Kicks and Cankles: How to Prep Daddy for Baby

Kicks and Cankles: How to Prep Daddy for Baby

When we write these prepping for baby posts, almost always we're writing them for the superhero who is birthing the child-- yeah, you mama. But that means that the other main player in this whole parenting thing kind of gets the shaft-- yeah, the daddy.

Today I thought that I would take a sec to acknowledge how terrifying it must be to be a daddy. To realize that this woman that is holding your child is massive, and overly emotional, and eating weird things because pretty soon she is going to be bringing a life into the world, and you kind of don't have much say in what's going on while baby's inside the mama or how baby is going to come out... of mama... yeah, Daddy's definitely need some prepping.

So whether you have a first-time daddy in your life or this isn't your first baby rodeo, here are a few tips, products, and advice I think will help a daddy prepare for the big arrival of a new little!

Wear the Baby

This is one of those things that I think a lot of dads expect to be a mamas-only activity, but I think it is super helpful for dads to be ready for! Let them know that you want them to take the baby so that you can take a breather or drink some water or grab the mail. And if you have a husband like mine who wants to be doing something all the time, then that means that they will probably need to have something to keep their hands free while they're "holding" baby like the Solly Baby Wrap. Get a wrap in a color/pattern that your husband will feel comfortable wearing, and make sure that he (and you!) are able to wrap without help so that you know that he can throw that cute little carrier on when you're at home, and the store, or while working like an absolute daddy boss!

Get Out of the House

I can speak from experience when I say that dads do not want to carry around a diaper bag that looks like his wife's purse. And they will also use any excuse possible to not change a diaper. Keep that in mind. So how do we prep them to carry a diaper bag and therefore change more diapers? Get them a super cute diaper bag that doesn't look like a diaper bag. The Petunia Pickle Bottom Axis Backpack has every aspect of a diaper bag that mama wants with the benefit of looking like a cool, modern backpack. I absolutely love the look of this bag. It is so sleek, and large enough to fit the essentials for baby plus the goodies for big kids without getting bulky. I think that dads should feel comfortable leaving the house with their new baby without mama. As long as they have a great bag that can hold some diapers, a change of clothes, and a bottle, then they can handle anything (and you can take a nap while they're gone)!

Night Time Feedings

This is probably the one thing that I think dads are "prepared" to do but have no clue how to do once baby arrives. I think that every new parent is unprepared for how little you sleep when you have a newborn, but it's important for mamas to be upfront and real with their partner to let them know that you expect (and NEED) their help during the night for feeding the baby. If you're bottle feeding, that means that you're going to need to prep Daddy on how to get the bottle ready and how to rock, feed, burp, the babe (oh and put them back to sleep) all on their own. If you're a breastfeeding mama, that means that you're going to need to have milk for daddy to use for those nighttime feedings, and you will definitely want a bottle that makes baby feel like they're getting the real thing, and that's where Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottles make a huge difference! It's a natural feel bottle, which means it'll give baby the same sensation and flow as breastfeeding but with the bottle! Plus this gives Daddy the one-on-one bonding time while feeding that dads sometimes miss out on when Mama is breastfeeding.

Take Over at Bedtime

Along with feeding them in the dead of night, I think that every dad should be prepared to lay baby down for bed, and how to perform a perfect swaddle. I know, every mama is rolling her eyes right now, but for real, can your husband fold baby up into a burrito, or does he leave it to you? My husband checked it out on YouTube when we had our first to make sure he was getting it done correctly. Another thing that plays a part is the right blanket, and I think that the Saranoni Bamboo Muslin Swaddle is the easiest swaddle to use-- it has the right amount of stretch, is the perfect size, and is breathable and comfortable so that you can get them into that perfect roll every time! Another thing that's going to make every daddy's life a lot easier is a nice comfy glider to rock your little to sleep... And more than likely themselves to sleep too!

We know that Mama is doing most of the work while she's pregnant and (probably) doing most of the work once the baby is born, but that doesn't mean that we don't want Daddy to step in and take over with baby duty, and for that, they need as much prepping as any mama!

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