Hellobee Boards Topic: Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage.

Hellobee Boards Topic: Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage. https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:48:28 +0000 cascademom on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795995 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 13:36:01 +0000 cascademom 1795995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Bath, diaper changes, late night awake until next feeding. Those days are tough. Just make sure to include him in what you can. We discussed this issue recently as we're planning our next kid. Smurfette on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795979 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 12:47:15 +0000 Smurfette 1795979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DH just did diaper changes. Would make sure that I had water, snacks, whatever when I was nursing. DigAPony on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795977 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 12:38:19 +0000 DigAPony 1795977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Have him burp her and wear/hold her when you're not feeding. Sounds like you guys are doing great! Greentea on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795869 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 09:51:52 +0000 Greentea 1795869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs. Champagne: I forgot that one! Good one! DH would burp her between boobs. lamariniere on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795781 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 07:48:21 +0000 lamariniere 1795781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Sounds like how my DH felt. Can he take her out for a walk either baby wearing or in the stroller? Then you can get some me time, even if it's just a shower! lady grey on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795706 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 23:18:45 +0000 lady grey 1795706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My DH felt the exact same way. What other said: take short walks using a baby carrier, sign songs, do tummy time on chest. Also skin to skin time or taking a bath with dad is nice bonding time. Since your baby is so young I would encourage you not to introduce bottles quite yet and keep breastfeeding only for a few more weeks until BFing is very well established. Glitter on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795696 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 22:42:21 +0000 Glitter 1795696@https://boards.hellobee.com/ In the newborn days we took shifts. When DH came home from work he was on "duty" from 6pm to 11pm then I would take over. We introduced a bottle from week 2 so he would feed during the shift, change diapers, rock and sing DS to sleep. When we were both awake he would bring me water, do all the burps and the diaper changings and also loved taking DS for early morning walks. Keep encouraging him and see if you can step back a little so that he gains the confidence he needs. swedishfish on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795622 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 20:09:33 +0000 swedishfish 1795622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DH did most of the burping, half the diaper changes, brought me whatever I needed, most of the baths, etc. He held her a lot as well. birdofafeather on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795620 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 20:05:16 +0000 birdofafeather 1795620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DH did diaper changes, during that he sang songs, etc. he also wore her a lot to feel connected and I think that was awesome! Applesandbananas on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795619 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 20:04:49 +0000 Applesandbananas 1795619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My DH did baths and I pumped in the early days so he could do some feedings and I could leave the house for an hour or whatever. hummusgirl on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795618 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 20:03:08 +0000 hummusgirl 1795618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I second what @Grace said - either go to sleep early or jet out right after a feed and leave him alone with her. I've found both my husband and I bond better with our LO when it's one-on-one, starting in infancy and even now in toddlerhood. There was also a time when our LO wouldn't fall asleep easily and we ended up bouncing on an exercise ball for a looong time. That's a perfect thing for DH to do. ;-) Mrs. Champagne on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795597 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 19:38:51 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 1795597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I passed DS to DH between boobs for a burp! Also passed him over right after to burp. He also did all diaper changes and baths! Eta: I also took two baths a day and left DS with DH. I also went to bed early! I did pump too so DH did one bottle a day from early on and still does at 4.5 months old :) Also I found just letting him do things his own way have him confidence and he learned to sooth him and care for him his own ways. Not always how I would do things, but it works for him! Greentea on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795581 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:48:44 +0000 Greentea 1795581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @night cheese: dh wore LO a lot- is that an option? We would go for walks or even hanging around the house- that is a great way to bond! jhd on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795580 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:48:05 +0000 jhd 1795580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Just keep telling him what a great job he is doing. Our LO didn't like tummy time at the beginning so I put DH in charge of that. He lays back on the recliner or on the bed & puts LO on his chest for tummy time. It's their special time together. But it sounds like you are both doing great! Grace on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795579 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:45:22 +0000 Grace 1795579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ When LO was newborn, I would go to bed early and he would be totally in charge of her until the next feeding. He would play or rock her to sleep. Just me not being around made him feel more involved. avivoca on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795574 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:32:55 +0000 avivoca 1795574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I mean, with BF there isn't much he can do. My husband always brought me the baby, my pillow, and made sure I had plenty of water and snacks. You guys are doing a great job and just keep reminding him of that. night cheese on "Keeping Dad involved during the newborn stage." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-dad-involved-during-the-newborn-stage#post-1795565 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:19:00 +0000 night cheese 1795565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Our little girl is 11 days old today, and I think my husband is getting frustrated that there's not too much he can do for her yet. Right now, we're in basic survival mode: feed baby, clean baby, change baby, get baby to sleep, keep baby alive. He's been great with changing diapers, helping to bathe her, and taking care of meals, the house, and other non-baby stuff that needs to get done. But I think he feels really uninvolved when I'm feeding her every couple of hours - because there's nothing he can do to help. He also is kind of insecure about his parenting skills in general and thinks that the baby hates him because he can't comfort her when she cries as easily as I can, even though I keep telling him that it's my breasts that comfort her, and it's got nothing to do with my parenting skills or his. Things will change in a month or so when I start pumping and he can feed her once in a while, but till then, does anyone have any ideas about how I can help my husband feel involved and connected while the baby and I are basically attached mouth-to-boob all the time?