Hospital Bag For Dad: A Packing List Of Must-Haves For A Calm Delivery

Why read: Wondering what to pack in a hospital bag for dad? Check out this list of hospital bag essentials to bring to the hospital for the birth.  

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As a mother of two, I can in all certainty declare that it’s more important to have a hospital bag packed for the dad than for the expecting mom herself. 

“What?!” – you might think. “My wife is the one giving birth!”

I know! Just hear me out!

If she goes into labor early – I mean way early!! – and doesn’t have anything ready. And it does happen to many women! The hospital will accept her and will have all the essentials ready for her – and your baby! – to have comfortable labor. 

For the supporting person? Not so much! 

They will not have a change of clothes, or comfortable slip-on shoes, or any other important items for you that are necessary to be there by her side. 

Of course, life happens!

And if need be, you can survive in just one pair of jeans, even if your little one pees all over you. Or without an Advil even if you have a bad headache. 

But you don’t want to be that couple, do you? 

It’s better to plan ahead, have everything ready in the dad’s hospital bag and forget about it.

That way you’ll not have to worry about packing your stuff in a rush while she’s having contractions.

And when the time comes you’ll concentrate on what’s important – being a great support system for your wife and enjoying the birth of your little one. 

Related: Absolute Essentials To Pack In Mother’s Hospital Bag

When to Start Packing A Hospital Bag For Dad

The common recommendation is to have your hospital bags packed by week 35 of pregnancy. 

Normally hospitals allow supporting partners to leave and come back if they need to bring essential items. But due to Covid – and we are still in the middle of the pandemic – certain restrictions are in place.

Covid was at its pick when I gave birth to our baby girl. Our hospital had strict requirements of no visitors. Only one support person allowed. And only one trip to the hospital.

Once there, neither my husband nor I were allowed to leave the room.  

Having that in mind, don’t delay packing your new dad hospital bag. If rushed to the hospital without a bag, you might not be allowed to leave to grab your stuff.

 

What Type Of Bag To Choose

A pregnancy bag for dad can be a duffel bag.

You can also use a diaper bag as a dad’s hospital bag and pack baby’s items with yours. 

An overnight suitcase is also a good choice and would probably be the easiest way to go. 

The bigger bag you choose, the more comfort items you can take with you. 

But do remember about restrictions that hospitals have in times of the Covid pandemic. 

Because my husband had to carry everything in one trip during our Covid birth, we decided to go with one big suitcase for him.  He could easily roll it and push the wheelchair – by the time we got to the hospital, I was in such pain, I couldn’t walk – I was sitting on at the same time. 

My advice would be calling the hospital and finding out if you’d be allowed to have multiple trips to the car. If not, try to be as minimalistic as possible and maybe have just one suitcase for the mom, dad and baby stuff. 

What Should Go into the Hospital Bag for Dad During Covid? 

The way birthing centers operate has changed dramatically during Covid-era. And because we start to gradually go back to normal, things change every day. 

To be ready and packed accordingly, make sure to check with the hospital in advance about all their policies and procedures. Ask them to email or call you if anything changes so that you are aware and can adjust last minute. 

I gave birth at the pick of Covid and no visitors were allowed. My husband had to stay with me in the room at all times. Leaving to grab something, meant not coming back. So he had to pack his hospital bag with this in mind. 

You don’t need to take extra masks, sanitizers, or gloves! Let’s face it, you’ll be in the hospital – they’ll have plenty of those freely available in your room. 

Instead, think of what you’ll need to survive 2-4 days locked in a room.

See below my suggestions for the dad’s hospital bag packing list.  

Hospital Bag Checklist For Dad 

Dads often don’t realize they have a special role during childbirth until after birth. They can provide emotional support, encouragement, and practical assistance to moms throughout labor and delivery.

Dads can also offer comfort and reassurance to moms who may be feeling anxious or nervous about giving birth. This can help them relax and focus on the moment.

But stress and exhaustion take a toll on dads too.

Hence, these hospital bag must-haves for dad will help make your hospital stay as comfortable as possible so that you are there for your partner when she needs you the most. 

• Change of Clothes 

Depending on how quickly the labor progresses, you might need to stay 1-2 nights – longer in case of emergency C-section – in the hospital. 

Do pack 2-4 pairs of underwear, socks, comfortable clothing for sleeping. Plus, when your little one is born things might get messy, so have additional pants and sweatshirts, in case you need a quick change. Don’t forget about the season and plan what type of clothes to pack accordingly. 

If you plan on taking cute pictures with the mom and the newborn, you might need some nice clothing as well. 

Also, some hospitals have gyms. If you think you’d want a quick workout, take your workout clothes as well. 

Tip: have a laundry bag with you for all the dirty clothes. 

• Comfortable Shoes/Slippers

The more comfortable you feel yourself when at the hospital the better you can support your wife. So make sure you pack a pair of comfortable shoes or slippers so that you can change into sweats and slippers and feel at ease too. 

Again, if you plan on working out or running, take your workout shoes as well. 

• Toiletries

A few toiletries like a toothbrush, toothpaste, mist, floss, and mouth freshener will bring in positive vibes. They‘ll help you stay fresh the entire time you are in the hospital. And your wife will appreciate your pleasant smell. 

• Travel Pillow and Blankets

While moms are being taken good care of at the hospital, dads have to rest on uncomfortable couches. Plus, hospital blankets are really thin. If the A/C is on, you might be too cold with their thin blankets. 

Some hospitals don’t even offer a couch for the support partner. Of course sleeping seating up in a chair isn’t the best thing for your back and neck. If that’s the case you might want to have an air mattress with you too. 

Thus, it’s always best to tour the hospital in advance to find out what they offer for the supporting partner. 

• Snacks 

Take more snacks than you think you’ll need. With all that sleep deprivation and exhaustion you’ll be craving sugary and filling snacks. You can forget eating healthy for those couple of days and stock up on your favorite treats!

Avoid smelly things like beef jerky though as your wife might feel nauseous.

• Chewing Gum

Minty chewing gum would be the best for a fresh breath when leaning toward your wife. 

• Refillable Water Bottle

With Covid restrictions, getting water was a big pain in the hospital.

Every time my husband wanted to drink water he had to call in a nurse and ask her to bring him some. And the nurse would bring just one cup which of course wasn’t enough for long. Having a big refillable water bottle would’ve made this process much easier.

• Camera 

If you plan to use a camera to photograph the birth and first hours of your baby’s life, make sure it is fully charged. Also check if the memory card has space. Then place it inside the dad’s bag that’s going to the hospital. 

• Cash 

Don’t head to the hospital without cash. Have some ready in your wallet for the big day. You might not need it – especially in times of Covid when you’re not allowed to leave the room and use the vending machines or hospital cafes – but you never know what might come up. 

• Who-To-Tell List 

Your relatives and friends will be anxiously waiting for the big news. 

To make sure you don’t forget to notify some of the most important people, make a list ahead. What’s even better maybe create a group chat so that you don’t need to message everyone individually, but share the news and first cute pictures in the group for everyone to cheer on and comment. 

What Goes Into The Daddy Hospital Survival Kit?

While your wife will need your full attention and support during labor, there will also be times when you’ll need some distraction. 

Pack your favorite music or books — it can help pass the time while waiting. If you use E-Reader, don’t forget the charger. 

Entertainment – download some of your favorite shows or movies to your tablet or laptop. Netflix would work too but you never know how good the hospital wifi is going to be. 

Nintendo Switch – If too exhausted to read and sleepy to watch a movie,  the Nintendo switch might be a godsend. 

What are the Last Minute Grabs for Daddy?

While it’s good to have the father hospital bag all packed and ready, you can’t include the everyday use items in there. So those will be your last-minute grabs. To make sure you don’t forget something of vital importance, make a checklist and clip it on top of your hospital bag. Before heading to the hospital, go through the checklist and grab everything on the list. 

• Glasses and Contacts

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you wouldn’t want to forget them so make sure you have those in the checklist.

• Wallet

Check if you have your ID (and your wife’s just in case), insurance cards, credit cards, and some cash in your wallet. 

• Medications

Another very important item to grab last minute.

And make sure you have an Advil or other painkiller of your choice as well. My husband had a terrible headache when in the hospital. But he couldn’t have any of my painkillers provided by the hospital. 

• Phone/ Charger/ Headphones

And this goes about your wife’s too. She’ll be too busy counting her contractions, so make sure you grab her phone and charger as well. 

What to Include in the Bag to Support Your Partner during Labor?

You cannot take the delivery pain away from your wife but you can be a huge support system during the whole process. During those moments, these little things will help her ease the discomfort and will show how much you care. 

• Massage Oil 

I cannot start explaining how much your wife will appreciate it if you take along her favorite massage oil. Massaging her back and hands when the pain is at its peak will not only ease the pain but be a great distraction as well. If you keep telling her funny stories or jokes at the same time even better. 

• Bluetooth Speakers 

This is of course optional but a great addition to create a soothing atmosphere in the hospital. Make a Spotify list of her favorite relaxing music in advance and have it playing in the car and in hospital. 

• Push Present 

If you plan on giving your wife a push present, you’d want to have it ready in your hospital bag.  

Additional Planning For a Smooth Birth

I’m sure by now you realize how important it is to have everything planned and ready for the big day. In addition to packing your hospital bag, make sure you have all of these covered as well: 

• Parking

Find out the parking situation at the hospital. It’s always best to have a hospital tour. If none is offered at your hospital due to Covid, do a test drive to the hospital so that you know where to park and how to enter the building. Believe me, you wouldn’t want to stress about these things when your wife is having contractions in the car. 

• Padding for the car

No one mentions this, but do have some protective padding or old towels to put on the front seat where your wife will be sitting. 

When my water broke, I was at home but I didn’t realize how much I’d still be leaking after that. When in the car, my pad was all soaked and I needed extra padding. We weren’t prepared for this, so my water leaked on the front seat.  

• Car Seat

You will need to head to the hospital with a properly installed infant car seat. Make sure you have this taken care of well in advance. If a first-time dad you might not know how to properly install one, so seek help if need be with this. Your city’s fire department would be glad to check it for you. 

• Make Arrangement For Older Kids

Arrange for someone to take care of your older kids for as long as you’ll be staying in the hospital. If you need to talk to more than one person, make sure they understand when to pick up your child from school, when to take them to the activities, etc. The best way is to have everything in writing. Create an email group so that everyone can keep others – including you – in the loop. 

• Check hospital’s policies about visitors and pets

Don’t skip this so that no one is disappointed if the hospital’s policy is “no visitors”. 

One Last Thing

Your baby’s birth is a time of great joy and excitement. But it also comes with some stress and anxiety. 

The more you prepare in advance the easier it’ll be when the big day arrives. 

So somewhere in the middle of the third trimester, take the time to discuss everything with your spouse. Have your hospital bag essentials for dad ready and packed. And wait for those first contractions with nothing but bliss.

Good luck! I know you’ve got this! 

Your Turn

Have I forgotten anything in my list of essentials for the hospital bag for dad? Please share with us in the comments! 

Also Read: 

• Giving Birth During Pandemic: Essential Tips To Know
• Thoughtful Gifts For Labor And Delivery Nurses (In Times Of Pandemic)
• Top List Of Amazing Pregnancy Freebies For Expecting Moms
• Earthy Hippie Baby Names For Your Free-Spirited Child