Top 5 Tips for Father-Baby Bonding

posted in: Parenting, Postpartum | 0
John-and-Magnus photo courtesy of Mary-Esther

Dads can bond with baby just as well as mom can.

A loving, supportive father can provide much needed love and comfort during pregnancy and birth, they can bond with the newborn baby, and care for the mother. Daddies have a special role to play in the upbringing of a child, offering a love as important, but different than a mother’s love.

I often hear from Daddies that they feel left out when a baby is born, unable to breastfeed, they have trouble figuring out their place. There are many ways to bond, connect and support a new mama that doesn’t require feeding – I hope you’ll read my top 5 tips for Father-Baby Bonding and share with the new or expectant daddies in your life.

1. Take Care of Mom!

Helping mom feel less stress by the tasks of life means mama has more time to bond with baby, this bonding is good for MotherBaby, and it will translate to bonding for you too! Give mama an opportunity to rest, take care of herself, shower and eat so that she has a full cup to get back to mothering, during this time scoop your baby up for some love while you have the chance!

2. Change Baby / Dress Baby

Changing and dressing baby can take up a lot of time when you have a newborn. It a sweet time to bond, connect and look into your baby’s eyes. You’ll get more comfortable with the tasks of dressing and diapering, and baby will know you’re there to help take care of him/her when they need you.

3. Bathtime

Give your little one a bath or take one together. It’s warm, relaxing and comfortable. A bit of skin to skin time is a wonderful way to connect and bond, it’s calming and so sweet. Take in your tiny person, make silly faces and work on figuring out how to make that sweet one smile!

4. Bedtime

Establishing a bedtime routine is good for baby and for you! Get baby ready for bed and spend some time snuggling and looking at stories, singing, or rocking. Even if mama nurses baby to sleep, you can take a bit of time before hand to let her have some time to herself, and you can establish yourself as part of this special routine.

5. Babywearing

Babywearing is a wonderful way to take care of and bond with baby, while having your arms free to do other things. Wrap that baby up and take a walk, fold some laundry, dance, sing, do some dishes or just appreciate the time together. You can even do some skin-to-skin!

Love this and want more tips for pregnancy, birth, and early parenting? Consider joining Pain to Power our online childbirth class brought to you by Lamaze Educator and DONA Doula Trainer, Debra Pascali-Bonaro

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