The foundation of healthy parenting is when the mother and father contribute to it, equally.
Once the pregnancy test kit results into a positive, fathers may start to feel overwhelmed and nine months are not enough to prepare the father for how the future unfolds. Often and due to various reasons, fathers shy away from taking up baby care responsibilities or do not get time to spend time with their child, which potentially harms the father-child relationship in the future.
It is alright to feel lost, scared or disconnected with your child, but taking on the baby care duties is a bridge to building that bond.
Hence, we have illustrated a few ways how fathers can be hands-on:
Daily Care & Tasks
To get more hands-on, you need to learn and contribute towards-dressing, settling, playing, bathing and nappy changing. These menial tasks not only help to build confidence, but also give you one-on-one time with the child. It provides for a building block towards a strong relationship with your child. Also, mom gets time to herself.
Talk
Yes! Talk to your baby, just like you would talk to your partner or a friend, talking helps in the baby's comprehension and initiation towards learning the language. It also enables them to talk back, in whatever way they can, initially, that helps in developing their vocal cords. Whether the talks are, “Let’s clean you up”, “You need to sleep now, you're getting tired”, or reading books, singing songs or telling them a story- it is going to help strengthen the father-child bond.
One-on-one Time
Apart from the daily tasks with your baby, ensure to give proper one-on-one time with your child. It helps in understanding your baby better and vice-versa. Meanwhile, the mother can meet her friends, go to a spa, sleep, whatever she wishes to do. It will make for a well-rested mother, and father-child bonding time. A win-win! Time flies, in the blink of an eye and these memories will stay ingrained and special to you always, so make sure you make the most of this one-on-one time.
Ask for Help and Take Help
You need not feel awkward or petty when you ask for help. It is natural for you to feel frazzled while taking care of a baby. If your family or friends offer a helping hand, accept it if you need to. While fathers must be hands-on, they need to be relaxed enough to put that much energy. It can be as simple as asking your family or friends, who might be coming over to get extra diapers or bread, they would be more than happy to help.
Mother-Father Relationship
While we talk about having equal parts in parenting, it is important to remember that you are partners in life and your child is the symbol of love. Making time for yourself and the mother is extremely important. Making time leads to having good communication, that leads to mutual understanding and comprehension. The erratic sleep schedules, soiled clothes, constant cleaning and sanitisation, and so much more- it can tire an individual. Some ways to feel special can be, a date night at home, or candlelight dinner at home or even a simple meal of devouring instant noodles in your balcony, may ease the process. Only healthy parents can nurture healthy babies.
Most importantly, fathers, enjoy the whole process! Words fall short to explain the beautiful journey of raising children, and though these instances might be similar to all parents, they are still intimate to every parent.
For maternity blogs week by week and more about parenting and pregnancy tips check the maternity blogs.
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