The right ways for dads to bond with babies

Hey there, dads!

We know you have been eagerly waiting to meet your little one, since you brought home Prega News – India’s No. 1 Pregnancy detection kit to get the good news. And thanks to the efficiency of the pregnancy test by Prega News, you got the news in just 5 minutes! The pregnancy test by Prega News also provides very accurate results when all the instructions on the Prega News kit are followed, thus letting you do a little celebratory dance even before you visit the doctor.

 However, now that your little one is home, you want to spend much time with your newborn and bond with them instantly. So maybe you’re wondering, how do dads bond with their newborn? Well, the Prega News Kit doesn’t just deliver you the good news, we also ensure that we stand by you every step of the way. So let’s take a look at different ways that can be used for dad’s bond with a newborn.

 Dad’s Activities

 There are many ways to bond with your little one. Your baby may not be old enough to recognize voices and faces, or even respond to everything, but there are certain ways that you can still have fun with your baby and help deepen the bond. Let’s take a look!

●     Baby wearing: An increasingly popular idea, baby wearing is simply carrying your baby in your lap with the aid of a cloth or accessory. The baby wearing technique enables you to stay close to your little one as you go about your daily chores. The little one can nap or simply enjoy being with you.

●     Skin to skin contact: Another way of staying close to your baby, skin to skin contact is being increasingly recommended to new parents. You simply keep your baby close to your chest and allow for skin to skin contact while both of you are wrapped up in a blanket. This helps strengthen the bond and also promotes healthy growth of babies.

●    Baby massage: This is yet another way to promote skin to skin contact between father and newborn and is great for dad’s bond with newborn. While giving your baby a massage, you not only provide warmth and comfort but also spend more time, which ultimately promotes a healthy bond.

●    Diapering duties: You can give mommy a break and also share some dad and newborn time by taking over diapering duties. With many easy to use diapers available these days, it’s no task at all.

●     Bedtime routine: Your baby is still a newborn and may need a feed at night before falling asleep. However, you can help set a bedtime routine and get involved in it – take over baby soothing duties at night or tuck them in at night for that special time.

Developing Interaction Patterns 

As your baby grows a little older – may be a few weeks old – you can include more activities to help that dad-newborn bond. These activities are also great for developing the interaction patterns as your baby’s responsiveness also increases with time. Here are a few ideas:

●       Talk to baby: Probably the oldest trick in the book but definitely one of the most efficient ones – talking to babies has proven to be very helpful when trying to develop a bond. Your baby may not be able to understand you but they do understand the emotions and they are sure to love it.

●       Read to baby: Did you know that babies also enjoy the voice of reading aloud even when they are in the tummy? So why not read to your baby from the children’s books and enjoy some daddy and baby time?

●      Make faces at baby: When babies are a little older, they can also mimic facial expressions and pick up emotions. So make sure to make plenty of goofy faces at baby.

●      Bathing routine: This is a fun baby and daddy routine that your child is sure to love. Most babies love bath time and nothing like dad joining in with fun water toys and funny voices!

●       Sing to baby: Babies understand the notes in music and respond to them even before they understand words. It could be your favourite song or a nighttime lullaby – find something that both of you enjoy and make for a nice song session with the baby. 

Now that you have all these amazing ideas, which ones are you going to use?

FAQ

What other things to be considered for new fathers?

While the above tips can be really helpful to bond with babies, there is another important thing to consider when you’re a new dad. Remember the time you stood beside your partner as you checked the results on the pregnancy test by Prega News? She’s a new mom too and supporting her in any way you can is always much needed and appreciated. Women can also face postpartum depression so it’s important to stand by her and share this journey as an equal partner.

How can I better manage my work life balance as a father?

Opt for a paternity leave when you can so you can spend more time with the baby. When you resume work, make sure that you come back home at fixed times so as to spend time with the family. Waking up a little early or checking in on your baby at night and spending holidays with the baby are all great ways to balance work and life.

What habits do I need to inculcate the most?

While there are no rules about habits to set, ideally you should inculcate and also follow the habits that you want your baby to follow later in life. In the initial stages, having ample playtime, setting routines for mealtimes and naps is a great way to ensure a smooth transition into toddler stage. Also, ensure that you follow healthy eating, no smoking etc. to make sure that you set the right example for your baby.