How to involve your partner in the care of your newborn

While dad can’t breastfeed your newborn, there are numerous other ways you can encourage him to bond with your baby.

Here are some tried-and-true ways to enlist your partner’s help during the newborn stage (and trust us, you’re going to appreciate the extra set of hands!):

Changing nappies

Your partner can assist you with changing nappies, and start practicing as soon as your baby makes his or her debut. The sooner daddy bear learns the art of changing a nappy, the better for both you and your baby.

Assist with feeding duties

It’s difficult to get your partner involved in feeding time if you’re breastfeeding your baby. He can, however, hold your baby while you express milk or assist you in determining the best feeding position. He can also participate in the burping phase – men often turn out to be experts at burping!

Carry out errands

It’s not the time to be embarrassed or guilty about asking for help. Allow your partner to do all of the running around, including changing, bathing, and soothing the baby when he or she cries or needs to be rocked. Your partner can also help you clean up around the house, go shopping for you, and assist you in and out of the bath and bed if necessary (especially after a C-section).

Give you some tender loving care

Your baby isn’t the only one who requires attention; you do as well. Allow your partner to prepare and serve meals and cups of tea to assist you in recovering and regaining strength. If cooking isn’t his thing, involve him in grocery shopping, purchasing prepared meals from the store, or ordering takeout if necessary.

Share sleepless nights

Getting your baby to sleep is probably the one area where you’ll need his help the most. Your partner can assist by helping your newborn to relax by taking him or her for a drive or pushing baby in a stroller around the garden. Taking turns checking on your baby throughout the night also works well for new parents. Dad can continue to be involved in the bedtime and bathtime routine as your child grows older. Involve him in cuddling, chatting, and reading to your baby as well. According to research, babies recognise their father’s voice even while still in the womb, so encourage him to bond with your child in this way right away.

Allow him to develop his own “daddy rhythm”

There are many things your partner can do to assist you, but you must understand that he will most likely do things differently than you. And that’s fine. Allow him to develop his own unique routines and rituals with your baby. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect; at the end of the day, it’ll be useful and provide you with some breathing space. Furthermore, you are encouraging your partner and baby to bond, which will ultimately benefit you all as a family in the long run.