Advice for A First Time Dad- Written By A Dad

Is your spouse about to become a first time dad? I asked my hubby to share his advice for first time dads. Birth can be scary for the dads-to-be because there isn’t much that they can do to help. They see their significant others going through so much and there really isn’t much that they can do. My husband talks about what surprised him about the birth, and what he wishes he would’ve known as a first time dad! Keep reading to hear his perspective on the hospital experience!

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The following is written from the perspective of a first time dad. If you want to read more from the perspective of a first time dad, check out the post What Dad Needs to Know About Pregnancy- Written By a Dad.

What To Bring To The Hospital as A First Time Dad

Pack good shoes. You stand a lot to help your wife and to be by her side. You won’t want to be sitting on the couch while you’re wife is giving birth. The whole labor and delivery process isn’t always in bed. There is a lot of walking around and standing up involved, so be prepared to support your wife’s weight by packing good shoes!

Having a SLEEPING MASK is super handy too because when you are sleeping in the hospital, there are so many lights and interruptions. That sleeping mask helped me to stay asleep when I had the chance. The sleeping mask linked is super comfortable. My wife and I both had one! It was great to use as a first time dad, but I will definitely be using it for future babies as well!

If you are wanting more info on what to pack in the hospital bag, check out my wife’s post, What I Actually used From My Hospital Bag. She mentions some really helpful items!

What You Can Do To Help Mom-To-Be and What to Expect During Labor and Delivery

Make sure that your wife is comfortable. She will be in a lot of pain and might not think about being thirsty, or about “xyz.” You need to ask her these things so that you can help her remember to take care of herself. You’ll probably be leaving to go get the nurses often.

Know her birth plan/preferences. With all that is going on, she might forget to advocate for herself, so be sure that you know what she wants! As a first time dad, everything might feel overwhelming to you too, but just imagine being in her shoes! Be sure to support and encourage her with lots of positive words too!

Be prepared to see a lot of bodily fluids (blood, throw up, amniotic fluids). I was not expecting there to be nearly as much as there was. Also, expect some weird smells. Not that it’s all that bad, but I just didn’t prepare myself for it.

You’ll probably get emotional, even if you aren’t an emotional person. My wife and I were married over 2 years and she had never seen me cry until she gave birth. There must be something about being a first time dad and witnessing a baby be born into the world, that just gets ya!

What To Expect in The Hospital After The Baby is Born

After birth, your wife will go through a lot. You’ll need to help her go to the bathroom and possibly get up and move too. After birthing a baby, there are all kinds of ointments, sprays, ice packs and pads that your wife will have to apply/change every few hours. Be prepared to be her personal nurse- especially at home!

As the dad, you’ll probably have to be the strict one to turn visitors away. Mom will be so tired and focused on learning to nurse/take care of a newborn. It’s important to remember that she feels miserable and probably doesn’t want a lot of people, if anyone, coming to visit at the hospital. As a first time dad, you’ll be so excited to have your friends/family meet the baby, but your wife comes first. You are her best advocate.

Be prepared to get woken up a LOT after birth. Doctors are checking on the baby and on mom every two hours for each of them. You might get an hour of sleep at a time. Wear that sleeping mask I mentioned earlier! This was probably one of the harder things to deal with in the hospital as a first time dad.

What You Should Expect About Actually Being A First Time Dad

Diapers probably aren’t as bad as you think… but only while you’re at the hospital and maybe the first day home. Being a first time dad, I was really dreading the diapers, but they really weren’t bad at all.

Babies make a lot of noise and light crying sounds when they are sleeping. I jumped up the split second that I heard anything. Sometimes the baby is just “crying in their sleep” so you don’t always have to jump up the minute you hear them. I learned to wait about 5-10 seconds before I got up to get the baby.

Ask nurses and doctors ALL the questions! They are so friendly and can answer most anything for you. Don’t be shy! Being a first time dad isn’t as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be, but it’s still overwhelming. If you don’t know something about your baby, ask them!

Overall, becoming a first time dad happens pretty naturally. I was nervous to take care of a baby, and to watch my wife go through labor and delivery, but it all turned out okay! I can honestly say that I have made it 7 months with a baby and I’m loving every minute of it! Good luck dad!