Becoming a parent is a massive commitment and you should expect to make huge changes and experience huge changes in every aspect of your life. Sleep patterns can be disturbed, you will find you are shatter at the end of every day, but you will enjoy a day full of laughs and fulfillment Parenting is certainly a challenge but it is also one of the most rewarding things you can undertake in life.
The sleepless nights aren’t a myth. Baby will need feeding throughout the night and this typically means that mum will have to do the honors especially as mothers are being encouraged to breastfeed more than ever before. It is possible to make bottles using breast milk which can give Dads and opportunity to help out while also providing them with the time they need to bond with their new son or daughter.
Get into routines, with just about everything, as soon as possible. Your baby will appreciate the routine and so too will you. You will be less likely to forget anything and more likely to be able to grab half an hour’s sleep or a few minutes reading the newspaper. The first few months of parenting can seem overwhelming but daily routine is one factor that can really help you overcome this sense of being overwhelmed.
Make sure you are healthy because your baby is relying on you. Get fresh air by taking baby for a walk to the park and visit the doctor if you feel ill or too stressed out to cope. A strong support network of family, friends, and healthcare providers will ensure that you are able to deal with just about any parental situation or circumstance that is thrown at you but this starts with you being healthy.
Dads need to be involved especially because they have not had the same opportunity to bond with baby as Mum has. Dad can help take away some of the stress by taking on daily tasks and by providing support and help to Mum and in the first few weeks and months this will prove especially useful to both parents and also to baby.