Many dads feel they have a mission in raising their children – to protect them, introduce them to society, and accompany them through life.
If a father is involved in raising a child from the very birth, it gives the child a sense of reliability, security, and psychological well-being. Just as a woman may prepare to become a mother for 9 months, a man prepares to become a father.
When the baby is expected and parents are ready for his or her birth, both mom and dad can step into their new roles without psychological stress. A baby needs parents who feel themselves in a new capacity, capable of conscious parenthood, and ready to accept responsibility.
Becoming a Dad
Most men, imagining their future parenthood, dream about how they will go hiking and play board games with their children and make pancakes on Sunday mornings. But pictures of diaper changes and sleepless nights with a screaming baby is not usually in the imagination of future fathers.
Reality can be very different from fantasies and living in fantasy may not be good for a growing family. Fathers need to be open for a life where there is a little less time for daydreams. Life with a baby is here and now. As caregivers, specific actions are expected of adults in response to the baby’s needs.
Feeding a baby
It’s true that men biologically, men cannot produce milk like a woman may be able to do, However, if a mother wants some independence and flexible while breastfeeding, a father can be involved in the feeding process. Before leaving home, a mother could pump breast milk for the baby, which can be stored in the refrigerator. It is often recommended to leave breast milk on the top shelves for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Step-by-step instructions for preparing pumped breast milk:
1. Take the bottle out of the refrigerator and put the pacifier on it. If you got milk from the freezer, leave it to thaw at room temperature for 3-4 hours, then pour it into a clean and sterilized bottle.
2. The milk should be warmed using:
– bottle warmer (about 4 minutes);
– a bowl of warm water: it is important to make sure that the bottle does not turn over (5-6 minutes).
3. Shake the bottle – the milk should mix and become the same temperature.
4. To check the temperature of the milk, drop it on your wrist – if it is at body temperature, you can start feeding.
Step-by-step instructions for feeding baby with infant formula:
An essential point in bottle feeding is the quality of the formula used daily in your baby’s diet. The choice of the baby formula depends entirely on the child’s age. As your baby develops, his or her GI tract continues to mature, and the body’s need for nutrients changes. It is a natural process.
When choosing a baby formula, there are many things to keep in mind. Parents should pay attention to the labels on the box. They will help new dads and moms to make the right choice. For example, some labels may indicate hypoallergenic formula, lactose-free, or anti reflux nutrition. The label “BIO” will suggest that the products were made from environmentally friendly raw materials.
If you’re looking for European organic baby formula, it must bear a European label. Each package of formula has instructions for its preparation.
Instructions on formula will be written in easy-to-understand “language,” and each step is illustrated.
1. Prepare the water for the formula. Dad can do this with bottled baby water or purified tap water. In the first case, it will only have to be warmed to the appropriate temperature. In the second case, boil and cool it to the right temperature.
2. Pour the desired amount of water into a clean bottle and add the powder or liquid concentrate. Using the measuring spoon that comes with the formula, pour in exactly what the instructions say. A concerned dad may decide that where there is one spoonful, there is another, so let the baby eat more. Restrain your impulse. Overfeeding threatens severe digestive problems.
3. Drop the prepared formula on your wrist and check its temperature. It should not differ from your body temperature.
It is crucial that this time is devoted not only to care but also to communicating with the baby: expanding the child’s universe, giving him or her the understanding that the baby has a mom and dad, so different, but each of them in his or her way is so important!