My wife and I are expecting our first child in the next few days. The hospital we are going to has “suites” for us to stay in post birth for 3 nights after the birth of the child. So my question is, did you bring stuff to run in the go bag or wished you had brought your run stuff. 3 days off is quite a long time and I personally have severe disliking for hospitals. I figure if I can get out for some runs, I it’ll be more bearable. My wife is pretty tolerant of my training, but I just want to get some other opinions.
This is how tolerant my wife is of my training, I brought my bike with me on our honeymoon and we have some pics of the bike, her and I in our wedding photos/video.
I’d bring the shoes just to blow off some steam. 3 days off is not going to lose you any fitness. Hell, 3 weeks would probably start to lose you something, but not much. Be thankful your wife is so tolerant of your training, or you could end up as singledadasaurus.
I went to run, once we had other visitors like our parents and such. At that point, she was ready to have a couple of people gone, while she got some rest. Yeah, even the most middle of the road wives will not mind you lacing the shoes and going for a quick run.
Jeez! Where is this hospital? In heaven?
We went in for the birth of our son on a Friday morning at 5am and we were checking out of the hospital by 5pm Saturday, less than 48 hours later. I was able to race Sunday morning in a sprint tri. I live about 15 minutes from the hospital, so I spent the night at home in my own bed and went for a swim that Saturday morning before returning to the hospital to hang out for the day Saturday. Of course, having my wife’s mother in town to watch our 4-year-old daughter helped, but 3 nights in the hospital? That’s a long time…unless it’s a Caesarean maybe. I say bring shoes and get up early before your wife wakes up in the mornings and get your run on!
I’m tempted to say, why not just take 30 seconds and throw shoes, socks, shorts, and shirt in the bag and see what happens. But that might be too simple an answer. We need some detail about your race plans and your current level of fitness. Also we need some details regarding your accomodations and your packing list – how much room do you have in your bag? Would you have to leave something else behind if you take running stuff? With that info, I 'd be much more comfortable providing you advice on this subject.
Ok, serious answer: have you read that 500-600 page book “What to expect in your child’s first year” or something similar (your wife may have even asked you to read it)? If the answer is yes, bring your run stuff. If the answer is no, spend your time sitting with your wife reading the book.
Also, you’re likely to have different view of hospitals after this visit and running and training will be least of your concerns next few weeks.
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Dude you’re nuts, leave the training gear at home.
Your wife is likely going to spend 12 hours or more trying to squeeze something the size of a bowling ball out a hole the size of a golf ball. That little something is then going to spend most of the next few days squawking, screaming, barfing and crapping itself…and your poor wife will be so tired all she’ll want to do is sleep. You’ll be the clean up guy who gives occasional footrubs.
Your primary job in the hopsital is to fight off the hoardes of visitors who want to come by day and night while you and your wife are trying to bond with the newest member of the family. Your job is to be there 24/7 and do what your told when you’re told to do it.
Trust me on this one, and every dad on the forum will probably say the same thing, no matter how much you hate hospitals, when your new baby arrives you won’t want to leave, not for a second.
This is how tolerant my wife is of my training, I brought my bike with me on our honeymoon and we have some pics of the bike, her and I in our wedding photos/video.
I just have to say that your wife is AWESOME!
Take the shoes and go for a quick run while she’s napping - but don’t plan on any epic long runs or full training days.
I don’t post much, but I will admit that I get a kick out of posts like this. You and your wife are having a child. Enjoy the moment and focus on being with your wife and newborn and worry less about your training pursuits. That is my advice. I have two kids and one on the way, and while my wife is moderately tolerant of my training, she would probably go into early labor if I suggested that I was going to take my training clothes to the hospital. Spend your time trying to figure out the car seat and how it works.
My #4 was born on 3/31. I had 2 great runs during the two nights we were in the hospital. There is a lot of down time for us guys between the time baby comes & when you get to go home. Just wait until she is sleeping and you’ll be fine.
If it makes you feel any better, running isn’t pushing it. Pushing it is what I did when #2 was born 6 years ago. I was trying to get on the 3rd season of Survivor & the application process required submittal of a 2 minute video. My “brilliant” idea was to film my application video in the delivery room - ending with me holding the baby. My wife is a saint who for some unknown reason tolerates me & I pulled it off w/ the help of the nurses (I kept swapping out the tapes, etc.). Truth be told I regret doing it - It was a selfish act that seemed like a good idea at the time. Needless to say I didn’t get on the show…
Your wife’s tolerance is one thing, your child’s is another. You’re Dad. The only one they get, so remember a few things: Its only 18 years and they are gone. It seems long now but my oldest is 8 and I can already see it flying by. Your not going to sweat the run you missed when they were born, but the first feeding, the first diaper change, seeing the glow of your wife, hearing their cry at some point when they had been silent awhile, talking to the doctor about colic, jaundice, and breast feeding. Getting slapped on the back by friends and family, helping your wife to walk for the first time afterwards. Closing the door to the room and in the silence hearing the gurgles of your new baby, and its just the three of you. You don’t want to be eyeing the shoes in the corner wondering when you are going to get out. This is a moment that is going to change you forever. And if it doesn’t its a moment that leads to you changing forever. Take the moment and absorb it, live in it deeply, and leave the fucking shoes at home. Be prepared for early morning/late night training from here on out, the good dads do it and so should you.
Seriously your wife may tolerate your absence but your kid won’t. You need to be there, this is a good lesson to learn now.
Dude you’re nuts, leave the training gear at home.
Your wife is likely going to spend 12 hours or more trying to squeeze something the size of a bowling ball out a hole the size of a golf ball. That little something is then going to spend most of the next few days squawking, screaming, barfing and crapping itself…and your poor wife will be so tired all she’ll want to do is sleep. You’ll be the clean up guy who gives occasional footrubs.
Your primary job in the hopsital is to fight off the hoardes of visitors who want to come by day and night while you and your wife are trying to bond with the newest member of the family. Your job is to be there 24/7 and do what your told when you’re told to do it.
Trust me on this one, and every dad on the forum will probably say the same thing, no matter how much you hate hospitals, when your new baby arrives you won’t want to leave, not for a second.
most hospitals also have a nursery where the nurses will take care of your newborn while your wife rests or during the night. Use this time wisely - this will be the last 3 nights you will get sleep for awhile.
Right now I’m training for IMC , we’ll see how fast the fitness goes downhill with work and sleep deprivation. Aside from IMC, I’ll try to do a few races during the summer. But owning a small retail business that requires me to work on weekends sometimes does not allow me to race when I want. So right now my fitness level is not where I would like it to be! So any chance to train I’ll take it.
3 nights at the hospital comes with a price! Natural birth they let you stay for 2-3 nights and a c-section is 4 nights. The hospital is a 20 minute run from the house. My wife’s rational is that if I was going to go for a run, I can run home to get stuff for her.
From the people I’ve talked with, the responses have been the same as what I’ve read. I’d like to know what the women think instead of the men.
On a side note to Khai, my wife is so AWESOME that for the first 3 months we were married I was unemployed and on the road racing 50% of the time training/racing in a different time zone than her while she was at home being the breadwinner. So that should give you some pretty good insight on what my wife thinks of my addiction.
Here is what I wrote about what you should be prepared for. It has
stood up pretty well to my three times through.
Doesn’t address training. I would say bring some running shoes. You
might be able to sneak out but don’t plan on it.
-Jot
Thanks for that info! There were a bunch of things on there that we would have never considered. Time to get a bigger bag or perhaps leave stuff in the car!
Bring the shoes, but let her make the opening about whether or not you take them out of the bag. If she says “Shoo! You’re hovering, and I just want some quiet time to myself right now,” then that’s your cue to be somewhere else for 30-45 minutes, and why not run during that time.
