Many new dads will feel a rush of love and protective instincts when their new baby is…

Many new dads will feel a rush of love and protective instincts when their new baby is born. Some might not feel this connection immediately thus taking slightly longer to form a bond. There are things a new dad can do to help build a strong connection with their new baby including bathing, reading a story and talking to the baby, holding them skin to skin, baby massage, going for a walk and soothing baby when he cries. It's good for dad to get involved in these activities for bonding but also to help relieve some of the pressure from mum. There is a popular misconception that a dad must feed the baby to form a bond - this is simply not true. There are many women who exclusively breastfeed without expressing and the babies have fantastic relationships with their dads. My 2 1/2 year old is one of those - he wont leave his dad alone now but used to be very clingy to me! If a baby is formula fed from the start then obviously dad can help with that but the bond wont be any different to the ones that don't feed them. . Don't expect too much - a newborn baby who is breastfed will likely settle better when with mum on the breast. Don't take this personal, its just how babies are programmed to be. In fact babies will tend to settle better with whoever the main carer throughout the day is - regardless of feeding. By getting involved in the activities listed above, over time your baby will grow to know and love you as their daddy! . . . . . . . . . #dads #father #dadtobe #newdad #fatherson #breastfeeding #bottlefeeding #4thtrimester #bonding #midwife #postnatal #postpartum #skintoskin #family #love #normalisebreastfeeding #postpartumdoula #therapy #counselling #newborn #newbaby #babyboy #babygirl #thirdtrimester