The first few months after childbirth can be very overwhelming for both the mother and the father. When the baby comes it turns your life on its head and this entirely  new situation is very hard to get hold of at first. By following this survival manual you’ll be ready and on your way to make the best out of these immensely intense first steps of fatherhood.

1. Attend antenatal classes

Before the baby’s born you have some work to do as well. Birth entails a lot of preparation and planning and you should take part in it too. It may sound weird for a dude to attend a birth class, but trust me she’d love for you to be there with her. In this way you’ll know what to do when contractions come and it’ll also tell you what to expect if you decide to be next to your lady while she’s giving birth. There are also some antenatal classes catered specifically for fathers where you can meet other dads who can be a part of your support system.

2. Crowd management

When your tiny one comes, everyone will be falling over each other in order to get the glimpse of the baby. Right after birth both the baby and the mother are very sensitive so having a lot of people in and around the house can be detrimental to their health. Not to mention that there will be a lot that needs to be done for the baby and other people just get in the way. Sometimes you just can't avoid friends and family so a good idea is to make up a code word that your partner can use when she’s feeling overwhelmed so you can kindly hint the visitors they’ve overstayed their welcome.

3. Help with diaper change

A lot of dads are deadly afraid of the scary diaper. It truly should be a huge deal. We all do the number two and after all, it’s your baby’s stink, not a stranger’s! Also don’t freak out if you encounter a weird looking poop, a newborn’s digestive system is quite different from the adult’s so weird smells, textures and colors are to be expected. Every color of the rainbow is fine apart from red so stay calm and change that diaper! Another thing that you can expect is for your baby to get a bit fidgety while you’re changing them. There are some great toys that can keep them occupied for a time being. For example there are some baby products in Singapore that are made specifically for this use.

4. Dads can feed babies too

In the bygone times mothers and wet nurses were the only ones feeding the babies, simply because of the fact that there was no other way to feed them other than breast feed. Nowadays we thankfully have breast pumps and formula so you as a father can also be included in the wonders of the feeding experience. We believe that your partner will be grateful if you went to get your newborn the nourishment it needs especially during night time. Just don’t forget to gently pat your baby’s back after you’ve finished with the feeding so they can burp before being lulled back to sleep.

5. Establish a sleeping schedule

Babies need a lot of sleep in their first couple of months, sleeping up to 20 hours a day. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t have to learn the difference between night and day. In order to teach them this, you should plan out the baby’s sleeping schedule with your partner. Some good ideas for starters are to feed your baby more often during the day and to focus their playtime throughout the day too. When you’re going to feed the baby at night, dim the lights, speak in lower tones and don’t make sudden movements and noises. Newborns may be small but they’re influenced by our actions. The way you choose to behave around them during their first months will establish the pattern for the long term too.