Saturday, December 29, 2012

6 Moments You Need to Let Dad Have With Baby



Do you melt when you see your partner interact with baby? I know I do. One of the most rejuvenating and touching things is to watch my husband spend time with our son. My husband is patient, playful, and attentive (maybe I am biased but I think he is pretty great). Sometimes I even sneak outside the doorway just to listen to them make noises at each other. It is precious!
As the mom in the picture, I feel a bit of a responsibility to help my husband bond well with our son since he spends most of his time with me. Knowing that, I know their time together is precious and important for establishing a relationship.
Here are a few ways we do this at our house:
Get dad involved at feeding times
Since I am breastfeeding our son, it is not often that my husband gets to do the actual feedings. Especially since I use breastfeeding as one of my bonding times with our son after work (he drinks pumped milk at daycare).  Does that mean dad can’t be a part of feedings? Absolutely not! My husband does most of the burping and we usually end up in hysterics as spit up flies all over.  Not only does our son get to be close to dad, but it is now a little family ritual that we all do together.
Let dad and baby cuddle it up!
Evening times with a newborn can be a bit chaotic while trying to juggle feedings, diaper changes, laundry, dinner, and even just saying hi to your significant other. One thing that I have found helpful is to let dad and baby have their cuddle time.  Sometimes I will just look and my husband and say, ‘why don’t you go lay on the couch with Asa.’ This frees up my hands to get some much-needed housework done quickly and encourages them to have some quality bonding time together. Everyone wins!
Make bath time a family event
Have you come to love bath time with your baby? Our son loves being in the warm water and getting a baby massage. We have found that we have more fun (and it is easier) making bath time happen as a family. My husband is in charge of the body washing, and I wash his hair. Some of our best memories so far have involved bath time, and it has been great watching dad develop his confidence while holding our slippery, squirmy son.
Have dad become part of your established morning routine
Morning routines look different in every household (read more about our’s here!). Dad’s job is to get baby ready for the day by changing his diaper and getting him dressed.  Then, they hang out for a few minutes while I finish throwing myself together.  Those early morning moments really mean a lot to my husband and are a great boost of baby time before heading to work. This might not work exactly the same way for your schedule, but be creative! I bet there are ways that you can combine a needed routine with quality bonding!
Let dad and baby develop their own thing
As a mom (or woman?), I sometimes desire to have control over everything. Can you relate at all? However, one of the best things for my husband and I is when I just let him do his own thing with baby. Whether that means some quality tummy time, reading a book, or looking at the Christmas tree,  I am learning that they find great things to do together and enjoy it much more when I am hands off.
What does dad and baby bonding look like in your life?
Plus, more from The Bump:

How I Knew I Wanted to Quit My Job and Become a Stay-at-Home Mom

Your Baby Will Learn Better by Doing What?!

The Best Advice for New Moms (That’s Hardest to Follow!)

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