As a father, you have an important role to play in taking care of your baby. Your baby needs you. And mom needs you to share many of the responsibilities of taking care of your new baby. When you do things with your baby, you and your baby get closer. You and your baby form a bond that helps her feel safe and happy.
You may feel nervous around a newborn. Or you may be afraid to touch your baby because you have never done it before. The best way for you to get over the uneasiness is to hold your baby.
Here are some things you can do to be a part of your baby’s life. Think its Father’s Day and perform the following activities, you will find that the more you do with her, the more comfortable you will be in handling the child.
- Hold and cuddle your baby.
- Smile and laugh with your baby.
- Talk to your baby. Your baby will quickly learn your voice and know that you are her daddy.
- Change your baby’s diapers.
- Cuddle with mom and your baby during breastfeeding.
- When mom’s breast milk or formula has been put in a bottle, you can give your baby the bottle. Cuddle with and talk and sing to your baby during bottle time.
- Take your baby for a walk. Babies love the sights and sounds of the outdoors.
- Play with your baby.
This content has been provided freely by CMC. Click Healthy Start, Grow Smart—Your Newborn for your free download. Click GreatDad Free Ebook to download the entire Health Start, Grow Smart series.
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dude im about to be a dad and i am scared shitless…if anybody has any tips let me know please
Take a deep breath and jump in! Don’t worry, moms are just as scared but we think we’re not supposed to look like it. Baby didn’t come with instructions, so learn as you go. Don’t panic when you look at your crying baby and think “what the hell am i supposed to do with it?” because everyone does at least once. Don’t be scared to pick up the baby, they don’t break that easily… and start talking to the baby early even if you feel like an idiot. It helps you figure out who this little person is and how you’re going to get along with them. Good luck!