PACKING A HOSPITAL BAG FOR DAD

What should Dad pack in his hospital bag? In this weeks video, I'm going to share some recommendations for what a new dad should put in his hospital bag. A little thought and planning can go a long way, and keep you from having an "oh sh!t" moment when you forget something.

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Here’s a quick video to show you what I’m packing in my hospital bag:

Clothing/Accessories: 

I’m bringing a few days worth of clothing. In general, labor and delivery will last anywhere between a few hours, and a few days. In the clothing department, I’m 100% focused on comfort so I’m mostly bringing training shorts, and clothing that’s not going to hold in sweat. For me, I know that I sweat a LOT when I’m stressed out, so cool, comfortable clothing is a must. In most cases, you’ll be in the hospital for at least 48 hours, but sometimes this can be longer depending on how the baby needs to be delivered, whether via a vaginal birth, or via a C-section. I’m packing about three days worth of clothes just in case. Hospitals also tend to get pretty cold at night so make sure to bring a sweatshirt or long sleeve, just something that you’ll be comfortable in. Also, don’t forget to bring in comfortable shoes. I’m going with a pair of running shoes for during the day, and a pair of slides at night for those late night snack runs for mom post-delivery. Labor can last for several hours, and during that time I plan on being by my wife’s side to help coach her through it, so comfort is key. 

Also, don’t forget that you’ll need to bring your grooming essentials. I personally have a great little Dopp kit that I got from the good folks at Bearded Crew. In there I’ll have all of my essentials like a toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, beard products, etc. Don’t plan on having a ton of time to mess around with your grooming, so just focus on the essentials. 

Baby Clothes:

If you plan on taking the lead on this, there are a few things to consider. First of all, if you’re giving birth in a hospital you don’t need to worry about bringing diapers or wipes, as those will be provided to you in your room. It’s a good idea though  to put together a few little outfits for your new little one. We put some hats, socks, and onesies in our bag so that we could dress our baby for the ride home. Now there are some hospitals that may only allow you to put THEIR clothes on the baby. This is simply for sanitation and health reasons, so it’s nothing to be upset about if that turns out to be the case. You’ll have plenty of time to put them in those awesome onesies you picked out while awaiting their arrival. 

Food/Snacks:

As I mentioned before, labor can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days and during that time your partner will likely not be allowed to have anything except water and ice chips (and sometimes the occasional popsicle).  In my bag, I’m focusing on easy to eat snacks that’ll keep me fueled up through the labor and delivery process. I’m bringing a few protein rich snacks like jerky, as well as some crackers, oatmeal, and something sweet to keep me occupied when I’m nervous. The goal here is to have to leave the room as little as possible to go and find food. After delivery it’s likely that your partner will be fed regularly, as will you (depending on your hospital). The key here is that you want to have options. After delivery it’s possible that you and your partner will not have eaten for several hours (or even and entire day) and often times food services and cafeterias close after a certain time. So if it’s late at night, you’ll want to have something to snack on until you can get a more substantial meal. 

Other Stuff: 

Now on top of our hospital bag, I’ll also be brining a bag with all of our technology in it. This includes all of our phone chargers, iPads, camera for taking photos and video, and a bluetooth speaker to listen to some calming music during the labor process. Also, hospital rooms may not have very many plugs for your  to charge your electronics, so it’s always a good idea to bring a power strip just in case. 

A few other tips:

• Get familiar with your car seat and make sure it’s installed properly. You are required to have a properly installed car seat in your vehicle BEFORE you’ll be allowed to leave the hospital with your newborn. If you’re not sure if you have it installed correctly, the hospital staff will help you check it before you leave. If you want to be proactive though, you can find often find a NHSTA certified safety inspection station near you (I’ve included a link below). Often times these safety inspection technicians are located at car dealerships, fire stations, EMS stations, and more. For example, our local police department is certified to do car seat safety inspections. https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats#inspection-inspection

• Get familiar with how to swaddle and change a baby. Newborns sleep best and are most comfortable when swaddled. They’ve just gone through a huge change coming out into the world, and swaddling helps them (and you) be more comfortable and to feel more secure. If you’ve never changed a baby, it’s really not that hard. The nurses and hospital staff will be there to help you learn, but it’s always good to try and get some practice in before the big day. 

• Take everything! All of those extra items like diapers, wipes, brushes for the baby, etc. are all things that you’ve paid for as part of your (very expensive) hospital stay. Don’t be shy about packing that stuff up and taking it with you to use at home. 

• Some hospitals have specific policies about photos and video before, during, and after your hospital stay. So always check with them to understand their policy, and try your best to adhere to it. However, this is an incredible moment in your life and journey as a parent, so if you want to sneak some photos, do so at your own risk :-) 

Have something that you’d like to add? Leave a comment below!

THE PERFECT DADDY DIAPER BAG? // THE 5.11 TACTICAL RUSH 12 BACKPACK

If you’ve been on the hunt for a diaper bag that looks great, will last a lifetime, and doesn’t break the bank, I have good news! While there are no shortage of diaper bags on the market, it can be hard to find a bag that balances function, durability, and usability better than the 5.11 Tactical RUSH series.

Like most dads I’ve had a hard time finding a diaper bag. I wanted something that was durable, functional, and could be easily organized for anything that our son could throw our way. After months of research, review videos and countless hours hemming and hawing at our local Buy Buy Baby, I think I’ve finally found the perfect diaper bag! The amazing thing is that it’s not a diaper bag at all. Now if you know the name 5.11 Tactical, you’ll know that they’re deep in the world of Everyday Carry, hiking, hunting, law enforcement, and more. They typically make gear focused on those who carry firearms for a living, as well as the “tacticool” community. I have a few items from their lineup including a jacket, but have never fully embraced their style because of their focus on military-style design aesthetic. However, when looking for a diaper bag I had a few criteria that I just couldn’t seem to find in any other line of bags.

1. DURABILITY. I didn’t want a diaper bag that was ONLY a diaper bag. I wanted to be able to load it out in multiple configurations and use it far beyond our diaper years. The materials and craftsmanship also needed to be on point.

2. FUNCTIONALITY. I wanted a bag that would not only serve as a diaper bag, but one that would be able to carry all of our mom/dad essentials as well. The needed to open wide enough that I could easily stuff things in, get things out, and keep everything organized so that I could find it quickly and easily.

3. AESTHETIC. I wasn’t super worried about seeming like a “tough guy” dad with a tactical backpack. I wanted aesthetics that were simple and functional and not too over the top. I don’t need a ton of attachments, and if there are any they needed to be for go, not just for show.

4. VALUE. Diaper bags are EXPENSIVE. In most cases, high quality diaper bags can range anywhere from $100-$150, and many only work as a diaper bag.

With our criteria covered, let’s dive into the bag that I chose.

durability

The 5.11 Tactical Rush Series of bags is built with long-term durability in mind. The outer shell is made of water-resistant 1050D nylon, and is designed to hold up to abusive outdoor use. This is the same material that’s used in military bags, heavy duty duffel bags, and more. It has a long history of standing up to abuse and daily use and should stand up to years of use as a diaper bag and beyond. Beyond just the bag material, the Rush 12 has heavy duty, self-repairing YKK zippers and zipper pulls. This means that the zippers, which are one of the most common failure points of any bag, are designed to be opened and closed thousands of times without coming apart or malfunctioning.

5.11 Tactical Rush 12 Backpack

Water Resistant 1050D Nylon

Water Resistant 1050D Nylon

Minimal branding

YKK Self-Healing zippers

with glove friendly zipper pulls.

Large admin panel

to organize and store the things you need access to quickly

functionality

One of the biggest things I was looking for in a diaper bag was organization. Many of the dad bags out there have a few cool features, but largely are focused on baby’s stuff, but don’t have any real organization for those items, or for mom and dads items. This is a place where the Rush 12 shines. In total, there are 16 individual compartments throughout the bag, with a multi-slot administrative pocket for holding pens, pencils, flashlights, notebooks, or whatever else you might need quick access to.

The front admin panel also has some larger slots integrated into the front flap, as well as a zipper pocket towards the interior for things that might come loose as the bag is moving around. Moving up on the bag we have an unlined accessories pocket where you can store anything that needs to be within quick reach. Moving to the top of the bag there’s a soft-lined glasses pocket, perfect for sunglasses or phones.

Inside the Rush 12 you’ll find a huge internal compartment totaling about 24L of storage. On the front flap there are two mesh pockets, perfect for storing wipes, diapers, and other accessories. On the back panel of the bag there’s a large pocket with a tie down which is great for organizing a change of clothes, or even storing a laptop or tablet. The thing that really impressed me about this bag though was its ability to open completely and lay flat out. This means that you can access anything and everything stored in the internal storage compartments quickly and easily. When changing a baby you’re often trying to do things with one hand, so having the ability to see everything all at once is a huge plus.

A few other notable features:

• This bag has space for a hydration pack with

• The ergonomic straps also have a quick release buckle at the bottom making the bag very easy to get on and off at a moments notice

• The Rush 12 has a sternum help distribute the weight more evenly across your body when fully loaded

• The padded back makes the bag extremely comfortable to wear for long periods

aesthetic

Now, here’s where I think the Rush 12 falters a little, but I can’t really fault the designers. Overall the aesthetic of the bag is pretty understated, with no huge logos or crazy colors. I chose to go with the Black colorway instead of any of the more tactical looking Coyote Brown, OD Green, or Double Tap (it’s just grey). However, I do think that this bag is much more “tactical” than most diaper bags that I had been looking at. Again, this isn’t the fault of 5.11 Tactical (duh, they have tactical in their name), it’s just personal preference. The great thing about this tactical look though is that it does serve a purpose. The straps that you see all over the bag are called MOLLE webbing. Now MOLLE is a system that was developed for military use, and allows you to attach, detach, and reconfigure this bag to any number of use cases. You can attach and endless number of pouches, tools, and accessories to a bag like this to customize it to fit your exact needs.

value

This is where I believe the Rush 12 really shines. Coming in at around $99 dollars you’re right in the ballpark of typical diaper bags, but you’re getting tremendous value in terms of comfort, durability, and functionality, which you don’t find with most diaper bags. This bag also has value far beyond its use as a diaper bag. It can be used for hiking, outdoor adventures, and even as an everyday bag for commuting to and from the office once you’re no longer carrying around lots of gear for your little one.

What’s your favorite daddy diaper bag? Have you found an alternative to other, more traditional diaper bag companies? Let me know in the comments below!