Delivery day will be a crazy day. There will be a lot going on that day and you have more to do than you may realize. In the delivery day story, told over and over again, you can either be the good guy or the bad guy. Let’s make sure you’re the good guy.
Let’s start where every good story starts, at the beginning. When and how you get to the hospital will depend pretty drastically on how her labor starts. You are either getting crazy with a pedal to floor drive to the hospital. Or the less chaotic, slow, planned, begging for baby to hurry up and get here cruise into the non-emergency wing of the hospital. No matter how you get there being prepared for the day will start you off on the right path to “Hero of the day!”
Step 1
The hospital bag should be packed weeks in advance. There are so many variables when it comes to baby delivery. In a perfect world you walk into the hospital with a glowing and uncomfortable pregnant wife. Then 24-36 hours later you walk out as a freshly upgraded family. Unfortunately it doesn’t always go that way. There are times when the hospital stay may be longer than expected. Being prepared for a multi-day stay is the definitely a step in the hero direction. Plus if you do end up being in the hospital for an extended stay the last thing you will want to be doing is running back home to restock the hospital bag.
Step 2
I am not saying birth class is completely necessary but you should probably study up a bit. There are a few moves you can do to help mama out in the final hours leading up to the babies eviction notice. A birthing class will help to make sure you know what these moves are and make sure you know how to do them. But let’s be real, we learn a ton of stuff from the internet these days. You know what the most searched question is on YouTube? “How do I… fill in anything you want here” (this is probably true. Didn’t check). Here is a good start on this topic… you’re welcome!
Step 3
This is where you pull out your inner Jason Bourne. It will be your job to be overly alert and taking in as much information from your surroundings as possible. I know up until this point there has been a lot conversation about baby that included you. Now that you are in the hospital on delivery day, you have essentially been erased from world by the government as far as the doctors are concerned. There will be a lot of talking and decision making going on with mom. It will be your job to listen carefully and know what’s happening at all times. After all, you are the parent not on any drugs…. or pushing a human out of you. So pay attention and don’t be indecisive, nows not the time to question yourself.
Step 4
Know the playbook. Your doctor will talk to you quite a bit about making a “birth plan” ahead of delivery day. It sounds ridiculous and for the sake of keeping your attention let’s refer to this as the “playbook” from this point forward. Essentially this playbook is how you plan to win delivery day. Understanding before you get to the hospital whether or not mama wants drugs (Pro Tip: This one sometimes starts off as a “no” and turns into a “yes”. Be prepared for the audible to be called). Who needs to be called/texted when it’s go time? And a laundry list of others. All I’m saying is make sure there is some conversation about a game plan for game time sneaks up on you.
Step 5
Once baby comes along and the doctors have done all that they can do, it’s your time to shine. The starting quarterback (mom) is out with injury (exhaustion) and your in the game. I’ve said it before and I will say it a million times more, this is a time to be honest with yourself. How much baby experience do you really have up to this point? You are surrounded by the Scotty Bowmans of the newborn coaching world. Take advantage of their knowledge and learn everything you can from them. They are there to help you be a better dad right off the bat. Have them show you how to change a diaper, swaddle a baby the right way. Hell you should not even feel ashamed to have them show you the proper way to hold a baby. There are a lot of natural instincts that kick in when it’s go time but a little assist from your star rightwing definitely does not hurt.
There are a lot of feeling that will start hitting you at this time too. Some of them anxiety filled but most of them happy. And don’t worry if you don’t feel they way you thought you were going to. You have never done this before so how could you possibly be able to guess the single most confusing part humans? Everyone feels different when the family dynamic changes. It just means you are human. Congrats on not being an alien!
Wrap It Up
Although there is not a ton you can do to make things exponentially better for mama to be, there is a lot you can do to make things worse. The important thing is studying up and be ready for whatever happens. There are a lot of variables and being prepared is the biggest part of being the hero of this baby story.
Cheers to the newest hero!