This article is second in the series for new fathers. If you have not yet read the previous article on

New dads and babies – building bonds that last a lifetime, you can read it now.

The  first  few  weeks   with your  newborn   will be  crazy.  The  little  bundle  seems to think that the  world revolves around her . While  the mother  seems  to naturally adjust  to the  task  of  taking care of  the  new born many fathers    seem  at  a  loss.  The key is developing confidence before she arrives, and jumping in with both hands once she does.   Though  you may  not  be  able  to  replace  the  mother  there  are  a  lot you  can   do   for  your  precious  bundle   that  will  work  wonders   for  your  marriage  and    form  a lasting   bond  with your  child.

 

 

Here  are 5 easy tips   to get  you started:

1: Spend Time  with the Baby

 

One  of  the  most  important  thing  you can  do is  simply spending   time   with  the  baby . The  more  time  you can  spend  with your infant  the  better .    The  skin to skin contact  and  the  steady rhythm of  heartbeat   are  very soothing  to the   baby.   Just holding her in  your  arms  or letting  her  sleep on your chest  will do the  trick .

 

 

2: Rock Them

 Babies   are   used  to  rocking motion   even    while  they are in  their   mom’s  bellies.  It is   no   wonder  that they like  being   swayed ,  rocked  and   gently patted . Movement  helps  the  little  brains   and  muscles   develop.  Support  their  little  bodies   well and  rock  them , carry them or  make  them  giggle .  Follow your  baby’s  lead  and   soon you will  be  the  one   with the  magic  touch to keep  her  calm.

 

3:Make Eye contact

  Newborns  nursing   are  at the  perfect   distance  to  gaze  at  their  mothers  face.  Recent  research  suggests  that  they look for   eye  contact .   Remember  newborns  cannot  see   very far  , so  stay  within  a  foot   , make  eye contact  and  smile  at  her.

 

4. Talk to Them

   Babies  are  fans  of   simple  sounds –   Ma ma , Pa pa ,  Ba ba etc. These   sounds are easily   made  by  pushing  air  between  pressed  lips .  When   you  hear  them  making  these  sounds   say  it  right  back and watch   the response.  Eventually, you  will be  able to  develop a  whole  repertoire around  this.

5.  Change That  Diaper

Now,  this  is  one  that  dads  usually run  away  from .  This  messy job  need  to be  done  several  times a  day   and   smart  parents   turn  this  into a  game.   Make  eye  contact   with the  baby and  talk  to her     while   you tackle   this   messy   job .   Reward  them  with a  tummy tickle  or  a  hug   for  keeping   still .   As a  bonus   this  job  scores  you  points   With  the  mommy  as  well.

 

 

Author Bio:

Syama is a  mom of  3  energetic  kids.  She  loves  yoga,  hiking ,  baking  , solving  puzzles  and  her  kids not necessarily in that  order. In her past life as a  techie  she solved  problems  in  virtual  world.  Now  she  wears  many hats  trying  to  navigate the   challenges faced by  the modern family .  During  her  spare  time  you will find  her blogging  on  varied  subjects  like  maths  and travel .