7 tips for new dads
Being a father is a great experience. Babies bring with them happiness. They are your reflection of your childhood. Hence any personal cost you have to bear for being a father is insignificant when compared to the potential benefits you reap. However, fatherhood can also impose many temporary sacrifices. Many fathers are completely ignorant when it comes to dealing with the challenges which come with being a father. However, you can turn these challenges into fun-loving and cherished activities, if you are well prepared. So here are a few tips for new dads.
1. Spend time with your child
Many fathers do not spend enough time with their child, due to hectic work schedules, and leave the onus on the mother alone. This is a mistake. Your child needs you as much as he/she needs his/her mother. Spending time with your child is the best thing you can do to nurture your bonding with your child. Be patient while your child takes time to come close to you. Understand the needs of your child and respond to them actively. Set aside some time for your child and make it a daily routine.
2. Touch your baby
There is evidence to believe that touch is the main response which babies love. Many fathers avoid holding their young babies, as they are afraid to hurt the babies or make them fall. You need to shed this fear. Your baby won't break or fall down if you hold it gently and carefully. Babies love you holding them and jostling them. Move them back and forth gently. Cuddle up with them.
3. Play with your baby
Playing with your baby is not only fun, it also strengthens your relationship and helps the baby keep fit and healthy. Allocate some time daily to play with your baby. Find out what plays makes your baby smile and happy. You can even include the mother as well and make a happy family bonding.
4. Maintain eye contact with your baby
Looking directly into the eyes of your baby will help bring them closer to you. Look at your baby and smile, and you can see your baby smiling back. Be more close to your baby as the new born cannot see objects which are too far from them.
5. Talk to your baby
Babies can learn to speak quickly if you talk to them a lot. When they make sounds, respond to it in an appropriate manner. Babies across the world make similar sounds in the initial phase of their life. It is a joyful experience for most fathers when their babies address them lovingly.
6. Be attentive to your baby
Be attentive when the baby cries or seeks your attention. It may not be easy in the initial years, as you may not know the cause and if the baby cries throughout the night, it can disturb your sleep. But be patient as this will only bring you more close to your baby. Make the baby realize that you are always there to attend to his/her needs. Such prolonged attention helps the babies develop emotional stability and communication skills.
7. Be supportive to your partner
Mothers go through a lot of physical and mental stress after child birth. Child birth can also lead to flow of hormones. Be supportive to your spouse when it happens. Play your own role in taking care of the baby. Do not hesitate to do rather unpleasant jobs like changing the diapers of your baby. It might seem a bit difficult initially, but you will get used to it in course of time and it can be reliving your childhood.
