uk-preppers.co.uk

Yorkshire Andy wrote:Well in about a month and a bit im going to be a dad


So Mrs Andy has packed her hospital bag with a pile of "stuff" that her and baby might need

Well apparently i need to be prepared

Any prepping dads thing of anything i really NEED?

To be honest in my own experience there's not much you actually NEED . A full tank of fuel , wallet and a charged up phone and even the phone isn't that essential as there are pay phones in hospitals. When mine was born I was there and concentrating onthat occupies the mind . Even in the nothing happening wait a bit longer times i perhaps could have used a small book but to be fair the walls are covered with posters along with a few old magazines and people to talk to. Water is available although you could always take a bottle and as for food I didn't seem to notice the not eating in all the excitement . Fuel in the car and money for parking speak for themselves and my mobile was useful for calling my parents who were waiting up in the small hours to hear they'd become grandparents.
Going off topic a little , many years ago my girlfriend at the time was taken to A&E in an ambulance and I followed behind. The ambulance pulled right up to the doors while I parked up. I then ran holding my girlfriend's handbag towards A&E . There I almost bumped straight into a police officer. He looked at me straight faced and realising I probably looked like a bag snatcher and said something like "ah this must look bad" . He remained straight faced for a moment , just long enough for me to start thinking , then started laughing and gesturing for me to carry on inside,

When she's sucking on the gas-and-air, she'll squeeze your hand with inhuman strength, so take your wedding band off beforehand or suffer pain!

The most important thing to bring (in my experience of 4 births) is calmness and clear-headedness, both at home beforehand (especially if regular contractions start at an inconvenient time when you're knackered) and at hospital. Don't drink when you might have to drive.

Make sure your partner gets what she needs at the time it's needed when at hospital; midwives are under tremendous pressure to not use maternity beds, so in my experience the man always needs to be firm with staff when your wife says she knows it's coming (she'll know). When she knows it's coming make sure you get a bed without delay, and ideally a wheelchair to get there. Pay extra for a private room after the birth (£50 or so - worth it) rather than a ward.

Expect timing to be very imperfect and stormy and deal with that calmly. You'll probably go to hospital during a false alarm - contractions may stop and you'll be sent home. Then you'll get to hospital in far too much of a rush for comfort. This is normal.

Enjoy the birth, and remember the baby comes out ugly as hell - looking like it's just gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson - the swollen puffyness is normal. Enjoy the baby skin - the softest thing ever.

Say goodbye to your old life, you'll only miss it a tiny bit

Goodluck to Mr and Mrs Andy!

sethorly wrote: Enjoy the birth,Enjoy the baby skin - the softest thing ever!

The eyes stay with me too. I'' not sure if all babies are the same but my daughter had vivid blue eyes when she was born . Almost 12 years later and they are a steel grey but that blue is a colour I'll remember.

Incontinence pads or bed mats for the car! Don't want to ruin your seats.
Do they let you stay the night as well? As that could change the contents. Congrats by the way

Thanks all might as well sling my 3/4 camp mat and 1 season sleeping bag in as it packs small enough..

Got waterproof seat covers fitted