BABY ARRIVAL FIELD GUIDE

Parent Field Guide: what do I do now?

A practical guide for labor day and the first 72 hours. No sales pitch. No fluff. Just the moves that keep your partner, baby, and the house steady.

🤰 Timer 🎒 Go-Bag 🍼 Baby Log

🚨 Labor Starts

First 10 minutes

Start contraction timer.
Offer water, dim lights, reduce noise.
Do not hover. Be calm, useful, and nearby.
Check if water broke, bleeding, movement changes, or severe pain.
If anything feels wrong, call the hospital/doctor.

Your default script

“You’re safe. I’m here. Breathe out slow. Tell me what you need — pressure, quiet, water, or space.”

Say less. Do more. Calm voice. No panic face.

🏥 When it is time to go

Move checklist

5-1-1 reminder

Common rule: contractions about 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute, for around 1 hour. But your provider’s instructions win.

Go sooner for water breaking, bleeding, reduced fetal movement, intense pressure/pushing urge, or if you are unsure.

🏥 Doctor / Hospital Info

Do not hunt for this during contractions.

Save the essentials once. This uses the same local-only info as Go-Bag.

🗺️ Map

👧 Childcare Handoff

Older Child

Lunch packed / school bag ready.
Clothes picked out for next day.
Caregiver pickup details clear.
Comfort explanation: "Baby is coming, you are safe, [caregiver] has you."

Younger Child

Diapers/wipes/change of clothes ready.
Favorite comfort item packed.
Snack + water cup.
Nap expectations realistic.

🍼 First 72 Hours

Partner jobs

Track feeds/diapers in Baby Log.
Refill water without being asked.
Run interference on visitors.
Handle meals, trash, laundry, meds schedule.
Protect your partner's sleep blocks like national security.

Watch for

Birthing parent: heavy bleeding, fever, severe headache, chest pain, scary mood symptoms.
Baby: poor feeding, fever, blue lips, no wet diapers, extreme lethargy.
When unsure, call. Better annoying than sorry.

🧭 If You Only Do One Thing

Be the calm system.

Your job is not to know everything. Your job is to lower the chaos: time contractions, grab the bag, call the right people, handle childcare, and make your partner feel safe.