Tips for an Expectant Father

[crystal]

I just read in BabyTalk magazine this morning about a mom who was changing her son's diaper and she had his legs up at just the right angle that he was peeing into his mouth


lol, my boy peed on his face, in mine, several times, and my daughter was watchin me change his diaper, I told her to get back, but she would not. I placed the wrag over my boys wee wee and she pulled it off just in time for him to pee in her face. The whole time she was tellin him Bubba stop, bad bubba...no no baby .....lol, she never pulled anything off again...poor thing she was only 1 and a few monts....lol......

 

[billd91]

Don't let anyone guilt you if you don't form an instant bond with your baby. This is especially for the fathers who don't have the intimate physical attachment with the infant. Normally you hear airy-fairy stories about how even fathers instantly connected with their child.
But it doesn't always happen. It didn't happen with me with my first baby. I was more freaked out (though I hid it from my wife) because you can virtually feel freedoms crash in around you, steamrolled by responsibilities, and the whole situation can be very intimidating with that first child.

Thankfully, our hospital had a newborn channel of a sort that ran parenting shows 24 hours a day. One of the shows was a group discussion about fatherhood. About half the fathers in the group admitted to not having an insta-bond with their kids and they talked about how it's quite normal and that the bond will grow.

And for me, it grew just fine. And the bond was pretty much instant for our second child. Once I really knew what I was in for, it was a lot easier in a psychological sense.

So, if you don't feel that instant bond, don't worry about it. It'll happen. It's normal. There's nothing wrong with you.

 

[danzig138]

Don't let anyone guilt you if you don't form an instant bond with your baby.

Damn skippy. TV and movies lied to me all my life about that. When my first was born, I wasn't instantly connected. I haven't felt anything like that for any of the three of them. I love my kids now (13, 11, and 1.1), but it took a while with each of them. When they came out, I didn't know them, just like they didn't really know me. It's like any relationship - it takes time to develop as you get to know each other.

If friends and co-workers offer you old baby clothes, take them.

Don't drop the baby in the hospital - wait until you get home.

Otherwise, listen to what people have to say on the matter, but remember, most people don't actually know what they're talking about, so you'll more often than not just have to find things that work for you.

And I don't know what your home situation is, but the way we're set up, once the breastfeeding ends, be prepared for her to sleep through every sound the baby makes at night, trusting in you to get up and deal with things. I could probably go set my amp up next to her and play guitar while she sleeps (and I play hardcore punk) and I don't think it would wake her up.

Congrats also.