call. Dad may need to accompany newborn for routine testing prior to discharge
- Chargers – make sure you have the right chargers for devices that will capture moments with newborn, inform family and friends, and keep you entertained when mother doesn’t activitly need your assistance
- Insurance Paperwork – Mom might have this information in her bag. Having copies with you can help lesson the load of non-stop communication during and after birth
- Medication – let’s be honest, the doctor and staff are focused on mom, as they should be. Make sure you’ve got travel size of your daily medication in your bag. Ending up in your own hospital bed for neglecting your medical needs won’t help anyone
- (Optional) Office Supplies – Mom and Dad will be signing a lot of documents post birth. Of course, the hospital will supply pens to sign all these documents, as well as, a folder/envelope with your copies of these documents. A clipboard, binder with document protectors, and pens will give your family a leg up on tracking all this information
Before You Go
Pinterest has a few helpful Checklist that list essentials and suggestions for Mom, Dad, and Baby. See a few below. Most of these Dad items are already listed above. Consider this a catch all for everyone else.
Final Thoughts
Being a support system is helpful and valuable position in the birthing experience. That doesn’t mean that pillar of support should fall on their sword. Self-care is important for the mother and father. Although you can’t control how a birthing experience will go, doing what you can to stay centered is more helpful than running in and out of the delivery room. Thank you for checking out Mystery Post Tuesday. Hope you’ll stop by for Trisha’s Go In Fridays!
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