Welcome back!
1. Becoming a good lover takes time. So does becoming a good father. Donating sperm may have been easy, but fatherhood can be a lot more rewarding. Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process.
2. Diaper duty earns big points. So does feeding, rocking, and bathing your baby. Any hands-on fathering will be a big help to your partner and your baby.
3. Your wife will be herself again. Yes, she is probably on duty 24 hours a day with baby on the brain. No, she probably isn”™t much fun right now. But life will return to normal as the three of you adjust to your new situation.
4. Your wife still needs you. Stay nearby and be patient. You may not recognize the woman you partnered up with 9 or 10 months ago, but she is still in there.
5. You will have sex again. With your wife. Given a little time, you can resume some of your more enjoyable husbandly duties.
6. Postpartum disorders are no one”™s fault. It is normal for new moms to experience some sort of postpartum mood disorder. It”™s not your fault, or hers either. Some symptoms are temporary. All are treatable.
7. Sleep helps. Your wife is probably getting a fraction of the sleep she used to. You may be on the light side as well. Helping each other get more sleep is one of the most important things you can do to help everyone feel better.
8. Trust your instincts. Different “experts”, including the guy in line at the grocery store, will tell you to handle your baby a different way. Trust yourself, your wife and your baby to tell you what you need to know.
9. Your baby needs to play with you. Here is a case where having fun is the right thing. Playing stimulates your baby”™s mind and body to develop in healthy ways. You may feel more playful right now than your wife, so go for it.
10. Learn when to ask for help. Life can be stressful with a new baby. It should get easier with time. If things get worse, or simply don”™t improve, it is time to ask for help. Check out www.Mommy-Muse.com for information and great resources.
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Getting Baby to Sleep (finally)! On a recent episode of The Mommy-Muse Is In: Empowering Your Journey into Motherhood, I discussed the all important issue of getting your baby to sleep with Karen Pollak of Babies2Sleep.com. This perinatal counselor and sleep coach was quick to point out that there is a "magic ten week mark"...... -
Postpartum Expert Dr. Shoshanna Bennett LIVE on The Mommy-Muse Is In! Life with your new baby isn't what you expected? It's O.K.! Dr. Shoshanna Bennett, author of Pregnant on Prozac and Postpartum Depression For Dummies, is joining us to help. "Dr. Shosh" is the "go-to" expert for postpartum depression. She not only survived two rounds of postpartum depression, she founded Postpartum...... -
The Official Mommy-Muse.com™ List of What Not to Say to New Moms It should be obvious to anyone with a little common sense that one should not to say certain things to postpartum women. Oddly, these phrases still come out of people’s mouths, apparently bypassing their brains completely. For the benefit of people who care to be sensitive, as well as...... -
Fresh Serving of The Week's Best Postpartum Mood Disorder Posts! Here you go! A fresh serving of great blog posts from sister blogs around the web. I ALWAYS appreciate the first hand accounts of postpartum depression. They can go a long way toward helping new parents recognize and seek treatment for postpartum issues they might be struggling with. Dealing with...... -
Babies2Sleep.com Expert Eases Your Sleep Challenges! Suzanne from Kittaning, PA, was our lucky listener on the most recent episode of The Mommy-Muse Is In: Empowering Your Journey into Motherhood. She wrote the first listener question to be asked on the air of our special guest, Babies2Sleep.com expert Karen Pollak. As a result, Suzanne gained valuable information......
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brilliant advice for new dads! wish my husband read this when my first son was born!
Great advice for new dads!