I realised today that the baby really isn’t far away, we are now at 27 weeks. Technically there is still a couple of months to go but there is no guarantee that the baby won’t come early. If she did, are we prepared? No!
- The furniture in the nursery is not put together.
- We have no birthing plan.
- I don’t know how to get to the hospital.
- We have no car seat to bring the baby home.
- And we have no bags packed.
In order to get some sense of order I thought I’d put together my hospital bag. Rambo has a list for her bag and there are so many resources available on the net to help her decide what to pack. There are not as many for Dads.
Below is my survival bag for labour and delivery and one more appropriate for Dads!
- Snack – I tend to get very grumpy when hungry. And as I’m told, the birth is not about me so I better be on best form.
- Loose Change – Always handy for the vending machine or car park
- Paracetamol – If Rambo decides to get violent or wants to squeeze my hands as she is pushing, I may need some light pain relief.
- Toothbrush & Deodorant – We could be there a while, last thing I want to do is welcome my daughter to the world with breathe that will want her to dive back into the womb.
- Phone and Charger – Parents will want to bet kept posted so having a phone and charger to hand may be wise. Also, I may need to call my mother in law in order to take over if it gets a little too stressful.
- Ipad – Music, internet and a countless number of apps. A must for any occasion. May also get chance to write a great blog.
- Headphones – Block out the sound of Rambo talking or whining and boy can she talk a lot!. If you read this Rambo, only joking. I’ll take them so I can listen to music, obviously.
- Game Boy – Well, I’m not sure why I need a Game Boy. Perhaps I just wanted to show how I’m a cool hipster at heart.
- Camera – Selfies obviously! Any maybe I can snap some pics of my daughter on her first day in the world.
- Spare Clothes – From what I can tell, It looks very exhaustive for a dad! There is all the wiping sweat off Rambo’s brow and the breathing techniques. I could get smelly. Plus I want to have my best clothes on for pictures that will last a lifetime.
- Wallet – I’m not sure I can scrounge off the wife during labour. Better take my own wallet in case I see something on-line that I want.
- Book – I may want to look intellectual and pretend to read. There is only so much on-line shopping I can do in one day.
- Pillow – Apparently I’m not allowed to sleep so I cant pack one or put it in the list but for the record this was in the original survival kit.
Have I missed anything?
Choco
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Contact: FirstTimeDad.Info@Gmail.com
Here are some other links to help you decide what to pack?
http://pregnancy.about.com/od/forfathersonly/a/dadlaborbag.htm
http://fatherhood.about.com/od/pregnancyandfathers/a/Dads-Hospital-Bag.htm
http://www.newdadssurvivalguide.com/articles/the-birth/packing-for-hospital.html
http://www.babble.com/parenting/dad-hospital-bag/
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1045931/hospital-bag-for-dads
Very good ideas. I’m glad Rambo gets your humour 😉
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You’re on the right track!
Get that car seat and nursery put together!!!! Those are your biggest needs right now! You can’t have a baby without that stuff.
You definitely need to figure out how to get to the hospital! I lived right around the corner from mine but if you have to travel some distance you will want to find the quickest route there!
Your hospital bag looks great! Make sure you have your batteries charged and ready to go. You don’t want to miss any of those precious moments! Congratulations on the baby! I look forward to reading more and hopefully seeing pictures when it arrives!
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That’s a very good point! The camera isn’t charged!
The car seat is a must for this weekend! Which one to pick is the big problem now!
Thanks C
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I picked one that was a car seat/stroller combo! It’s the Graco DuoGlider Classic Connect Stroller and Car seat. There are so many to choose from but this one was my favorite!
I have 2 boys so mine is also a double stroller. The infant car seat fits right into the stroller so I can talk both boys wherever. I’m not sure if you do a lot of foot travel but I LOVE my double stroller and the fact that the car seat fits right into it.
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Amazing! That’s what we need. A car seat that fits in a stroller! Watch this space! My next blog will be a stroller review! Thanks again for the great advice…
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No problem! Becoming a first time parent is so crazy and scary but it’s the most amazing experience ever! You both will do great!
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Loving the GameBoy… A non- essential, essential
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This looks good. For sure bring snacks and find out which restaurants/ pizza place delivers to the hospital. Cause the food there is only serve at set times, of often icky, and is only for her. So be ready to order a nice hot pizza like my husband did after I missed dinner last time cause I delivered at 6:30 pm! Breastfeeding makes women very hungry, and takes tons of calories. So happy wife= fed wife. That’s your job besides holding her hand and encouraging her. Mine feeds me sips of lemonade (which we bring) as well during labour .
Oh, and one more really good post-birth thing is Celestial Seaonings Tension Tamer Tea which is good for headaches, exhaustion, and cramps. No one likes to remember that after birth there are after-cramps as the uterus shrinks back to its normal size. The tea is breastfeeding safe for baby. And good for a tired dad, too!
So there’s some, or maybe too much info from a mom of seven!
All the best,
Anna
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That’s fantastic advice! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. There are important things such as the ones you mentioned that no one tells you. Invaluable!
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You bet! Happy to share my experiences with other parents! 😄
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What an absorbing and funny read. When baby comes along it be good to see you review this list. Have you been getting tips for when baby does finally arrive?
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Omgosh this is great, no one thinks of the dad’s bag! We got caught in a snowstorm & didn’t make it back to our home city when I went into labor; I’d had my hospital bag packed in the car for several weeks, but my husband had nothing! He had to leave me at the hospital & find the nearest walmart to buy clothes, toothbrush, etc. We shared what I had packed that he could use (like the 1 phone charger, toothpaste, contact solution etc. This is a wonderful idea. We’ll pack a bag for him too this time!
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Thank you! I’m glad you share my enthusiasm for it. I have my smaller bag right next to my wife’s in the car 🙂
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