How to Get Dad Involved With Baby Care

It's important for new fathers to help care for their babies - it promotes family bonding, gives new mothers much-needed support, and is emotionally rewarding for dads and babies alike.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baby Bathtubs
• Baby Blankets
• Strollers
• Baby Books
• CD Players
• Diapers
• CDs
• Lullaby CD's

1. Make sure Dad is there at his baby's birth. For many fathers, the bonding experience begins when they help cut the baby's umbilical cord. If you have to deal with any birth complications or a cesarean section, he can spend time with the baby while you're recovering.

2. Give Dad a special, unique task of his own. In many families, fathers take care of bath time, diapering or burping.

3. Trust him to work things out for himself (as long as everyone stays safe). He may not perform all baby-care tasks exactly as you do, but the difference may not matter. So what if the baby's outfit isn't color-coordinated?

4. Let him share in the nighttime parenting. Dancing, cuddling and rocking are wonderful ways for a father to nurture his baby. Even a middle-of-the-night diaper change can offer a tranquil moment of bonding between father and child.

5. Encourage him to play with his baby. Even very tiny infants benefit from Daddy time.

6. Let him carry his baby in a sling or other infant carrier. When the baby gets older, Dad can carry his tyke in a backpack.

7. Give Dad reading material, such as the many books on fatherhood that can help him deal with his new role.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're looking for a sling that Dad can wear, too, get one with adjustable straps. Some slings even come in larger sizes to accommodate tall men.
• Take photographs and videos of Dad and baby together. It will give you a record of the special moments they share and encourage Dad to stay involved as your baby grows.
• If you're breast-feeding exclusively, resist the urge to let Dad give an occasional bottle, at least in the early stages; using artificial nipples in the first three to four weeks of life can cause nipple confusion and may lead to breast-feeding difficulties.

Who Can Help:

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[not4ureyes2c]

on 11/13/2008 My husband has his lazy moments but for the most part is pretty involved. We try and switch off when possible on who gets the next diaper. Since I'm breastfeeding mostly still I'm the one who feeds her. He doesn't seem all that interested in feeding her even when it's solid foods but I do offer. He's really good at playing with her though, she loves him. =)

http://crazymommy.today.com

on 8/7/2006 My husband's father was hardly involved in his life at all, so when my husband found out he was going to be a father, he was excited and yet terrified, because he was clueless. He knew what he wanted to be like as a father, but to get there was just a huge void for him.

I began with baby steps. First I got him two good books called: The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips and Advice for Dads-to-Be, Second Edition (paperback) by Armin A. Brott,as well as The New Father (paperback)by Armin A. Brott. We read them together so he didn't feel like an idiot. I also taught him on a teddy bear how to change a baby. As well, I let him pick out the baby name. These are all small things, but I made sure I started before our son was born so that it wasn't too big a shock for him.

When our first son was born, my hubby was there. He comforted me through contractions and cut the cord when our son was born.
The first year of our firstborn's life was pretty much all on me. I often got upset, but tried to be patient with my hubby. When our son began walking and talking, my hubby came back into his role. It helped that we joined a parenting group.

My advice to women with an under active hubby is to be patient until your child starts developing memories. Encourage the father and don't shadow him. Let him make mistakes, as long as they're not harmful. Watch him carefully the first time your child gets sick or hurt. You'll see hubby's true colors shine. Have faith girls and kudos to fathers.

on 2/6/2006 My wife is out of town and I'm the full time parent all of a sudden. I always thought my 2 year old boy and I had a good relationship. But since I've been a full time Daddy, I've learned a lot about him. I think he's picked up a few things off the old man. Either way, he has definitely become a lot more affectionate toward me. Now he gives great big, tight, hugs and kisses for no reason. So, I'd say give them a good chunk of alone time every now and then.

on 11/22/2005 The reason we, as wives and moms, want father's to be involved in our children's lives are not because we want to nag and change our men as people, but because we want our children to grow up knowing their fathers cared and loved them enough to give them 20 minutes of undivided attention every day. It is appalling to me that a man would ever have the nerve to even suggest that he has more important things to do with his time. Your children will be the ones hurting in the end when they're asked what they remember about their fathers and they will model with their children what their father have installed in them. If you don't want to be treated like idiots and clowns, then stop acting like them!

on 11/22/2005 Men are not stupid: and this may come as a surprise to many women. We are not all bumbling idiots like Hollywood suggests. Many of us love our kids and love our families and can manage just fine thankyou. We figured out how to make Baby, we figured out how to land men on the moon. We can certainly figure out how to change a diaper without further assistance from Mom. However, that is a task usually best left to Mom, as most men have more important things to do with their time. Like feeding the Family and paying the Mortgage...