Jason Kelce Shares 4 Delivery Room Essentials All Dads Should Have

When it comes to baby’s arrival mom likely has a laundry list of items she wants to bring to the hospital. From essentials to make labor a little more pleasant to postpartum care, you’ve likely been prepping a “go bag” for the hospital since the dawn of your third trimester. But while mom rightfully so has the bulk of necessities, there are also a few things worth tacking onto the list for Dad.

To help Dads prepare to be at their best for the big game day, former NFL star and current dad of three, Jason Kelce, chatted with his brother Travis Kelce on a recent episode of New Heights about the four essentials he believes every Dad should have in the delivery room.

1. A fan. At the top of Kelce’s list is climate control. “Make sure you have a fan because can get really hot and uncomfortable in there. If you like fans when you sleep make sure you bring a fan,” he notes.
2. The perfect pillow. A well-rested Dad can tackle pretty much anything. The second item on the football player’s list is a pillow you love. Hospitals aren’t necessarily known for their pillows, and if you’re the kind of person who has gotten their sleep situation just right you know how the right, or wrong, pillow can make all the difference in a good night or nap.
3. Snack bars. We all love a nice snack here or there but this is an event when you definitely don’t want to skimp out. “I think it’s really important—and I’m being dead serious—to bring some type of bars. Whether it’s an energy bar or chocolate bar, because what happens is a lot of guys pass out,” Kelce said. It’s really important right when your wife starts going into labor to eat a bar to get your blood sugar back up because you don’t want to be passing out. The most important part of what you’re there for. You want to be there to witness and to offer support for your wife.”
4. Something to do. As many veteran parents know, labor can drag out over hours or sometimes even days. So in the downtime of waiting it’s important to have something to do. “There’s going to be a lot of sitting around and you don’t really have anything to do as a dad,” notes Kelce. From taking a book to downloading games on your phone he emphasizes bringing something with you that you can come back to, as you’ll be getting up to get Mom water and assisting her to make sure she’s as comfortable as possible.

This isn’t Kelce’s first time making headlines for his labor and delivery support. The 34-year-old made headlines last year after his wife Kylie Kelce captured a satirical TikTok documenting all of the ways he “crushed the role of labor support person.” From napping in front of his fan to eating a sandwich, Kylie captioned the funny video “Couldn’t have done it without him!”

Looking for even more tips for providing your loved one with the best possible support during labor and delivery? Check out these nine tips for supporting them mentally and physically throughout.