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Make Every Day Father's Day

Create Family Intimacy Even Before Baby Arrives

By Teri Brown

Hoffman-Smith also suggests the liberal use of camcorders. "A father who is recording the prenatal visits and the ultrasounds is participating in a very real way," he says. "Anything you do to make the baby more real to the father deepens the experience for everyone involved."

• The baby shower can be adapted to include the father as well as the mother. If the father is uncomfortable with playing games and other shower type activities, perhaps it can be altered into being more of a celebration among friends.
• Take a massage class together. This gives the father the tools he needs to truly make a difference in how his wife feels.
• Take birthing classes together. Hoffman-Smith warns that not all classes meet everyone's needs. "It's not a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all experience," he says. "Communicate with one another what sort of birth you would like to have before you choose what kind of birthing classes you want."
• Plan and design the nursery together. The ct of choosing cribs and other baby furniture brings parents closer together.
• Keep journals. "Being a father is a huge part of how men view themselves," says Hoffman-Smith. "Journaling can help fathers, especially new fathers, come to terms with how they feel about the changes their lives are undergoing."

Want to see more?

• BirthPlan.com
• Emotional Connections: Start the Bonding Process at Day One
• Bonding for Life: Developing that Special Connection With Your Baby
• Talk about it!