While He Was Napping

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What’s in Daddy’s Hospital Bag?

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Hey, fellow momma! I’m so glad you stopped by today! Are you wondering what you’ll need to have in Daddy’s Hospital Bag? Look no further, I’ve got you covered!

First, CONGRATULATIONS! New babies are THE BEST and I am so happy for you! Motherhood is absolutely amazing; this is going to be the best roller coaster ride of your life!

There is a lot to prepare for during pregnancy. As much as it can stink, it’s a good thing pregnancy lasts nine months! You need that time to do all the prep work! I know it can be overwhelming. I’ve been there!

But, I’m going to help you! We’ll check at least one of those many things to do off your list.

You’ll be prepared when the day comes, whether it’s today, tomorrow or in a few weeks.

You’ll be confident that you have what you need when you head to the hospital to welcome your little one into your life.

Today, let’s take a closer look at the hospital bag. That’s what brought you here, after all. There are lots of lists of things for mom and baby to take to the hospital

But what about DADDY?

9 Must-Haves for Daddy's Hospital Bag

Do you want the best hospital stay possible? That’s exactly what you’ll get by following this list.

 

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My biggest mistake happened with my second baby. And that’s why this list is different than the other packing lists out there. This list is made from experience! From BAD experience. 

There was a secret that no one told me when I went to have my second baby and it could’ve saved me. Do you want to know this secret? You don’t have to learn the hard way, because I’m going to tell you the secret. Ready?

Not all hospitals are created equally.

Obviously, hospitals have different layouts and available facilities, but the differences go deeper. Between our first and second babies, we moved to a new state… and a new hospital. Our second hospital was less… accommodating than our first. In fact, these small differences made us miserable while we were there.

If you have never delivered at the hospital you will be delivering your baby at this time, take a hospital tour! Find out what is provided and what you’ll need to provide yourself.

We were so under-prepared and we were the ones that suffered. There were things I regretted not having, but my poor husband got the short stick on that hospital stay. So, help Daddy out and pack him a bag too!

No, you can’t pack up a nice bed for daddy to sleep in, but there are some things you can take that would make daddy’s stay at the hospital a little more comfy.
Which means, Daddy can help YOU.
When a new baby is born, Mommy gets most of the focus – and rightfully so – but don’t let Daddy be miserable either. A new baby is a big change in his life too. Be prepared and you can all enjoy this beginning of your new adventure!

I’ve done all the work for you and even given you links to each product. The links in this post will take you to Amazon, where you can easily purchase these items and have them delivered right to your doorstep. No end-of-pregnancy waddling around the store for you! Just sit on the couch, eat chocolate truffles and wait for the mail to be delivered! I will get a small portion of any purchase you decide to make, but it in no way affects your cost. These links are one way I help support this site. Thanks! Here’s the list!

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DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #1:

Pillow.  Daddy should have a decent pillow, even if it’s just a travel size one.  He’ll probably be trying to catch his zzz’s whenever he can, just like you.  Skip the super flat or too-poofy hospital pillows and get him a pillow filled to his liking. Besides, if he has a good pillow, he’s less likely to snore and keep you up. Hospital rooms can echo… the pillow is worth it. This travel pillow is great because it’s small, but effective and if it gets ruined or left behind it’s not a big loss.

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #2:

Snacks.  We’re talking man snacks here.  Things like:

  • Jerky
  • cheese
  • breads or even simple sandwiches
  • hearty granola bars or protein bars
  • nuts and pretzels
  • dried fruit
  • crackers and canned tuna
  • fruit leather
  • fruits and veggies cut up with hummus dip
  • bagels or muffins

Taking your own snacks will save you money and Daddy won’t have to hunt down vending machines or the cafeteria. He (and you!) can get into his stash any time his little heart desires, whether the cafeteria is open or not. We usually take a small soft-sided lunch bag for things that need to be kept cool with an ice pack or two wrapped in aluminium foil. By the time the ice melts, the food is gone.

Make sure there are some low-aroma snacks Daddy can munch on while you’re in labor. You probably won’t be allowed to eat and labor makes my oversensitive nose go into overdrive! Any kind of food smells make me nauseous. But I always raid his snacks after I’ve had a baby. Child birth is a lot of hard work and I’m always famished afterward! Want a quick and easy way to get those snacks? This snack basket will come right to your door and it doubles great as a “New Daddy” gift!

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #3:

Extra shirts.  No one wants to wear “the badge of fatherhood” all day.  Take a couple extra shirts for daddy. He will probably end up wearing some kind of bodily secretion by the end of the day. It’s a great time to get him a fun “Dad” shirt and he’ll appreciate not smelling like curdled breast milk or formula… or worse. You can click any image below to see that specific shirt. These shirts are fun and Daddy can wear them long after you leave the hospital.

    

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DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #4:

Sweats, athletic shorts or other PJ’s. Nurses, lab technicians and a whole slew of people will come and go from your room at all hours of the day and night. Unless Dad plans to spend 24/7 in his clothes, he’ll want something comfy to sleep in, but also something he feels sufficiently covered up while wearing. Your body will be on display to just about every medical professional that comes into your room, but Daddy will probably prefer a little more privacy. These options are great, can be used after your hospital stay, would go great in a “New Dad” gift basket and will come right to your doorstep! You can click each image for more details. If you get Daddy in that first one, be sure to take photos. 😉

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #5:

Towel.  My epidurals tend to take longer than most people’s to wear off and I was numb for HOURS after they took it out. Because I was still a little numb, my husband was not about to let me stand up by myself in a slippery shower.

The towels our first hospital did provide were not great and almost too small to thoroughly dry off and our second hospital only provided one, which we’d used to mop up a spilled pitcher of water. These towels are nice and big though!

I’m just gonna be blunt here and suggest a dark color to help hide stains. You can use this towel for the next few weeks until you stop bleeding. Whether you toss it after that or hang on to it for your next childbirth adventure is up to you.

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #6:

Swim trunks.  These are to wear in the shower if Daddy isn’t keen on the possibility of doctors or nurses catching him in his birthday suit. We didn’t bother and just jumped in the shower in our typical attire – or lack thereof – but my husband was in the military and not a stranger to public showers. If Daddy is a little more conservative and worried about modesty, swim trunks might help ease the discomfort and allow him to help you more. These basic trunks are great and not a big loss if you need to throw them out afterward.

 

 

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #7:

Laptop, tablet or other things to do. While I wouldn’t want my husband anywhere but the delivery room while I deliver, I don’t really want him to smother me either.

I am a silent sufferer and prefer to be left alone than have my hair stroked or shoulders rubbed. I want him there, but not in my face. If you want Daddy right there, breathing through the contractions with you, then have him do that. But, if you’d rather be left alone to deal with your stuff, giving Daddy a little distraction can be good for everyone. Something kind of mindless that can be dropped at a moments notice, should the need arise, is perfect. A gift card for some new apps might be fun too.

Google Play Store

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #8:

The phone numbers list.  It’s pretty easy to get word out about Baby’s birth with all the social media options these days.  Even my grandma is on Facebook. Heck, both of my grandmas are, and my grandpa! But, some people deserve an actual phone call or picture message at least. Make sure all those extra special people (and the ones not on social media – like my dad) are included on the list so no one gets forgotten or missed.

 

You can get the one below when you sign up for The ULTIMATE Hospital Packing List.

 The Ultimate Hospital Packing List Cover

DADDY’S HOSPITAL BAG MUST-HAVE #9:

Any other checklists or special instructions you want Daddy to know.  Discuss certain medical procedures and complications with your birth partner beforehand and in what ways you would like to handle them.  Heaven forbid you hemorrhage or something; but, there is the chance you won’t be able to make decisions for yourself at some point during the childbirth process. Having someone else aware of your wants and wishes can help in difficult situations where life-altering decisions have to be made right now.

 

Of course, it’s not a bad idea to ask Daddy if there’s anything else he wants to take… After all, it is Daddy’s Hospital Bag. The Boy Scouts knew what they were doing when they chose the motto “Be Prepared!” If you are, it will make your first few days with baby more enjoyable for your entire family.

DADDY’S BAG SHOPPING LIST

Click on any of the pictures in image below to see more details.

Image Map

 

Congratulations again on your little bundle of joy! Now, go pack those bags!

Feeling confident about what you’re packing for you and baby? Take a look at the things I wish I had packed the first two times I had a baby! You might be surprised by what WASN’T provided the second time.

 

Click the next button to find out if YOUR bags are REALLY ready! 
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{Printable} You & Me Were Meant to Be Wrappers & Bag Topper

Any of you out there looking for last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts?  I feel like I’ve been behind for about a week and a half now and everything I do is last-minute!  There’s a freebie printable at the bottom of the post (sneak peek):

but if you’re looking for gifts, check out these last minute ideas:
FOR THE SWEETIE

or check out the Naughty version 
if you want a little more spark and flame this V-Day

FOR THE KIDDOS
ANYONE
Two free labels available in THIS BLOG POST
or there are 12 unique designs available HERE.

Or, it you’re looking for SUPER EASY, this just might be perfect little project for you.  All you need is a mint candy of some kind.  Peppermint patties, Junior Mints, gum, lifesavers, dinner mints, and so on.  I made my own heart-shaped peppermint patties using the recipe I shared back in December for our Neighbor Gift Tins.  You can find the recipe on Oh! Nuts.  I just shaped them with a knife before dipping them.  Introducing the”

WE WERE “MINT” TO BE WRAPPERS & BAG TOPPER
You can print a free copy of this image HERE until February 15, 2014.  After that, you can find it HERE.  And just to give you an idea of what you can do with these wrappers and the bag topper…

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.



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{Creative Home Keeper} Mom’s Special Memories

It’s time for another contributor post!  This time, Victoria from Creative Home Keeper is here and she has an awesome idea to share, complete with free printable!  It’s super fantastic, so let’s just get right to it…
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MSM printable
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not super crafty. The thought of glitter, glue, paint, and felt pom-poms just stresses me out. Despite spending a ton of time on Pinterest pinning adorable DIY crafts, I really have no intention of making most of what I pin. I wish it were different, I wish I were a bit more crafty, but I’m not. It’s not in my personality, it’s not true to who I am. 
I used to feel guilty that my kids would be missing out too. They would miss out on elaborate scrapbooks filled with adorable pictures and stencils that document their childhood. They would miss out on handmade quilts made from their favorite baby clothes. I used to ask myself the question, “How would I be able to preserve my children’s memories if I’m not crafty?” 
Then I realized that, while I’m not crafty in the traditional sense, I do have another gift that I am passionate about- the gift of words. One area that is true to my personality and gifts is writing. I love to write. Back when I was pregnant with my first child, I started to record my pregnancy progress into a small notebook that quickly turned into a memory journal for my son filled with stories from my pregnancy, his birth, the first few months, and letters I wrote to him sharing my prayers for him. Some moms keep a traditional baby book for their children, I keep a journal. But I started to record important dates on random sheets of notebook paper because it always seemed like I never had my memory journals near by.
So I created a Mom’s Special Memories sheet to record all of those thoughts, memories, and special moments that happened everyday. I keep a copy of my Special Memories sheet for each child in my home management binder, which is always on my kitchen counter. Whenever I want to record a special memory, event, adorable phrase they said, or other highlight from our days, I simply jot it down on the Special Memories sheet. It serves as a catch-all for all those every day moments that are precious. I record them here on the Special Memories sheet so that way when I have the time to transfer the memories to their baby book’s or journals, I won’t forget them.
Mom's special memories 

 I set up the sheet to serve not only as a place to record those everyday moments, but also to be able to keep as a keepsake too.

  • I print off the two sheets front to back and 3 hole punch so I can place it into any 3 ring binder
  • At the top of the first sheet, there is a place to record the child’s name, age and year
  • There is also blank space on the first page to place a picture of the child, have the child draw a picture, place a hand print, or any other special memorabilia from that year.
  • There are three spaces to record things the child loved, sweet words or phrases they said, and humorous accounts of things they did.
Once every few months I pull out my Mom’s Special Memories sheet and transfer those precious moments over into their journals. Once the sheet is filled, I also like to keep the sheet in a separate 3 ring binder I have designated for art projects or other import papers I keep for each child. mom's special memories binder 

I’m thrilled to be sharing my keepsake printable with you today. Hopefully it serves as a place to gather all of those special everyday moments that you don’t want to forget but don’t have the time to stop and pull out the baby book.

To download your free copy, click here. I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to check out Creative Home Keeper for more thoughts and ideas on living intentionally.

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How much do you just love that?!  Isn’t that a great idea.  While I do enjoy scrapbooking, I don’t have the time, or budget, to create elaborate scrapbook pages for my kids.  I use my Calendar Journal a lot like Victoria uses her awesome binder.  I absolutely adore a spot for photos.  Thank you so much for sharing, Victoria.  Go check out all the awesomness that is over at Creative Home Keeper.

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.


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{Printable} February Journal Calendar

How’s your Journal Calendar coming?  Well, here’s a peek at mine so far:

I will admit there were days I had to go back and fill in after the fact, but I won’t remember that in a couple months!  I probably won’t remember anything in a couple months, I’ll be a zombie mommy with sleep deprivation and a newborn!  All the more reason to write things down now, right?

Here’s February’s Calendar.  Choose the corresponding pages for the style you like the most and print those.  These are formatted to 8×10″.  Right click, “save as” and print.  The whole set is still in my Etsy shop if you’d prefer a single time download for the rest of the year.  Then you can get it bound or whatever.
Calendar Journal 2014 Sun-Tues P&P

Calendar Journal 2014 Wed-Sat P&P
You can grab last month’s calendar here, in case you want to for whatever reason.

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping. 
 

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Printable Valentine Lip Balm Label

If you’re looking for a creative, useful and easy Valentine gift that isn’t overloaded with sugar, then I’ve got just the thing for you! These printable Valentine lip balm wrappers are the perfect way to dress up a little gift everyone will love – because, who doesn’t use lip balm?
 
Valentine Lip Balm Wrappers

 

VALENTINE LIP BALM LABELS MAKE EASY VALENTINE GIFTS

In 2012, I tried making my own lip balm. I did some research, bought my ingredients and it wasn’t long before I was totally hooked. I haven’t bought a single tube of lip balm since.

But whether you make your own or use your favorite brand from the store, these cute wrappers are a super easy and fun way to give a little valentine that doesn’t come with a sugar crash. And is actually useful too!

 

VALENTINE LIP BALM WRAPPERS

While I’d love to send you all a tube of lip balm with fun wrappers, I don’t have the hand muscles to write out that many address labels, so how about some printable labels instead?

You can make your own lip balms (my favorite recipe is below) or just wrap the labels around your favorite tubes you get at the store.

Easy peasy.

Just save, print, cut out and wrap. In 4 easy steps you’ll have Valentines you actually want and that won’t add to your waistline. Or your kids’ hyperactivity… You’re welcome.

 

MAKING YOUR OWN LIP BALM

Here’s my disclaimer on making your own lip balm: When you first decide to take this on, there is a bit of an investment.

This is a great project to split with some friends if cost is an issue. The shelf life of every ingredient is long enough that you won’t have to buy again for quite a while, depending on how much you make.

Affiliate Link Disclaimer

SUPPLIES NEEDED TO MAKE YOUR OWN LIP BALM:

 

MEASURING YOUR WAX & OIL

  1. Disinfect and sanitize your lip balm tubes. You can boil them in water for 1-2 minutes or run them through a sanitize cycle in the dishwasher. Just make sure they are good and dry before you try to fill them.

  2. Measure out a 2 part wax and 1 part oil ratio into your glass measuring cup. I typically use approximately 3 Tbsp of wax and 1 to 1.5 Tbsp of oil. 

* Note: If you’re thinking, “Uhm, lady that’s bad math! That’s not a 2:1 ratio!” you’re right, it’s not. 

My husband carries his lip balm in his pants pocket and he likes it a little firmer so it doesn’t melt and get squishy from his body heat. I do more of a 3:1 ratio for him. That’s why there’s a little math discrepancy there.

You’ll have to play with the ratios a little to figure out what you prefer.

 

MELTING YOUR WAX AND OIL

  1. Carefully place the glass measuring cup in the small pot. Fill the small pot about 3/4 of the way full with water, being careful not to get any water in your glass measuring cup. If you get water in the measuring cup, your lip balm may not set up correctly.

  2. Place the pot, with the measuring cup in the water, on the stove over medium heat. You want the water to come to a rolling boil, but nothing so rapid as to overturn your measuring cup.

  3. Melt the wax completely and use a transfer pipette to mix the oil and melted wax together.

  4. Add 1-3 drops of liquid vitamin E oil for extra moisture and protection. The vitamin E even offers a little SPF protection which makes it perfect for wearing outdoors.

  5. Using the pipette, mix the melted wax and oils.

FILLING YOUR LIP BALM TUBES

  1. Stand your sanitized lip balm tubes up on a steady surface near the pot.

  2. Use the pipette to transfer melted wax into the tubes. Add as much wax as you can before it overflows, as the lip balm will compress and shrink as it cools down.

    Some times this is just a little trial and error. If you over flow a tube, just move to the next one and you can clean up any spillage after the lip balm cools with a paper towel.

  3. After the lip balm has cooled, place the lids on the tubes and snap into place. Use a paper towel to wipe up any lip balm that has gotten on the outside of the tubes or your work surface.

 

STORING YOUR LIP BALM

I store my lip balm tubes in the fridge to extend longevity, but jojoba and vitamin E typically have 1-2 year shelf life, minimum. Check the expiration dates on your oils because sometimes they sit in a warehouse before you ever get them. You’ll know the oils have gone bad if they start to smell rancid.

I’ve never made a batch with these ingredients and had them go bad. We use them too fast and I make 20-40 tubes at a time. This usually lasts us about 6 months or so.

I have used other oils and had my lip balm go rancid. If you use other oils, you’ll need to check their expected shelf life and expiration dates.

Once your tubes are cooled and cleaned you’re ready to apply some fun labels.

 

PRINTING YOUR VALENTINE LIP BALM LABELS

 

DOWNLOAD YOUR VALENTINE LIP BALM WRAPPERS!

 

ASSEMBLING YOUR VALENTINE LIP BALM GIFT

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

  • Wrapper label download. Hit that blue link above to download your labels
  • Printer paper or sticker paper to print your labels
  • Scissors or paper cutter
  • Glue stick or packing tape
  • Lip balm tubes to wrap

Valentine Chapstick Labels

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Download and save the file to your computer.

  2. Print the labels on your printer paper or sticker paper. If you use sticker paper, make sure you’re printing on the label side of the paper, not the backing. This will depend on your printer and you may need to do a test print of the labels to check it.

  3. Cut out the labels with the scissors or paper cutter.

  4. If you want to write a personalized message on the wrapper, do it now – before you put it on the tube. Your kids can still address their class valentines if they want with this method.

  5. Stick the wrapper labels to the lip balm tubes with the glue stick or packing tape if you used regular printer paper. If you used sticker paper, remove the backing and stick the labels to the chapstick tubes.

    Note: I still recommend covering the labels with packing tape, even if you print on sticker paper because it gives the label a little extra protection.

    If you print with an inkjet printer, the ink will still run and fade if you drop the tube in the tub or send it through the laundry, but little water drops and splashes won’t hurt it.

    If you print with a laser printer, the tape helps keep the label from rubbing off.

 

* Disclaimer: Due to different monitor and printer settings, I can’t guarantee color matching.

 

WANT MORE VALENTINE LIP BALM WRAPPER DESIGNS?

If you’d like 10 more designs that are a little more grown up, you can get the whole collection in my Etsy Shop, including one you can personalize after you print it. Just use a pen or marker to write your favorite initials on the tree trunk wrapper. 

Valentine Lip Balm Label Wrappers

 

 

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