12 Things You Must Pack In Your Hospital Bag For The Future Dad
So you’re nearing the day of your delivery and you have made all the necessary preparations for yourself and baby. You’ve marked your final OB appointments and you have packed your hospital bag as well as baby’s. But wait. Aren’t you forgetting something?
What about your husband?
Did you remember to pack your husband’s hospital bag? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s your job to pack your husband’s hospital bag, especially since you’ve got a million and one things going on, but if you do want to pack his hospital bag, do you know what items you should put in there?
Well don’t worry about it, because I will let you know in this post what the essentials are to pack in the hospital bag for dad.
If you don’t want to and can’t be bothered to pack the hospital bag for dad, then don’t worry about it! Send this post to your husband so that he can pack his hospital bag. Is this a win-win, or what?
Maybe you’re thinking, you don’t need to worry about him and what he should bring, well I suggest you think it over again. According to Very Well Family, packing a hospital bag for your birthing partner is wise. After all, he will be the one coming with you to the hospital and he will be there the whole time during your labour. I mean, if you do end up staying in the hospital for a few days, you and your husband should be prepared, right?
Another thing I want to point out is that you, as the pregnant lady going through labour and birthing a baby, will be catered to in the best possible way while you are in the hospital. I mean, the hospital will bring food for you, change your sheets, and will come to your room every time you ring the call bell (I suggest not doing it often or if it’s not a true emergency), but you know what? They will not cater to your husband’s needs at all! That’s right, they won’t bring food for him either!
If you end up with really kind nurses, then they might make sure that he has a bed to comfortably sleep in. But more often than not, there usually aren’t enough sofa beds to go around, so your husband will end up needing to sleep on a chair if he wants to stay in the room for you. At the same time, hospitals are usually cold! So imagine sleeping on an uncomfortable chair, in a cold room, for a few days on end. Sucks right? I agree!
That’s why it is so important to pack a hospital bag for dad! And in this post, I will talk about the different items that you should put in the hospital bag for the future dad!
Here’s another thing that you may want to consider: in the United States, everything you use in the hospital costs money, so if you want to save on unnecessary costs, then you definitely want to pack a hospital bag for dad.
What kind of bag should I use for my hospital bag?
If you’re wondering what kind of bag you should use for your hospital bag, well the answer really is whatever you have on hand. But if you have a few options available, well the discussion below might help you decide which is better suited for you.
There’s really only three contenders when you’re deciding which hospital bag to use for dad: a rolling luggage, a duffel bag or a backpack.
Rolling Luggage
At first glance, you may think a rolling luggage is a good idea to bring to the hospital, i mean you don’t have to do any heavy lifting, so why not, right?
But here’s the thing, if you do plan on bringing a few different bags (ie. a different bag for you, your wife and the new baby), well having three rolling luggages is not necessarily practical, especially if the dad-to-be is the only one who’ll be able to carry/roll the luggage to the car once mom gives birth.
However, a rolling luggage might actually make the most sense if you decide to pack all your items (mom’s, dad’s and baby’s items) in one luggage, so that you only have one bag to worry about for all three of you. With this option though, you might find that you would really need to organize your stuff so that you can easily find what’s yours and what’s the mom’s or the baby’s items.
Duffel Bag
A duffel bag is sooo easy to bring. You just sling it over your shoulder and be off on your way. Depending on the duffel bag, you may also be able to fit a whole lot of items there. If you anticipate that you will be walking a long time, though, maybe a duffel bag is not the best option, especially if you are bringing a lot of items. This is because you will be putting uneven pressure on your shoulders, plus, let’s face it, the organization potential of a duffel bag is not the greatest. Admit it: when using a duffel bag, most people literally just throw stuff in there! So you may have a hard time finding what you need in a sea of all your other items!
Another thing: most duffel bags are used to go to the gym. So if you do decide to bring a duffel bag to the hospital, throw it in the wash quickly so that you don’t bring a bag that stinks of gym shoes!
Backpack
A backpack is also a great option, and honestly, it’s my preference. It’s easy to bring, and distributes the weight evenly across your body. It’s great to use whether you plan on bringing a lot of items or if you plan on just bringing the essentials.
So which type of bag works best? Well that depends on your preference! Leave us a comment below on what type of bag you think you will be bringing to the hospital!
What if I don’t pack a hospital bag for dad?
If for some reason you don’t end up packing a hospital bag for dad, don’t sweat, it’s not the end of the world! He may not have the most pleasant time at the hospital while tending to you, but really he’ll survive! And perhaps in the future he’ll remember to pack his own hospital bag!
But honestly, don’t worry too much! He can always ask someone else from home to bring him the things he needs and he can meet them at the lobby. For example, if he forgets to bring a blanket and he’s freezing at night, a quick phone call to his brother or any relative can quickly solve this problem.
At the end of the day, when it gets to crunch time, packing a hospital bag for your husband will be the least of your worries!
12 Things You Must Pack In The Hospital Bag For Dad
Okay! Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, and you’ve decided which hospital bag to use, here are the absolute essentials you should pack in your husband’s hospital bag. Here’s your cue to hand off your phone/laptop to your husband, because i’ll be talking to him in the next section:
Phone
I mean, I don’t know anyone who is likely to forget their phones nowadays. Sometimes, it’s the very first thing that anyone checks when they get to their destination, or even before they leave their homes. But in case you need a reminder, please do not forget to bring your phone to the hospital! It’s essential for so many reasons, such as calling a loved one in case anything happens, taking pictures and videos of your newborn, and also sharing said videos and pictures via social media or messenger to family and friends!
Related Post: 22 Great Ideas For Push Presents For Dads
Phone Charger
Ok this one needs a little more emphasis than the phone, because even though most people do not need a reminder to bring their phones to the hospital, some people do forget to bring a phone charger! Which absolutely sucks, especially because what use is there having a phone with you if you can’t even use it?
With that said, please also make sure your phone is fully charged, especially if your wife is now in full on labour, because you’d want to catch the baby coming out on camera!
Toiletries Kit
This one is also essential. Even in the best possible scenarios, hospitals tend to keep mom and baby in the hospital for observation for a minimum of 24 hours, so guess what? You will be sleeping in the hospital. So don’t forget to bring your toiletries kit with you so you can be comfortable (and have fresh breath!) when you meet your newborn!
Here are things you should include in your toiletries kit:
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Face and body wash
- Shampoo
- Face wipes (or baby wipes)
- Deodorant
- Face & Body Moisturizer
- Contact lens, case and solution (if you wear them)
Headphones/Earphones
If labour has stalled or you’re just in the waiting period, and you want to watch your favourite show on Netflix, having earphones would be so beneficial. This is because you don’t want to be filling the room with the sound of your favourite TV series, especially if your wife is going through contractions!
Snacks/Food
In order to make your hospital stay the most comfortable as possible, you should pack snacks or food for you in case labour stalls and you have to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time. Pack a mixture of healthy and unhealthy snacks, such as fruits, protein bars, but also allow yourself the occasional chocolate bar! I mean, labour is stressful, and if a chocolate bar is what it takes to calm your nerves, then so be it!
Favourite book/movie/TV show
In case you have to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time, you should have some form of entertainment for you while you wait. I mean, you can’t exactly go for a ride, or even go for a walk in the hospital halls while your wife is waiting to deliver her baby! So get your favourite book, movie or tv show ready for you to be entertained while you wait. Another tip? If you’re a youtube type of guy, create a playlist of all the videos you want to watch, and you can watch them while you wait! Just make sure you don’t use up all of your phone’s battery!
Blanket
I hate to break it to you, but you’re not the star of the show here. And while the hospital will provide a blanket for your wife, and they might provide one to you, there’s no guarantee that you will get that hospital blanket! My suggestion? Pack your own blanket, so you know for sure you won’t be freezing to death at midnight when you try to sleep as you’re waiting to meet your newborn.
Extra Pillow
This goes along with my point above. They may or may not provide you with a pillow (you’re not the patient, afterall). So to be safe, just pack your own pillow to use at the hospital!
Water Bottle
Who knows how long you will be at the hospital for? This goes along with packing food or snacks to the hospital. You should bring yourself a nice big jug of water, just in case you get thirsty from waiting.
Change of Clothes
Again, because we don’t know how long you’re going to be staying at the hospital, make sure you pack yourself a few change of clothes, and make sure they’re comfortable! Forget about the jeans and button on shirt: pack a comfortable shirt, and maybe pajama pants for your stay!
Slippers & Socks
Hospitals can get very cold! If your hospital stay is long then you’ll appreciate something that keeps your feet warm and makes them feel more like home. Not to mention, I find it so hard to sleep at night if my feet are cold, so having socks and slippers on hand will help you get a good night’s sleep at the hospital.
Wallet (Cash & Personal Identification)
Don’t forget this! This might be the most important item on this list! Don’t forget your personal ID and also credit cards or cash in case you need to pay for something while you’re at the hospital.
