14 Ways Dads Can Be Involved With Their New Baby (Besides Changing Diapers)
After coming home from the hospital, some dads may feel left out of family life and struggle to bond with their babies.
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In fact, a 2009 study found that 40 percent of dads felt that they had nothing to do after the baby was born! However, there are plenty of things new dads can do to foster their bond with Baby, help new moms to recover from labor, and be involved with their newborn’s growth and development. Changing diapers is a given, of course, but we’ve outlined a few other ways new dads can be involved in their family’s life.
Here are some suggestions for how Dad can get involved:
1. Give the baby a sponge bath.
Parents are advised to give babies sponge baths until the umbilical cord falls off (usually within the first two weeks). Sponge baths are a great way for dads to begin to establish their bond with and feel more attached to their baby, while also giving moms a little time to rest and recover.
This article from Johnson and Johnson gives you a handy step-by-step guide on how to give sponge baths. From our personal experience, you can never have too many washcloths during this period! (In fact, this is why we include an organic cotton washcloth in our Rad Dad Newborn Starter Kit.) We also want to warn you that this is not always a pleasant task, as many babies seem to hate sponge baths!