Who do you think has the biggest fear when it comes to having a newborn baby at home? Mothers seem to have an instinctive way of dealing with babies, and have been grabbing everyone else’s babies for years. The new dad is terrified, he has no clue about the baby care basics needed. Here are a few tips for you, the new dad, to get you started on the right foot.
This first tip will change you from being a husband, into being a father. Changing diapers are just as much your responsibility as hers. Don’t cringe and run away from this essential item of baby care basics, don’t screw your face up in disgust, it is a simple fact of life.
Think of it like cleaning up the truck after being on a mud run. You just grab those little rags called baby wipes, wipe away everything that looks wrong, and then put on the diaper. No pins to worry about, those little adhesive strips are almost as effective as Duct Tape. Your wife will be impressed when you make the first move to change the dirty diaper, telling her it is a man’s job to do the heavy lifting.
You remember those late nights of playing cards, shooting pool, and watching football games? You get to experience a new kind of late night activity. Baby care basics require you take your turn walking the floor with your little baby. You think working all day is tough, try delivering a baby, and then immediately transitioning to lack of sleep, nursing, and taking care of a baby. Your wife should be your hero right now. When the little one starts crying, jump out of bed and take your turn. It will allow you to bond with the baby, and your wife will be extremely proud of you.
One of the most fun baby care basics is giving your baby a bath. Don’t let your wife fool you. This is not a chore, this is the best time of the day. You get to play with your baby in water, seeing every little bit of their body, gently cleaning them. It is fun. You want to start taking on this task occasionally when they are a newborn, so you get the opportunity to continue the fun as they get older. It becomes great fun when they start splashing, playing with toys, and blowing bubbles. You do not want to miss out.
If your wife is breast feeding you will be left out of the feeding cycle, kind of. Time to suck it up one more time. Guys, one of the most import baby care basics, and tips for a new dad, is to bring the baby to your wife. She may need to do the feeding, but she is not the only one responsible. You can bring the baby to her in the bed, or to the rocking chair. If you want to be a hero in your wife’s eyes, this is one of the big steps. She will be telling her friends, and family how loving and caring her fantastic husband is.
A few other baby care basics. Your baby loves to be held, bounced, rocked, and to have daddy making silly noises to them. A shushing sound is very relaxing to your newborn. Daddies have longer arms and can easily cradle the baby in one arm, rocking, bouncing, and putting the baby to sleep. Don’t worry when you get that lump in your throat looking down into your new babies face, it is 100% normal, and a very masculine thing. This baby is not only your wife’s creation, it is yours, too.