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Just wanted to say, Im gonna be a 1st child dad at 41 yrs. old (Yes it was planned if anyone is wondering). My wife is now 9wks had first ultrasound, and we are getting ready to announce to grandparents this weekend which will totally suprise them since they have given up on the though of us having kids.
Cool thing is my Brother and SIL are expecting with a due date just 1 wk later than ours. Grandparents on my side are going to get a really big suprise.
Anyway, to get to my original point, anybody out there want to throw out newborn advice for first time dads. Im all ears.
Congratulations- My baby is 16 today and I am a few years older than you-
Cherish those days -they grow up quickly
just sleep when you can b/c the first few months are tough!!
Congratulations!! My best advice is to read everything you can now and then know that when the time comes, you and your wife will figure out what works best for your family. I don't know any first-time parent who felt prepared, but your instincts will kick in and you'll do great. Like in a good marriage, I believe good parenting involves the parents communicating frequently and validating each other. Oh, and after you get through the initial sleep deprivation, try to make sure you and your wife have a little time to yourselves - even if it's just having a "date night" in your living room after the baby goes to bed. All the best on your new adventure - it's an awesome ride!
If you let them in the bed, they won't keep you awake all night.
That won't work for every couple obviously - but if you both need your sleep - both parents work for example then sleep might be necessary. If one parent doesn't work then staying up all night is an option.
If you let them in the bed, they won't keep you awake all night.
That won't work for every couple obviously - but if you both need your sleep - both parents work for example then sleep might be necessary. If one parent doesn't work then staying up all night is an option.
I totally agree. Newborns sleep a ton if you let them. They want to be close to a warm body and warm milk at all times. If you let them sleep next to mom and nurse at will, then you will all get a lot more sleep than someone who is up and down all night trying to get baby to sleep independently in a crib.
Babies are not meant to be independent. Don't set up expectations that they are, and you will have much less stress in parenting.
Hello raggy - I was an older first time Dad also. Congratulations. You are in for a wild and awesome ride. Nothing like having kids to change things up a bit.
Some quick words of advice. Are you healthy? As the others have said, you and Momma Bear are going to be tired! There will be a lot of lost sleep. If you don't exercise - start. If you do exercise - keep it up. You're going to need endurance. Also, it will help keep stress at bay. Eat right. Quit smoking and moderate or quit drinking. As an older Dad, you're gonna want to be around and healthy as your kid grows up. Yeah - I know, anything can happen - but you want to do all you can to keep the percentages in your favor.
Do you have life insurance? How about an estate plan? If not - go and meet with a qualified insurance agent and an attorney to get advice on both. Time to get cracking on starting a college savings plan also. Get your legal and financial house in order!
Are grandparents and brother near by? If so - SCORE! Sounds like y'all get along - nothing like having family nearby. Be respectful with their time. Don't be one of those Dads that just drop off your kid.
Participate! Learn to enjoy feeding, bathing, changing diapers. And do it right! Don't get all bent out of shape when people make suggestions. Take the good, let go of the bad. But enjoy time with your child - bond!
Take care of Momma Bear - try your best to see things from her perspective. If you are tired - she is tired. If you're stressed - she's stressed. Think Golden Rule here. It'll pay back dividends.
Oh - and no matter what you do - once the little one arrives, they will take over your entire world. Not a bad thing at all - but again, keep the balance. Try to take some time out for yourself and your wife.
Last bit - take it all in and enjoy it coz, time will fly and it'll go fast. Before you know it, they'll be out of diapers and heading off to school.
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