On Wednesday’s episode of the ‘New Heights’ podcast, Philadelphia Eagles star (and father of three) Jason Kelce laid out his tips and tricks to make the trip to the hospital as easy as possible


Jason Kelce, Kylie KelceKylie Kelce/Instagram

Now that he’s experienced it three times, Jason Kelce paid forward some of his tricks of the trade for fathers with newborns on the way.

On Wednesday’s episode of the New Heights podcast, Kelce — who shares daughters Wyatt, 4, Elliotte, 2 and Bennett, 10 months, with wife Kylie Kelce — was asked by a listener, “My wife is pregnant with our first child. What do I need to include in my Jason-approved hospital go bag?”

After a few seconds of contemplation, Kelce offered a unique suggestion to kick things off.

“First of all, you gotta make sure you have a fan,” he said. “It can get really hot and uncomfortable in there. If you like fans when you sleep, make sure you bring a fan.”

The emphasis on comfort did not stop there, with him continuing, “If you have a pillow that you like, I’d take that.”

Kelce also had some advice on ways to stay satiated and energized.

“I think it’s really important, and I’m being dead serious, to bring some type of bars,” he explained, “whether it’s an energy bar, chocolate bar. Because what happens is a lot of guys pass out.”

He continued, “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 wanna be passing [out during] the most important part of what you’re there for. You wanna be able to be there to witness and to offer support for your wife.”

The Philadelphia Eagles center also warned that things can get, well, a little boring in the hospital room.

“And then of course you need to bring something that you can do,” Kelce said, “because there’s going to be a lot of sitting around. You don’t really have anything to do as a dad. So, take a book. Bring a game.”

Ultimately, Kelce said, the expecting father should just be at the beck and call of his partner.

“You’re the role player for the day,” Jason said. “Your job is to assist your wife, make sure she’s comfortable, make sure she’s happy. Outside of that, there’s not much else for you to do.”

New Heights drops episodes every Wednesday during the NFL season.