If you are a first-time dad, you are still probably trying to cope up with the gush of changes in your life right now! If you are an expectant dad be prepared for life’s greatest challenge and joy! Being a dad may sound easier than being a mom but if you do it right, it can be quite a task!
So you have figured out how you are going to afford the baby’s needs, you have bought all the new furniture and items that the baby will need, you have taken time off from work and you are ready to welcome your baby into your home and life. Hold on … all that may be done but you need to do more to be a dad. Parenting is not just about buying the things or doing the administrative chores, you need to be involved in the bay’s life completely. A baby is completely dependent on his or her parents for each and every need, and a good dad knows how to understand these needs and come to the rescue. Also, your partner will need your complete help and support.
You need to learn the basics of parenting. How to change a diaper is the very first must! Not just the mother but the dads too need to learn the tricks and ways of changing a diaper. It is one of your baby’s basic needs. As a dad you also need to know how to feed the baby. While the baby is going to be on the mother’s milk primarily, you should learn how to warm and give expressed milk also. Slowly new foods need to be introduced. You should know how to cut, peel and mash the fruits and how to prepare the cereal. The food needs to be of the right consistency and temperature for a child and the dads need to master that!
Your partner needs a break too, so there are times you need to step up and take responsibility of the baby’s needs. Learning how to give a bath is also important. The right water temperature, the position to hold the baby, the soap used, the baby towel s… everything needs to be at your fingertips! There is no perfect dad and there are no perfect guidelines, each baby has unique needs and you need to be as prepared as you can and then learn as you go. You need to be a good partner as you learn to be a good dad.
