My husband read a lot of books when I was pregnant, the two that stick out the most in my memory were Bill Cosby’s Fatherhood and Paul Reiser’s Babyhood — still, he spent the nine months of my pregnancy worrying about whether or not he would make a decent dad or not and he was constantly looking for the best advice. He got a lot of advice, some of it good, some of it bad and some of it that just made both of us go ‘Huh?’
That being said, we took a page out of the Facts of Life and we took the good and we took the bad and we came up with a short hand list of what Dads need to know when baby is on the way:
- You don’t need a lot of new furniture for a brand new baby, you can buy things later just make sure you have an easily accessible crib or place for the baby to sleep near mom so she doesn’t have to go far in the middle of the night
- A changing table is a waste of money – generally speaking
- Wait for a good tag sale before you pick up baby toys and equipment
- Soiled baby whites should be soaked before they are washed and don’t use bleach unless they were white to start with – your wife will be happier
- The due date is like betting on a line, you have very little control over this particular date and you can expect the baby at the most inconvenient time – get used to it now, it’s your first lesson in parenthood
- No matter how much advice you get or how many books you read, nothing prepares you for a first baby – so, don’t panic and just go with it
- Practice good lifting techniques, holding an infant can be harder on your back than bench pressing 50 pounds regularly
- If you like to go the theater a lot, plan your trips before the baby gets here and then plan a 6 to 12 month break before you get to hit the theater again
- When in doubt, put your head down and press your ear against your wife’s belly – there’s nothing like listening to your baby’s heartbeat to put it all back into perspective
- Start coaching yourself about three months before the baby arrives to wake up in the middle of the night – your wife will think the world of you even if all you end up doing is bringing her the baby and some water
- Your love life is going to take a hit for a few months after the baby comes, talk about this with your wife
- Buy a car seat before the baby comes, most hospitals won’t release the baby until you show them the baby carrier and car seat
- Whether your wife has a vaginal birth or a c-section, she’s going to need your help after the baby is born – plan to spoil her those first few weeks and accept help from your mother and hers, don’t forget to spend time with your little one yourself – the first time they put that tiny life in your arms – you get a whole new perspective on life and priorities
What other dad advice can you offer to soon-to-be fathers?
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