Daddy Brad and Daddy Clay give five simple tips for dads in the delivery room. Your wife is pregnant and in the birth center and you're ready for labor and delivery. You've been following the pregnancy week by week, and you think you're prepared for childbirth. However, there are some simple things you might forget when waiting on baby delivery. First, you might want to consider bringing change for the snack machine. The labor delivery could take a while and you don't to stray to far from the delivery room. Second you should consider giving your pregnant wife a foot massage. Third get a push present. Push presents are gifts you give to thank your wife for the birthing process and pregnancy. Birthstone jewelry is a great way to celebrate the new addition into your family. Forth create an iPod playlist of your wife's favorite songs. Lastly and most important, don't faint. The crowning can be a dizzying experience. Remember the lessons your learned at Lamaze classes and breathe. Congratulations on the new baby. The Lab ep 524 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

EP 524 5 Tips

DADDY CLAY I wonder if any two word phrase can have a more powerful effect on an expecting dad.

DADDY BRAD “Honey, it’s time.”

DADDY CLAY We want to thank our sponsors, BabyBjorn. You know studies have shown that close contact and regular baby wearing reduces crying times. BabyBjorn.

DADDY BRAD But nobody is going to wear you in the delivery room, so you’ll just have to find another way to calm down.
clay

DADDY BRAD Tip number one: bring change for the vending machines. You could be in the hospital from 6 to 36 hours. You need to take care of yourself nutritionally. Bring some nutrition bars in the bag. Fine, but if your stomach is growling, make the quick trip to the machines, instead of the longer haul to the cafe. You don’t want to miss anything important. Hospitals are usually thoughtful about having fairly nutritious stuff here.

DADDY CLAYWatching the pain of labor and delivery can be frustrating for a dad, and can even drive you a little nuts. Make you a little cave man as your impulse to alleviate your partner’s pain drives you to want to start a fight with an anesthesiologist. Or an unlucky candy striper. You can’t take away the pain. But you can give a damn good foot massage. And not some namby-pamby make it up as you go along foot massage. Go to 5min dot com or howcast dot com or mindbites dot com do search, watch a video or three and get some technique. It’ll make her feel better (just a little). You, too.

DADDY BRAD Create a very special playlist on your MP3 player or iPod. The songs you think she will love and will make her smile. These are not the songs that you love. These are not the songs that you THINK she should love. These are not the songs you are teaching her to love. These are the songs that she loves, even if you hate them. Especially if you hate them. Because that shows how much you love. Rig a player so you can listen, too. More power sources and batteries, but you can manage.
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DADDY CLAY Next tip. Pack a Push Present. A push present is a small gift or token, delivered post partum, to thank mom for what she’s just done. Nothing practical, no blenders or vacuums -- plus that’s tough to pack. But this isn’t an engagement ring either. Consider a birthstone theme. And, if your wife is like mine, break the long fast with a bottle of lovely champagne or chardonnay and a special snack. Pick a moment when the craziness has calmed down, and just celebrate her.

DADDY BRAD And our last tip, don’t faint. If you are a queasy type, know this about yourself and take a seat while they’re putting in the epidural, or when the baby is crowning, or during the whole thing.

DADDY CLAY There’s nothing shameful about it.

DADDY BRAD Cause you are like one of those fainting goats.

DADDY CLAY We’d like to thank our sponsors, BabyBjorn. Safe enough to pass the most rigorous European safety standard - Oekotek. BabyBjorn.

DADDY BRAD If you have essential survival tips for dads in the delivery room, please share them at dadlabs dot com.

DADDY CLAY We’ll see you next time, here in the lab
Brad makes fun of Clay for being a fainter.