Father's Day: Survival kit for new dads

[KittyChat]

Someone posted a while ago about making a survival kit for new dads and I thought it was a great idea but now I can't find the thread.

Thought it might make a good father's day present.

I've come up with...

• a 'world's greatest dad' mug (thanks, Poundland!)
• a miniature bottle of spirit for emergencies
• a cigar (maybe a chocolate one...)
• special 'baby friendly' bubble bath for dad and baby

Er... any other ideas?

A booklet of "go and get some sleep idiot!" vouchers, for when he's about 4 - 6 weeks in and has been doing all he can to help mum manage and forgets about himself, best to have a list of people happy to receive these as well.....probably all your mates and your mum (you may not want his mum helping...just saying....).

Think about those things he's said he used to do with his Dad as one or two might be something he'd like to do with his child/toddler/teenager....do a bit of digging and organise some tickets or suggest.....I took my little boy to my local posh pub for a Diet Coke in the afternoon a couple of times whilst he was in his BabyBjorn as it was half way home and just before the big hill (live in Bath) sounds odd but it took five minutes and was more than my Dad had done at all.

Or if he likes movies arrange a membership to Lovefilm or the like for when he has half an hour and can just switch his mind off with some mindless Hangover type movie, or get in a load of his type of DVD's.

If this is crap to you tell me to sod off.

Ooh what great ideas! Especially the LoveFilm one ...

Plastic gloves (for cleaning up bodily fluids)
peg (for nose when he changes his first nappy)
tissues for when he cries at the birth
red bull (for the nights when he REALLY HAS TO STAY UP WITH YOU)
Ear plugs - if you plan on giving him any time off!

(my ideas sound a bit stingy!)

Not at all Katy - they're perfect and I'm going to use all of them. Thank you.

That's great Katy! that the sort of joke presents i was hoping to get my OH :D

I gave DH an espresso machine for his first birthday as a dad. He says that that is his survival kit! so maybe some instant espresso?

A bit more difficult - but I was thinking of sewing a sling for my DP. Could work as part of this. Hmmm... will I get my act together, that's the big question.

Surely "Baby: Owner's Workshop Manual" from Haynes is an essential?

My DH has said order sky+ it was the best thing l got him - that way he could record mindless tv/horror films for when he was doing the night feeds and wasnt stuck watching repeats of soaps or J Kyle.

Also he found it really touching in the hospital after l had given birth that l had packed him a couple of new t shirts - he really did need them after our dc was born and handed straight to him - gunk and all!

The other bit he was really chuffed with was that while l was in hospital (l had to stay there for a few days after dc was born) my mum had organised him a food tab at our local pub - so he didnt have to worry about cooking, cleaning up etc or intruding on others at silly hours for food (pub serves food 12 til 9.30 here) although mum did leave him a couple of meals in our fridge he could just heat up and made sure he knew he was welcome at her house too.

Prob not what you were thinking but l asked DH and this is what he came up with.

just to add to these......someone gave DH a mask to go over the nose/mouth for changing nappies!!

I'm told Vicks also works very well to put under your nose when changing.