After a near sleepless night on a hard-cushioned couch in a delivery room at a hospital in Athens, Georgia, I had the chance to see my wife hold our firstborn son for the first time. Soon after, I got to do likewise. It was a wonderful moment, even if the picture of it makes you look almost zombie-like due to the lack of sleep.

It was a great experience, the nurses and midwife were wonderful, and I wouldn’t change the experience for the world.

However, a bit later, after the hospital had wheeled in some food for my even more tired wife — she did, after all, have by far the hardest job — I realized just how hungry I was. So I stumbled out of the hospital, across the street and to a sub shop. I still remember that as one of the best meals I’ve ever had, but now I’m a little jealous of those giving birth at Powell Valley Healthcare.

For eight years now, the hospital has provided a celebratory meal to new parents that looks like it belongs on a room service tray in a classy hotel.

The set menu (they can work with special requests) offers the choice of three entrees, including a baseball cut steak, tempura-fried shrimp or chicken alfredo. Sides include mashed potatoes, baked potatoes and a variety of vegetables, as well as desserts such as hot fudge and strawberry sundaes and strawberry shortcake. The meal is topped with nice glasses of sparkling cider.

Travis Tucker, the hospital’s nutrition services director, said he loves the opportunities where he gets to wheel the nice wooden cart down himself and see the look on the faces of the new parents.

It sounds like there are parents all over town who have had this celebratory dinner at least once, and a few who regret having missed it.

Now the hospital is even making it harder to be missed, as they’re making the meal available at more times throughout the day to accommodate new parents’ schedules (not all babies are like my and my wife’s second son, who not only came on his due date but started the process around breakfast time and was born right around dinnertime).

What a great way for the hospital to further hammer home its designation as a top place to have a baby. And what a great memory to give to parents who have just been flooded with them.