dads
today’s dads are much more 'hands-on' than their predecessors, but the birth of a baby is still a very sharp learning curve for most guys…so here is MM’s guide to…
Ten things a new dad needs to know
from your mates! But gone are the days when you guys just paced up and down outside the delivery suite chomping on cigars… No, today’s dads are dab hands at getting down and dirty with changing baby’s nappies, and feeding and bathing baby! Te first thing you’ll find when you
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announce your good news is that everyone – and we mean everyone – is an expert at being a good dad and you’ll soon find yourself on the end of loads of advice – welcome AND unwelcome. You’ll also hear the first of seemingly endless stories of how becoming a dad will change your life. It's perfectly true though. Becoming a
dad will change your life dramatically – and instantly! From the moment you gaze into your baby’s eyes you’ll be on the first stage of the emotional rollercoaster that is parenthood. And, what’s more, it’s a rollercoaster
that never ends.. Anyone who is a parent will tell you that,
while it’s far from easy, parenthood is the most incredibly rewarding journey you’ll ever go on, so, with that in mind, it’s all aboard the Modern Mum guide to what you need to know!
You’re facing the biggest test of
your life! No matter what you’ve achieved in your life to date, nothing prepares you for the arrival of this wriggling, squealing but utterly adorable little bundle. From the first time you hold your baby – awkwardly – to the first time you try to strap him or her into their car seat, it’s all new and daunting. But don’t forget, it’s daunting for mum too, so just enjoy the newness it all. Yes, you’ll make mistakes and it’s a very sharp learning curve, but you’ll get there!
Wave goodbye to sleep... Unless you lock yourself away in a soundproof room every night, or take to
20MODERNMUM Spring 2016
s soon as you announce the news that you’re going to be a dad, you can expect plenty of high-fives and back-slapping
wearing industrial earmuffs, you’re not going to be able to get away from the sound of your baby crying at night. Sleepless nights can go on for weeks, months and even years and you’ll soon find that, where you used to settle down about ten pm for a good film, you’ll be struggling to keep your eyes open by eight!
...and to money! You’ll be amazed at how much those seven little pounds of pink flesh can cost you over a year! In fact, some studies have put the cost of the first year in a baby’s life at anywhere between £2000 and £10000 – depending on your tastes. Either way, you can say goodbye to your designer jeans and say hello to babygros and nappies!
Tere’s no end to the ways in
which you can help out OK, so you can’t breastfeed but, let’s face it, that’s the only thing you can’t do! From bathing baby, to taking him or her out for a stroll to give mum a break, there are endless possibilities for how you can help out!
You ARE going to get
things wrong sometimes If something goes wrong with your car, what’s the first thing you do? You look at the manual. TV not working? Manual. Computer on the blink? On/off switch. Te great thing about a new baby is that it doesn’t come with a manual or an on/off switch, so the only thing you can do when you’re faced with a new experience is to get stuck in. You’ll be amazed at the skills you accumulate with a new baby. One minute you’ll be all thumbs trying to master a nappy and the next you’ll be changing a nappy, switching on the steriliser AND singing to your baby at the same time. You’ll acquire skills that you never thought you would – let’s face it, you don’t have a choice!
the same fascination…. but that’s really a formality, because you’ll be so surrounded by vomit and dirty nappies and suffering from sleep deprivation, that sex will probably be the last thing on your mind for some time.
You’ll be totally exasperated at times While you’ll be overcome with pure, unadulterated love for your baby, there’s no getting away from the fact that, at times, you’ll be totally wrung out and ready for the
It’s not about you any more! Remember the days when your main decision was Playstation or X-Box? Once you become a dad, your baby automatically becomes the number one priority in your – and your partner's - life and you can guarantee that the nights out with your mates will be greatly reduced – or obliterated – for at least a few months!
Yes! Yes! NO!!! And speaking of your and your partner’s life, there’s another aspect of your lives that will undoubtedly change. Yip, your sex life! Many men do get a bit spooked by watching their baby’s head coming out of a region which was formerly a ‘pleasure zone’ and for some it never quite has
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