The birth of your first baby equates to the birth of a new you—the new dad!  As most of the attention is on mom during the nine month preparation period, dad often gets left behind in learning about and preparing for his new life.  Having a family, and the birth of your first child, will forever change your lifestyle, environment, and thought process.  Dads need to be prepared to embrace this change.  Trust me, the rewards will be plentiful.  Just wait until your new baby smiles at you for the first time—or the first time they call you dad!

Newborns wake up every 2-3 hours (as you have likely learned) to have their diapers changed and to eat.  Yes, that means when they are up, so are you.  You are in for a serious change in lifestyle.  In the beginning, that means complete lack of sleep, which means things can spiral out of control. And quickly.  Pay attention to the tips in this guide, and instill them into your daily routine.  Remember that you and your partner are in this as a team.  Find ways to support and help each other out.

1. Teamwork.  Remember that you and your partner are in this as a team.  If mom is breastfeeding, she will likely be up for often than you.  Find other ways to help around the house and with the baby.  Make sure the house is clean, make breakfast in the morning, and get up for a few diaper changes in the middle of the night.  If you do it enough, you can almost change a diaper and re-swaddle in a semi-sleep.  And if you do this as often as possible, mommy and baby will love you even more.

2. Visitors.  Once you get home, you will be tired.  Everyone will be exhausted, busy, sore, hungry, and in a constant state of sleep deprivation.  Dad, it’s your job to keep the family and friends under control.  Help reduce the number of visits, phone calls, and repetitive questions by updating people via email and social media.

3. Diapers. Learn to change diapers.  This is not difficult but it is a little different depending on whether your baby is a boy or girl.  The best place to learn is at the hospital.  Have a nurse help you through the first change so you feel confident when you get home.  Learn the difference in using diaper cream, moisturizing cream, and baby powder.  Be the pro—remember mommy and baby will love you even more.

4. Swaddle. Not only should you learn to swaddle your baby, you should also become the “King of Swaddling” in your home.  Just as learning how to change diapers, learn how to swaddle your baby while you are at the hospital.  A good swaddle makes for a happy and confident baby!

5. Love & Affection. You might not feel the gushy emotions for your baby right away.  If you do, that is great!  If not, that is ok, too.  Give yourself time to process and adjust to your new life.  Make time to interact with your new baby one-on-one every single day.  Believe it or not, the diaper changes, swaddles, and pacing through the house in the middle of the night will help you bond with your baby.

6. Rashes & Baby Acne. The rash will go away.  With a newborn baby, mom and dad can get nervous if all of a sudden baby has a huge rash somewhere on the body.  Calm down, be patient, and reassure your partner that it is going to be ok.  Babies can develop red spots, redness, rashes, bumps, etc. very quickly and for a variety of reasons.  It could be something mom is eating or even something in the environment.  Most rashes will go away within 24 hours, just keep an eye on it.  If the rash persists for more than 24 hours, or your baby appears to be in severe discomfort, call or go see your doctor to make sure all is ok.

7. Get Outside.  Take your baby for a walk.  If you are home, and the baby has been changed and fed, offer to take your new bundle for a walk in the stroller or carriage.  Not only does this give mom a minute to go the bathroom in peace or even take a shower, it is an excellent opportunity for you to bond with your baby.

8. Routine.  Write down the routine.  Routines for babies are extremely important, and they are easy to lose track of when you are sleep deprived, trying to work, and not eating on a regular basis.  Grab and extra notebook, dedicate it to baby, and start writing down the following:

• Wake up time
• Pee or poo times
• What baby ate and when
• Sleep times
• Breastfeeding information

With all this information written down, you won’t have to worry about remembering the last time baby ate, or if they pooped today.  You will have all of the information in one spot.  You will start to learn your baby’s schedule, and suddenly, life gets easier.

9.  Cell Phone. Put down the cell phone when you are with your baby.  Give your baby your undivided attention when you are with them.  They deserve it!

10.  Support.  The last and most important rule is to be supportive of your partner.  Mom is always right-even if it sounds crazy.  Let her have the final say.  She needs to find peace, and you need to support her.  There is zero benefit in arguing over pacifiers, blankets, or types of diapers.  In the long run, it is more important to spend time with your new family, and help in any possible way you can.  I assure you, she will love you even more!

Good luck out there…you’ll do great!

Happy Parenting Dads!

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Parenting Expert and father of 7, Robert Nickell (aka Daddy Nickell) offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddy & Co., delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel for every stage of fatherhood, and the Daily Daddy Blog.  He is also the creator and producer of “My Life as a Dad,” the groundbreaking new web series that showcases celebrity fathers offering their personal experiences and parenting tips.

The post 10 Secrets Every New Dad Needs to Know appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

One of the first things expectant parents think about is how to prepare for their new baby.  In some cases this means getting a nursery together and in other cases it means organizing an area of their house or bedroom.  Regardless, there are a few essentials that every new baby needs:

• A Place to Sleep.  My wife and I prefer the co-sleeper for the first 2-3 months. This is a small crib-type bed that can be placed close to our bed in our bedroom (usually on the wife’s side so that it’s easier for breast feeding).  There are other benefits, as well, such as breathing and heart rate appear to coordinate better for the baby when sleeping in the same room as the parents.  It’s also easier for mom and dad to hear the baby and make sure all is OK.

• Diaper Changing Stations. I am a true believer in “Diaper Changing Stations.”  We live in a three story house, and I insist on a changing table on every floor.  It is important to always have the table in a ready position.  This means, having an inventory control system in place for; baby wipes, diapers, diaper cream, nasal aspirator, baby Q-Tips, burp cloths, fresh changing covers for the changing pad, onesies, and sleepers.  This is really important during the first 3 months as you are  often up in the middle of the night, lacking in sleep, and tempers can get short  when the baby is on the changing table. Ideally, you want everything in place and ready to go.

• Blankets & Burp Cloths. Always maintain a good supply of swaddling blankets and burp cloths.  Most new babies love the security of being swaddled to sleep and since they sleep a good portion of each day it’s great to keep plenty on hand.  Burp cloths are also a must have.  They protect your cloths when burping baby but are also essential for cleaning up spilled milk or spit-up.

• Diaper Disposal. I love the Dekor Diaper Pail. I have tried most every diaper pail on the market since I do have 7 kids, and the Dekor is the easiest to load, empty, and dispose of dirty diapers.  The smell is also kept to a bare minimum (you’ll find this important!).

• The Milk Inventory. Find a good place for formula storage and formula making if mommy is breast feeding and supplementing with bottles or if baby is solely bottle fed. Once again, have a good handle on inventory as bottles need to be cleaned, assembled, and be ready for either thawing frozen breast milk or setting up formula for the next feeding.

Although it is nice to have a beautiful nursery, with beautiful colors, book shelves, and fun pictures on the wall, it is really just for the parents. The baby does not even discover that world of their nursery until they are over 6 months, so you do not have to rush to set it up.  For us, even though we live in a large house, our babies usually spend the first year in our room. It is easier for hearing them, getting up in the night, and I believe it helps to improve the silent bonding that exists between children and their parents.

Good luck with your new baby!

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

The post Getting Your House Ready for Baby – A Daddy’s View appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Navigating through Daddyhood can be tricky, and even downright confusing at times. I’ve come up with the 4 C’s of Daddyhood. These 4 C’s remind me of what’s most important, they show me how to handle various daddy situations and help keep me calmly on the (sometimes bumpy) road that is daddyhood.

1. Consistency: First things first – being a dad is all about consistency. Success in daddyhood requires consistency in all aspects of parenthood: consistently making it home in time for family dinner; developing a routine your children will consistently look forward to every day; consistently finding quality time to spend with your kids; consistently setting a good example for your children to follow.  You kids will look to you, their dad, for advice, for help, for ideas, for really just about everything, and you need to be ready to be a dad who is consistent.

2. Communication: One of the single most important things you can do to navigate smoothly through daddyhood is to communicate effectively – not only with your wife but with your children, too. If something is unclear, ask questions; if you’re expected to be somewhere you find out all the details; and most importantly you let your family know just how much they mean to you each and every day. Sit down with your children and talk to them about anything and everything. You’ll be surprised by the things they tell you and your father-child bond will grow because of this special time spent working on keeping open lines of communication.

3. Control: Yes, you’re the man of the house, but that doesn’t mean you control how that house is run day-to-day. In fact, if there’s one thing I’ve learned through daddyhood it’s that you’ll have to give up a great deal of control. Things are not always going to work out how you wanted them to and you’ll have to learn to be flexible and roll with the punches. Your wife will likely have control over the weekly calendar and schedule, and you should thank her daily for keeping your family’s lives moving smoothly from day-to-day. You, as the daddy, however, can find control in organization and routine; figure out what works for you and stick to it!

4. Creativity: Possibly my favorite of the 4 C’s is creativity. As we struggle through day-to-day life it can be easy to forget to have fun and find enjoyment in the seeming mundane everyday moments. As a dad I work hard to turn simple tasks into enjoyable moments making my wife and children smile and laugh as often as possible. Be creative every single day and strive to make every moment enjoyable as time is fleeting and your children will be grown up before you know it.

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

The post The 4 C’s of Daddyhood appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

If you are nearing your wife’s due date you will absolutely want to be prepared and ready to go at a moment’s notice. There are certain items that all daddies need to bring to the hospital on delivery day. Keep in mind that Mother Nature does not always consider your plans. You should have a backpack ready to go, so you can get up and get moving – no matter when Baby decides to arrive.

The bag you pack for the hospital will be your toolbox for the incredible and unpredictable delivery of your baby.

You never know how long it is going to take. All women are different, and just because you’ve heard stories about a few moms squeezing their babies out before daddy can even put his scrubs on does not mean this will be your experience. Use the following list to create your perfect “Daddy Go Bag”.

1.  Bag – First and foremost you’ll need to obtain a bag.  Make sure the bag can be dedicated solely to the birth of your child, so it can sit by the door or in the trunk of your car and be ready to go; the bag should NOT have a dual purpose at this time.

2.  Reading material – Get your Kindle loaded with a new book to read, or pick up a paperback from your local bookstore that you would like to read and pack it away in your Daddy Go Bag.

3.  Music – An iPod, or similar music device is essential, and a portable speaker system is even better in case your wife wants to listen to music.  There are travel size speaker systems that work very well.   Also pack headphones in case mommy does not want to listen music at the same time you do.

4.  Toiletries – Don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste! Of equal importance are deodorant, a shave kit, personal shampoo and conditioner, face wash, contacts, solution, etc.

5.  Medications – If you take medication on a daily basis don’t leave this at home! I also suggest Advil or Tylenol for any aches, pains or headaches you may get from sleeping on that impossibly hard and uncomfortable hospital chair all night long.  Throat lozenges are good, as the hospital air can be dry, and you do not want to get sick.  I also suggest packing a bottle of personal hand sanitizer; there are machines all over the hospital, but it is always nice to have your own bottle to use whenever you want to or need to.  Chapstick will also help combat the dry hospital in the air so pack a tube or two.

6.  Nutrition – Pack plenty of water and snacks. Protein bars, nuts, cookies and fruit are always great go-to snack foods that you’ll be glad you have accessible when hunger strikes.

7.  Money – You’ll need change for parking, change for vending machines, possibly a Starbucks card as well as about $20 extra for that emergency run to the hospital cafeteria. Make sure you’re prepared for anything!

8.  Clothing – I highly recommend packing a set of DaddyScrubs for the big moment.  They are doctor inspired scrubs that are super comfortable for the new dad to wear throughout the entire hospital stay – from Labor to Delivery to Post Partum.  Pack a few extra t-shirts, socks and underwear, too. And take my advice on this one and pack a hat; you might not get a chance to shower and a hat will at least hide your crazy hair.

9.  For Her – Although she will pack her own hospital bag there are a few things you can pack in your bag for your wife that may come in handy. Preselect and sign a Hallmark Card to give to her after Baby arrives. Additionally, I suggest a “push gift,” which is a special something (necklace, earrings, bracelet, etc.) that you give to your wife once Baby arrives to share in the excitement and give her something extra to remember the day by.

10.  Most Important – Bring your “A-game”; be alert, awake, attentive, and ready to help and support your wife wherever and however you’re needed.  Remember, she is having the baby and you are there to help.  So bottom line: do not complain about being tired or hungry or express your reluctance to sleep on a chair. She is having a baby – cater to her every need!

Good luck guys – and welcome to fatherhood.

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

The post Packing the Daddy Go Bag appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

WITH SWEEPSTAKES AND EVENTS

Experience the giveaway frenzy

BRITAX plays a role in the upcoming Lionsgate movie “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, in theaters everywhere on May 18th, 2012, and the company is celebrating its Hollywood debut with a tour and sweepstakes.  Join the party as the BRITAX Expect Greatness Tour travels from city to city, in specially branded BRITAX and “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” mini-vans.  The tour offers great giveaways, great discounts, great parent education and of course, the great quality of BRITAX.  There is also an online promotion for those who can’t join the tour in person.

Expectant parents are urged to forget the ice cream and pickles and new parents are invited to run around with their toddlers at one of 40 tour events this May, surrounding the release of the film.  There, parents can touch, feel and buy great products and play fun games to win big prizes.  For example, spin the Wheel-of-BRITAX or weave through the stroller obstacle course for the chance to win a BRITAX stroller, BOB stroller, car seat, baby carrier, accessory or a ticket to the movie.  Winners take home product and bragging rights.  All attendees are victors, though, as there will be product-savings at each location.

Not located near an Expect Greatness Tour stop?  That’s okay; BRITAX is hosting an online sweepstakes, starting April 16th where participants could win one of 45 prize packages totaling more than $25,000.   Fans are asked to visit www.BritaxExpectGreatness.com or www.Facebook.com/Britax to enter.  Each week, winners will be chosen at random.  During the week of May 21st, two grand-prize winners will each win a prize package worth over $4,000 in BRITAX gear and cash! Don’t miss out on your chance to win!

The post Britax – What to Expect When You’re Expecting appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.