Tips for New Dads: A Guest Post

We’re so happy to have our friends from It Takes A Village Baby Consultants back on the blog today. Just in time for Father’s Day, they are sharing some quick tips for new dads. For more information on It Takes A Village, visit their website & read last month’s post all about how they got started.

    5 Quick Tips for New Fathers

There is so much information written for Moms about what to do with their new baby; but it is often difficult to find information for what new Dads can do when the baby comes home. In the early days, Mom typically becomes the main caregiver and often spends more time with the baby, so Moms quickly come to know what the baby needs.  Dads, on the other hand, often feel like the odd man out not knowing quite where he fits in the equation.  But, newborns and all children need the love, support and guidance from BOTH parents. There are numerous ways Dads can not only help with the care of the baby, but also create a stronger marriage and family.  Below are just a few examples:

1. Get involved with the care of your baby right from the start: Many Dads are nervous about handling a new baby, and often feel like they are going to harm the baby in some way.  Jump in from day one:  change a diaper, feed the baby (if mom is not breastfeeding), help with bathing the baby or simply watch the baby so mom can take a shower.  All of these simple acts will help you to feel more confident as a Dad, and will help you bond with your baby early on.  Finally, it will help you to score points with your wife and create a stronger relationship.

2. Trust your instincts:  I tell this to new Moms all the time, but it goes for Dads, too.   You have what it takes inside you, just trust yourself.  By spending time with your baby, you will soon be able to read your baby’s cues.  If you are unsure about what to do, just ask. The baby’s mom will be more than happy to help you. You will soon be an expert on what your baby needs.

3. Help out around the house: There is nothing more loving or sexier than a Dad doing chores around the house.  New Moms are exhausted from being up all night or just tired from giving birth! Do the dishes, throw in a load of laundry, or just pick up dinner before you get home from work. This makes you and your wife part of a team.  Teamwork makes mom less stressed about all of the work she has to do with the new baby, plus it is training for “tag teaming,” which is a major parenting survival skill for when your children are older.

4. Play with your baby: According to the Mayo Clinic, “fathers tend to engage in noisier, more vigorous activities than mothers, but this style of play is just as important to the growth and development of children.”  Men have a whole different skill-set than do women.  Men can provide skin-to-skin contact with their babies:  lay the baby on your chest-this is not only great for tummy-time practice, but it is also a great sensory experience.  Read to your baby! When they are very young, you can read just about anything to them. So if you do not want to read baby books, take out the newspaper, the sports page, the business updates or catch up on the latest economic news. They love to hear your voice!  Just like the lullaby says, rock your baby!  Babies love vigorous movement. For some babies, their Moms tend to be a little too gentle in the way they rock.  If Mom cannot console your baby, just take him/her in your arms and rock back and forth.  You will be surprised at how well you do and how fast your baby calms.

5. Swaddle: This is where you are going to shine! According to Dr. Harvey Karp, “tight swaddling is the cornerstone of calming.” Swaddling helps the baby to feel secure and “magically returned to the womb.” Dads are traditionally great swaddlers because they naturally swaddle the baby a little tighter than Moms.  However, it is important to swaddle a baby correctly, so ask the nurse at the hospital to teach you proper techniques before you take your newborn home.

So there you have it, your list of ways that Dads can help with their babies, and therefore, help their families.  Dads are important people!  Dads might not always do things the way we Moms want them to, but if we give them the opportunities, there are many ways they can be a huge help.

“Speaking of Dads, I wanted to end the blog about Dads with some powerful and insightful advice from an experienced Dad.  So I asked my husband, seasoned father of three, what advice or tips he would give to a new Dad.  He contemplated for a moment and then very seriously said, “My advice . . . never play golf on Mother’s Day.”  That, Dads, is profound advice and the best tip on this list.”