A newborn baby needs great deals of love, physical contact and affection from both Mom and Dad when he or she comes into our world. A Dad can help in the baby care and interaction with newborn such as bathing, burping, changing diaper, changing clothes, hugging, caring. Baby will not only feel a great sense of trust and security but also the bonding between daddy and baby is enhanced.
During breastfeeding, daddy’s assistance and support to new mothers after birth has a positive influence on the duration of breastfeeding. He can also enable mummy to rest between feeds or help to bring food and drink while mummy is breastfeeding. Encouragement from Daddy is so much needed during the first few weeks as mummies will experience lack of sleep and hormonal changes that can sometimes makes new mummies waver in their determination to breastfeed. However, although breastfeeding is highly encouraged but please always standby formula milk in case of jaundice or lack of milk supply especially new mummies which may not be enough so soon after delivery.
Besides encouraging and supporting mum, here are some recommendations a dad can strengthen his bonds with his baby in the first few weeks by doing the following:
- Set up a routine of care and concern for baby such as feeding time, bathing time, changing clothes or diapers, getting baby to sleep etc if you didn’t hire a confinement nanny.
- Taking night shift and attend to baby if he or she cries during wee hours.
- Accompany mummy to breastfeed baby or bottle feed pumped breast milk.
- Burp baby after feeding.
- Interact, speak with baby.