Wow! You’re a dad! This bundle of joy is your long awaited baby. You are excited to be the best dad ever. But before you put on your super dad cap, there are some mistakes new dads can make and how you can avoid them.
- Falling Asleep Holding Baby. Put your little one in the cripple to sleep or go for a walk with him/her. I used the prom and went for short walks with my son. The walks helped me stay awake, and the stroll rocked him to sleep.
- Trying to Get Perfect Quite for Baby to Sleep. The womb isn’t a quiet place. Your little one has gotten used to all these noises. Do don’t be surprised if the noise of a fan, hair dryer or talking puts her to sleep. White noise is the best music for baby sleep but too much, experts say, can delay their language development.
- Shaking Baby after feeding. Every dad likes to throw their baby in the air but after feeding, it’s a bad idea. That cute, cuddly little one will vomit all over you if you do. Be mindful of your baby’s feeding times and burp baby after feeding to ensure this doesn’t happen to you.
- Not Strapping Baby in Car Seat or Highchair. It happens to the best of us. Put a sign or caution sticker on your child’s car seat or high chair as a reminder. Check your review mirror to see that your baby is strapped before moving off so you can avoid making this mistake.
- Buying Too Many New Born Clothes. It’s hard to predict what size your baby will be. Babies grow very fast by five months your baby would have doubled his/her birth weight. Four to seven outfits in one size should be enough. After he/she is born, you can buy more and return the sizes you didn’t use.
- Taking Crying Personal. Crying is a baby’s only way of communicating with you so don’t let the crying frustrate you. It’s either your baby is hungry, sleepy, needs a change, uncomfortable or wants to be held. Do some investigating; if all these are fine, then it’s OK to let baby self-sooth.
- Taking Bad Advice. Research every advice you get before trying it. Yes, other parents have great advice, but you know your child better than anyone. Sometimes it’s best to go with your gut that someone’s unresearched advice.
- Ignoring Your Marriage. Mommy is tired, and so are you. The world revolves around the new addition to your family. I know you can’t seem to get any time. But you need to make some to feed your relationship, or you will drift apart. Spend time together while the baby is sleeping or hire a babysitter so you can take care of your needs.
- Baby Talk. Speak to your baby like you would a grown child. Baby is learning a new language. You want him/her to learn the correct one so speak probably. Your child is registering everything.
- Forgetting to Pack Baby Change of Clothes. Leave some emergency baby clothes (in a small travel bag) in the glove compartment of your car.
- Not knowing what to take seriously. Join a baby forum like baby center. It helps when you know what stage your baby is in and what to expect. These forums discuss many issues and share expert advice on topics. Also, ensure you have your family doctor on speed dial.
