728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Fatherhood › Precious Moments

Precious Moments

7 Tips to Make More Time for Baby

By I.J. Schecter

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

The job of caring for a baby is more difficult than any other in part because it involves so many different aspects. No one can be expected to master them all at once (OK, mothers can, but no one else), so try to use your time with Baby to get the hang of one element at a time, ultimately making yourself a more effective father.

Force yourself to change as many diapers as possible during the course of a weekend. After that, practice boiling and preparing bottles every evening from Monday to Friday. Then commit to learning at least three new baby songs by the first of the following month. The more you throw yourself into these separate tasks, the more you'll learn about your baby's preferences, tendencies and cues. You'll be surprised how far a little self-imposed immersion goes.

7. Don't Wait until the Baby Arrives to Start Bonding
Your easiest, and least disruptive, opportunity to bond with Baby may be the period when he or she is still in your partner's tummy. Even if you have to work late on a given day and don't come to bed until after midnight, you can still sing the baby a little tune, give it a gentle rub or just tell it about your day before you drift off, too.

Even if there's a belly between you and Baby, don't think the interaction isn't meaningful. Research shows that unborn babies recognize and respond to different sounds in the womb and can distinguish between light and dark. Making time for Baby before he arrives also can mean blocking out time in your work schedule to attend ultrasounds, join your partner for prenatal checkups or help with stroller or crib shopping. And watch out – you just might enjoy it.

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

Want to see more?

Comments

There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to add a comment.

Post As:
Enter your comment below:
Title
Comment Text
CAPTCHA
Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.