A few things I thought of while reading everyone else's comments;
Completely agree with the idea of the baby-carrier/sling. I used to carry my baby in one from 5 months (although you can use them from newborn) and I'd zip her inside my coat to keep her warm. If his uniform had a certain level of protection, that would definitely protect the baby as well. Wouldn't worry about the shaken baby thing.
I do agree with the comment about fathers thinking differently to mothers. Even when put in the situation of being mother and father, a man's brain still doesn't work like a woman's, especially when he's got other things to think about (his job/nose-diving etc). I think it'd be highly likely that he'd either forget the baby bag or only have time to grab it without checking it had everything in (a common problem with a baby! Think you've got a spare vest, think again).
Question; why is there no mum? I'm only thinking from the baby-feeding point of view. Breast-feeding would solve all the bottles and sterilizing issues in one. Or, perhaps, the person watching the baby could be a wet-nurse? Everything else (nappies/the bed/washing the baby/etc) could be solved in other ways but babies that small can only be fed with breast milk or formula milk. A baby from four months can have some purees if the parent wishes, but they still need the milk.
Another thing; babies pick up the emotions of their parents and respond to them as such. Ie; if Dad is super stressed, Baby will be, too, even if she doesn't understand what is going on. So Dad would either need to keep himself calm and under control, or Baby is going to be hysterical. Either a problem or a solution there, whatever you choose. Also, in life and death scenarios, parents become a bit more...I don't want to say animalistic but that's kind of what it is. The baby's safety is the number one priority and the dad will not rest until he is sure she is safe. He would rather die himself than let any harm come to her. It could blind him to the needs of others. He wouldn't be thinking as an officer but as a father and it would trump everything.
Finally, I think your story sounds amazing!
Completely agree with the idea of the baby-carrier/sling. I used to carry my baby in one from 5 months (although you can use them from newborn) and I'd zip her inside my coat to keep her warm. If his uniform had a certain level of protection, that would definitely protect the baby as well. Wouldn't worry about the shaken baby thing.
I do agree with the comment about fathers thinking differently to mothers. Even when put in the situation of being mother and father, a man's brain still doesn't work like a woman's, especially when he's got other things to think about (his job/nose-diving etc). I think it'd be highly likely that he'd either forget the baby bag or only have time to grab it without checking it had everything in (a common problem with a baby! Think you've got a spare vest, think again).
Question; why is there no mum? I'm only thinking from the baby-feeding point of view. Breast-feeding would solve all the bottles and sterilizing issues in one. Or, perhaps, the person watching the baby could be a wet-nurse? Everything else (nappies/the bed/washing the baby/etc) could be solved in other ways but babies that small can only be fed with breast milk or formula milk. A baby from four months can have some purees if the parent wishes, but they still need the milk.
Another thing; babies pick up the emotions of their parents and respond to them as such. Ie; if Dad is super stressed, Baby will be, too, even if she doesn't understand what is going on. So Dad would either need to keep himself calm and under control, or Baby is going to be hysterical. Either a problem or a solution there, whatever you choose. Also, in life and death scenarios, parents become a bit more...I don't want to say animalistic but that's kind of what it is. The baby's safety is the number one priority and the dad will not rest until he is sure she is safe. He would rather die himself than let any harm come to her. It could blind him to the needs of others. He wouldn't be thinking as an officer but as a father and it would trump everything.
Finally, I think your story sounds amazing!