Tips for helping Dad bond with an infant
When a couple has a baby, it is the Mom who is pregnant and the Mom who gets to be so close and bond so well with the baby. It can be hard on the Dad to watch or to create a special bond to with the infant. Here are some ideas that will help Dad bond with a newborn baby.
When you are in the hospital with your wife, and you don't have any other kids, it is a great time to bond with the baby. Your wife will usually be tired and sleep a lot or be taking care of the baby when she is awake. Try holding the baby when you can, change his diaper, and rock the baby to sleep. You will start to create a bond. Babies don't really do much when they are born, but just taking care of him will start to create that bond. You will start loving him so much more everyday and while your wife is recovering is a great time to create that bond. You will have time to be there for your wife and will be able to spend the moments with her and the baby. Even if you do already have children, leave them at grandma's for a few hours while you go to the hospital alone. Spend that time with your wife and take care of the baby.
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When you bring your baby home from the hospital, things get crazy. Help your wife with the baby still. You will be helping her enormously and will be able to create that bond. Even if you are just sitting in the rocking chair while the baby is asleep and just looking at him, you will be making that bond stronger.
Often, the Mom is the one who feeds the baby and does everything else. If your wife is breastfeeding, you really can't feed the baby, so when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, Dad, you pick him up and give him to your wife. It doesn't seem like much but it will make you seem like a part of the feeding process. And you will be a wonderful help. Even just getting out of bed so your wife doesn't have to is a wonderful thing to a new Mom.
When your child starts to get a little older, you will be putting him in the swing and on the floor on his tummy. Play with him while he is doing both. You can pretend to push him or tickle him. You may not get a reaction right away, but your baby will be looking at you and will be learning and memorizing your face. He will eventually start to smile and laugh. When he is on the floor, play with him. Play with his legs or arms. Just have fun. It doesn't matter if you get a reaction back because your baby is so new that they don't smile or laugh for a few months.
Bonding with an infant is so important. Babies are so loving and want to give that love. When you are a parent, you want to bond with your baby as fast as possible. Realize that your baby will be sleeping most of the time and that there are little things that you can do to bond with your child. It takes more than a few days to bond with him so do a little at a time and you will start to have a great relationship with your infant.
