Dad if you plan on staying at the hospital after your baby is born, you will need to pack a bag for your stay so that you don’t have to run back and forth from the hospital. Of course, if you forget anything you have the luxury of going back home and grabbing items that you forgot (including items that your wife or significant other might have forgotten). The laboring process is usually slow so dad make sure that you have something to do while you wait, if not you will find out quickly how boring it is to sit in a room at the hospital.
Disclosure: This post is for informational purposes only and I have shared a general list of items that most dad’s take to the hospital.
In fact, dad you should begin packing a bag around 30 to 32 weeks of your spouse’s or significant other’s pregnancy so that you are prepared in case she goes into labor and you need to race her to the hospital, especially during the middle of the night. The last thing you want to be doing while she is in labor is running around the house collecting items to put into your hospital bag. You are also more likely to forget something when you are rushed and are focused on the baby’s impending birth.
Here is a suggested list of items that you need to take with you to the hospital:
- Toiletries (conditioner, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste)
- Pajamas
- Change of clothes for two days
- Change for vending machines (some hospitals now have machines that accept credit cards)
- Camera (check with hospital for their video/photo policy)
- Have numbers programmed into cell phone for everyone who needs an update on the baby’s status.
- Gum or Hard Candy (to help keep your mouth from getting dry)
- Snacks
- Cell Phone and Charger
- Laptop, MP3 Player, or E-Reader (if wanted for entertainment)
- Cash for parking or for meals in the cafeteria
- Pillow and Blanket (some hospitals will provide a blanket)
- Insurance Cards
- Medication
- If you have other children at the house, make sure that you have lined up someone to care for them during your stay at the hospital or during the labor and delivery process.
I hope that this makes packing your hospital bag easier. Take the time and make sure that you have the car seat installed in the car so that you don’t have to worry about installing it when you are in a hurry. Once it is installed, you want to make sure the car seat is properly installed. If you are unsure, you can take the car seat by most police or fire stations and they will confirm that it is installed properly for free.
Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your new baby boy or girl.
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Dads please share what item that you enjoyed having at the hospital that is or isn’t on my list of items to pack in the hospital bag?
