Everyone knows the mom has to pack her hospital bag for herself and baby for the big day but what many lists don't talk about is what the father should be packing. Whether mom is waiting for labor to really get rolling, in labor, delivering or recovering with baby, dad is not only going to be the man in charge of all the "stuff" that mom will need and want but he will also want to be sure that he brings enough of his own belongings to stay comfortable, sane and keep busy. Here is a list of things I think all dads should bring in their own bag. By the way, both mom and dad should always prepare for the unexpected. You never know if you will have to have an unexpected cesarean. If that becomes the case, be prepared to stay in the hospital for at least 4-5 days.
Bring Snacks
Trust me on this one! Granola bars, protein bars, candy, crackers....do it! Try not to flaunt these things in front of your wife. Some situations do not allow the mother to eat anything solid.
Bring a Pillow and Sweatshirt
As far as I can tell, hospitals really aren't in the business of making sure that the Dad is comfortable during his stay in the hospital with Mom and Baby. While some hospitals at least seem to make a feigned effort to accommodate dads with pull-out beds and such, most don't. Even the ones that do don't really keep extra pillows or blankets on hand for dad, so it's a good idea to bring your own. Hospitals are also very cold. Regardless, be prepared to be very uncomfortable. After the delivery of my last baby, we were lucky enough to be placed in a room with two beds and my husband was able to sleep there.
Change of Clothes
Like I said earlier, labor might be very long or you might have an unexpected extended stay. You really won't want to leave mom and baby unless you absolutely have to.
Electronics
Camera, batteries, earphones, music, phone chargers, laptop, video, and the like. While it's on her list - you'll be held responsible.
Entertainment
Magazines, book, puzzles... whatever
Sh*t Happens...and Quickly
No amount of jokes, stories, or anecdotes can ever prepare you for the terrible contents of your cute little bundle of joy's first dirty diaper, and a tarry black substance known as meconium. Meconium is basically the end ("end". Ha. Get it?) result of your baby practicing swallowing in the womb by ingesting massive amounts of amniotic fluid and gearing up it's bowels for post-delivery production. If you ever get the urge to skip a few meals, I'd suggest looking up pictures of meconium online, because it is nasty stuff.
If you're "lucky" (depending on how you look at it) you're little one will start pumping out the nasty black tar immediately upon entering the world and you'll be able to stave off changing the first diaper at least for a little while, but trust me there will be plenty more where that came from, and unless you expect your baby-mama to pull out all of her IVs and climb out of her hospital bed to come change those diapers, that task will fall directly to you. So, come prepared to meet the nastiest thing to come out of your adorable child for a long time.
Steal Supplies Shamelessly
OK, maybe "stealing" isn't the right term for it, it's really more like "stockpiling". During your stay in the hospital, and assuming that your baby is staying in your room with you instead of a fifties-style viewing-window nursery, the hospital will provide for you as many baby supplies as needed in the form of diapers, wipes, blankets, etc. and if you've done your homework prior to parenthood, you'll know that these items can get very expensive, especially if your baby blows through diapers like my son does.
*Side note... If mom is offered the chance to get some sleep while they take baby to the nursery at night...DO IT! It will be difficult to part with your new little bundle of joy but trust me, you'll have plenty of nights to "bond" with him/her once you leave the hospital. Take the rest while you can get it. It will be the last night of good sleep you will get for about 18 years...no, really!!
So, the trick to learn is that each time there is a changing of nurses, which is usually every 8 hours and your current nurse's shift is probably posted in your room somewhere, the new nurse comes in to introduce themselves and restock your supply of baby-fixins. So what I did every time our current nurses shift was about to end, was to load the bulk of the remaining diapers, wipes, and any other useful items into our overnight luggage, so that when the new nurse came in she would give us a fresh supply. Prior to the next shift change all you need to do is lather, rinse, repeat and you'll start building a sweet little cost-saving diaper cache.
Of course every delivery situation is different and no two people's experiences will ever be exactly alike, but with these few tips at hand, I'm sure that you'll be slightly better prepared to face your inauguration into fatherhood with a slightly better idea of what the hell you're doing.
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