Bring this, bring that… That is what you always hear when you’re preparing your hospital bag, some might say it’s good that you take everything with you, others might say just get a few things you will be out from the hospital in no time, but in reality, what do you really need? I will be taking you through a checklist what is needed from my experience so I can prepare dads (As we are the ones who will need to know everything whats inside the bag/s) know what are the essentials and what are not.
My DAY started on the 21st of September 2018 when my adorable daughter was born, luckily enough my wife and I had prepared our bags before the due date as this was essential not to leave for the last minute. We prepared the bag 1 month before the due date as you won’t know exactly when your newborn will be born, so better safe than sorry. Whilst I was preparing the bag I was wondering how many stuff we were putting in the bag, which led to another full bag and another smaller bag, altogether we had around bags 😂 Anyhow when the actual day arrived, I was proud to say that I had everything ready and under control, but did I? In a way yes, but only for my wife, as the checklist is mostly for the mothers and not for the fathers. Therefore in today’s post I will be writing the essentials you need for the mother, newborn and also the father.
Before I start I would like point out that the checklist the hospital will give you is the most accurate guide you can get for all mothers, but it overlooks the dads perspective and that is why I created this blog to educate the fathers and be part of their child’s birth.
Mother’s checklist before giving birth – (Source taken from You’re pregnant magazine)
- Ante-natal blue card
- Medicine/Vitamins you are taking during pregnancy
- 1 nightdress for labour/1 extra nightdress
- Slippers and socks
- Nursing Bra
- Towel (preferably not white)
- Face cloth
- Box of Tissues
- 1 ltr water
- Disposable panties
- Snacks with no sugar content
- Plastic bags for dirty laundry
- Shampoo, shower gel, toothbrush and paste, mouthwash, brush and maternity pads
Basically the above are the must-haves that you will need, always consult with your midwife as the mother might need more stuff. Now below I will be listing the bag for your baby, yes another bag 😊
Bag for your baby essentials:
- 1 pack of newborn nappies
- 4 towels
- 2 pair of cotton mittens
- 4 baby grows
- 4 cotton vests
- 3 pairs of socks
- Baby hat as it will be cold in the hospital
- Shawl
- baby liquid soap
- Baby shampoo and oil
- Cotton wool
- Small basin to wash the baby
- Baby brush
- 1 muslin cloth
- Baby changing mat
- Water Wipes
If you think that’s it, think again 😒 but we are soon ready, promise.
Moving on to your hospital stay:
- 3 pyjamas
- 2 nursing bras
- Towels
- Cotton panties
- Maternity pads
- Toiletries
- Breast pads
- Mug for tea or coffee
Leaving hospital:
- Infant carrier seat
- Baby clothes for going home
- Clothes for mother
That’s it for the mother and child, but what do we need as dads? Now starting back to when my wife was during labour, I thought I would have nothing to do, so I prepared some movies to watch as this is how I was prepared, that the father will sit there and do nothing. Unfortunately, that is the wrong mentality and I think we have a pivotal role in our child’s birth as we are the ones who will have to support our wives/partners, mentally from the start and calming her down even though you have no idea what’s going to happen.
So some daddy tips, I will be sharing with you are:
- Get to know the midwife who will be taking care of your wife/partner since you will need to build a relationship with her as if your wife/partner sees that you trust her, she will too
- Stock up with some snacks and drinks just for you, I needed loads of sugar and carbohydrates to keep me alert and energized as the labour and the actual birth was a bit overwhelming
- At certain points try to distract yourself by reading my blog 😂 Or read some baby books or magazines this will help you understand what’s next
- After birth, they will transfer you to the daycare ward and that is where you will be needing most of the essentials, firstly what I recommend and this helped me a lot is to go home, shower and change to comfortable clothes.
- Thankfully enough the fathers may sleep with the mothers and newborns, but you won’t have a bed but a very uncomfortable chair, so I improvised by getting a travelling pillow and a small bedsheet (Trust me its cold in there)
Unfortunately, the main attraction is the mother so you are basically just there to support her, so I would suggest bringing the below items as you will mostly stay in hospital for 2-3 days and the canteen is not open during the night:
- Mug
- Coffee or tea
- Snacks
- Juices
- Laptop
- Headphones
- A deck of cards to play with your wife as it might tend to be boring in the hospital not doing anything
- Travel pillow
- Bedsheet
- Warm comfortable clothes
From my perspective, the whole 3 days was stressful, but luckily for me was wife very understanding as I couldn’t stay 24/7 on a chair with sleepless nights, so I was corresponding with my in-laws and parents to keep an eye on her whilst I go to sleep at home for a few hours. Trust me dads this helps to make it easier for us and you will be more helpful when you’re fully rested.
Before I conclude today’s post, I would like to thank all the midwives and the hospital staff for their tremendous work. As with their help they will make your journey to become a family so difficult to forget. I hope you liked today’s blog, do you have anything you would like me to write about? Send me a message and I will make sure to add your topic, stay tuned for more exciting posts from The Maltese Daddy
