AN INVOLVED FATHER CAN…

CONNECT EARLY DURING PREGNANCY

• Talk to your unborn baby- they can hear you as early as 20 weeks
• Talk to your partner about roles of being parents
• Have fun together!
• Share healthy lifestyle choices, quit smoking, exercise, eat healthy meals
• Share your feelings

BE A SUPPORTIVE LABOUR AND DELIVERY COACH

• Prepare early for the birth of the baby.
• Discuss expectations, pain relief and fear
• Be aware of partners needs, ask if you are being helpful and listen to response
• Reassure: Encourage, and praise often, remind her that she can do this
• Remain calm and supportive
• Take care of yourself as well!  Take a break! 

HELP WITH BREASTFEEDING

• Encourage mom to breastfeed 
• Bring baby to mom for feedings
• Massage mom’s neck and back to help her relax during feeding times
• When feeding is finished, burp baby
• Make mom and baby feel important

 SPEND SOME DADDY TIME WITH YOUR BABY!

• Involve yourself with care of baby ie: bathing, diapering 
• Kiss, rock and cuddle your baby
• Comfort your baby
• Play, read and sing with their child
• Take you baby for a stroller ride
• Share in all areas of care
• Be a positive role model 
• Develop your relationship with baby( eg; take a parental leave)

DAD’S ROLE IN PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO PARTNER

• Accept her feelings by listening, and reassuring her
• Support her decisions
• Encourage her to take one day at a time
• Help her to redefine who she is
• Encourage her to give herself credit
• Reassure her that the lack of sexual interest is normal
• Be physically affectionate without asking for sex
• Remain caring and supportive

WHAT NOT TO DO…

• Pretend it isn’t happening
• Criticize or judge her
• Blame her or someone else
• Smother her or over react

DAD CAN HELP MOM

• Develop a simple achievable routine for the day
• Help her rest, whenever possible- eg: make a door sign for visitors, keep a housecoat near the door.
• Encourage her to eat healthy nutritious quick foods and drink plenty of fluids( eg: cheese and crackers, fruit yogurt)
• Take the baby out without mom
• Accept offers from friends/family to help with house cleaning, cooking and babysitting

 It’s All About Teamwork!

• Accepting/celebrating your differences
• We handle children and situations differently and some situations better than others
• Talking about time management: you must both negotiate housework, child care, and free time. 
• Both must have some “yourself” time

• Bailing each other out:  ‘ I can’t deal with this right now, can you take over.  This is truly teamwork!!

• Sharing the experience: Parenting will help you and your partners understand and appreciate each other in new ways

   

DID YOU KNOW...

• Babies of highly Involved Fathers are more intelligent
• Children of Involved Fathers are more likely to enjoy school, have better attitudes toward school and participate in extra curricular activities
• Men who are Involved Fathers feel more self confident and effective as parents

More daddy info : Dads Can