I was just thinking about the hospital stay when my wife and I welcomed our daughter into the world, and thought I'd share what I learned for the first time dads here. Take this with a grain of salt. Ours happened during the pandemic, and procedure was very different then. They had me stay in the room with my wife, and I couldn't leave the room. If I did, they wouldn't let me back in, due to pandemic protocols. We were there for 40 hours. Nobody warned us about these things: 1️⃣ we were both EXHAUSTED, so don't feel bad if you're tired. It wasn't just nerves. I dont even know why I was so tired, but we were both very taxed by the experience. And that is okay. You might be excited, happy, and feel like you should be full of joy, but don't worry if you AND your partner are tired because the hospital stay is serious work. 2️⃣ some routine tests might take the baby out of the room. This one sent me into full detective mode. Two nurses came and said they were taking my daughter to do tests. Don't feel bad about asking them what the tests are, why they are doing them, when they will be back, and the names of the people doing the tests (in case you need to ask for an update). It doesn't have to be an interrogation and you dont have to worry. It's more about asking so you can have peace of mind about what they are doing. You will be in full on "im a dad now" mode and that can make things seem crazy, so peace of mind goes a long way. These are just a couple things I experienced. Is there anything you are thinking about while getting ready, or that you experienced in that first week as a dad?

Being a Dad can be very difficult buuuut it is also one of the most rewarding things in this world! Please share what you love about being a Dad or what you're looking forward to if you're becoming one!! Mine is seeing my daughter take joy in pretty much all the things I love to do!