Get In the Game: How Dads Can Help Out with Newborns

 There is nothing more beautiful, thrilling, and scary than welcoming a baby into this world.

However, many dads can feel a bit sidelined after their child is born.

This is because most infants tend to favor their moms for the first few weeks or months of their lives.

Now, this is not something you should take personally.

Babies rely on their moms for nourishment and so will bond with them rather quickly.

This doesn’t mean they don’t love spending time with you! If you feel like you’re missing out, there's no need to worry.

There are a lot of things you can do to help out with newborns, to help you get plenty of bonding time:

Take Paternity Leave

Like most modern dads, you may have already signed up for paternity leave.

Unfortunately, most companies still offer meager leave in this department.

Thus, you may not have as much time to spend with your new family as you would like.

This is why you should look into taking annual leave during this period.

You will then be on hand to help your partner in any way they need.

Not to mention, you have many opportunities to bond with your little one.

If you can afford it, you may even want to consider taking unpaid leave.

In case these aren't options for you, check if you can work from home for a while.

This way, you will always be on hand to assist your wife whenever necessary.

In case your partner works as well, there may be another avenue for you.

You can begin your paternity leave once they go back to work.

Of course, make sure your baby is completely used to being with you at this point so that things go more smoothly.

Take Over Feedings

When feeding your infant, your partner bonds with the baby.

Furthermore, feedings can often last quite a while.

So, this is always a great way to spend time with your little one.

The good news is that dads don’t have to get cut out of the equation completely.

Yes, for the first three weeks to a month, your little one should be breastfed.

After this, though, you can introduce a bottle. Now, this doesn’t mean your baby has to give up breast milk – not at all.

Instead, have your partner use a breast pump to extract the milk so that you can feed your baby from a bottle.

It is a good idea to speak to a lactation expert or a doctor before making this switch.

They will be able to tell you when it is fine to begin feeding via bottle.

Also, they can provide useful tips that could help the process.

Find Your Niche with the Baby

From the very beginning, figure out an activity you and your baby can do together.

This can be bathing, playtime, or something else.

You can even handle putting them down to sleep once they have been fed.

Regardless, make sure that you and your baby have a particular task that can help you bond.

Naturally, as your baby gets older, these tasks will change.

What shouldn’t change, though, is the fact that you continue to spend time together.

You will be able to appreciate just how important this bonding time is later on.

Check-in With Your Partner

This may sound rather ridiculous, but the truth is that relationships can get rather strained after the birth of a child.

In many cases, this could be because the mother feels overwhelmed.

After all, she does bear the brunt of the workload, at least in the beginning.

This is why it is important to check in with your partner all the time.

Ask them how you can help and step in as needed. By making this effort, you can reduce the risk of them becoming tired or frustrated. And, you will become a better daddy to boot!

You shouldn’t just wait around for your partner to issue orders, however.

Rather, take the initiative and look at what needs to be done.

Does it seem like your partner needs a nap or a shower?

Well, keep the baby entertained for the duration of that period.

Is the house in a mess?

Then go ahead and tidy up, do the laundry, and cook a meal.

This will cut down on how much your partner will have to do.

Every little effort you make will be useful and appreciated.

Include Your Baby in All Activities

There is no denying that currently, the world is quite a bit scarier than it was a few months ago.

Thus, the urge to huddle up inside with your newborn can seem incredibly appealing.

Now, while you should take precautions, this doesn’t mean that you have to be stuck inside all day.

First of all, do a little planning and check out some of the parks or outdoor areas close to where you live.

Then, see when these places are least likely to be busy.

It should be quite safe for you to head out for a stroll at such times.

The fresh air will do you and your baby a lot of good.

Remember to keep social distancing rules in mind and to stay as far away from other people as possible.

As long as you do this, you and your little one will be able to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities.

To help bonding during this time, consider using a baby carrier to keep your little one close to you.

They will feel a great deal more comforted by this.

As you can see, dads don’t have to feel left out when it comes to newborns.

There are many different ways they can pitch in and help.

What's more, by making this effort, you will automatically end up bonding with your baby.

This will ensure that you have a healthy and loving relationship later on.