Love for the Baby Daddy

As with most Mama's, I bonded with Little Red from that very first cuddle. Baby Daddy Nick, while also forming an immediate bond, maybe didn't have that same tie to the little one that I had in the very beginning (pretty reasonable, I'd say). Don't get me wrong, he was #1 Dad from day one but while it's easy for us to bond with our little one (what with breastfeeding and that instinctual need on baby's part to be close to their Mum) sometimes it's a little more difficult for the Dads out there. 

For the first few weeks, Nick played househusband while I tended to peanuts every need. Now though? He's as hands-on as a Dad can be. Why? Because I tried my best to involve him in every little thing and he was eager to be involved! He gave Little Red his first bath...

...he changed his nappies, he cuddled him in the evenings while I had time out and now he feeds, settles and beds peanut every night. While it was stressful at first (because Dad's don't always have that immediate "ESP" with baby that we do), with plenty of encouragement and experience Nick became the pro. It's easy to get in there and say "No, do it like this!" but when left to their own devices, Dads are pretty good at figuring out what to do in their own time. 

These days, it makes me all gooey inside watching Baby Daddy and little peanut curled up on the couch together watching Cops (their favourite program, much to my dismay) or listening to them debate on who's going to win the rugby (FYI: the peanut's only 11 weeks old thus rendering it a pretty one-sided conversation). Each evening the little man cuddles up like a koala on his chest and snoozes the night away and believe it or not, it's only his Daddy who can accomplish this feat!

So! Involve, encourage and congratulate your partner and they'll be an old hand in no time. After all, there's nothing that melts a mother's heart more than seeing their little bundle snuggled up in their father's arms....