Ep.7 The First Few Days: Dads' Guide to Newborn Survival (Sleep Deprivation, Feeding Routines, Skin-To-Skin Bonding)

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Struggling with sleepless nights and endless diaper changes? Discover proven strategies to conquer the chaos of the early days of newborn parenthood. We'll walk you through the essentials—from the magic of power naps and the importance of teamwork in night shifts to creating a sleep-conducive environment. Plus, get expert tips on how to navigate feeding routines, master the art of burping, and recognize those subtle hunger cues that keep your baby content and well-fed.

But that's not all—our episode also highlights the deeply emotional power of skin-to-skin bonding. Find out how this simple yet profound practice can not only create a lasting connection with your newborn but also support their physical well-being. And dads, don't forget about self-care: maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and finding moments of relaxation are crucial for your overall well-being. Tune in for these insights and more, because your love and support are invaluable to your baby's life. You've got this, dads!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, we're back .
Episode seven, the first fewdays, dad's guide to newborn
survival.
We're talking sleep deprivation, feeding routines and skin to
skin bonding.
Let's get it.
We'll see you next time.
Welcome back, dads.
So your little bundle of joyhas arrived and you are

(01:02):
officially in the trenches ofnewborn parenthood.
Well, congrats.
But let's face it the first fewdays crazy, right?
Emotions going haywire, sleepdeprivation and endless diaper
change.
It just doesn't stop.
But trust me, dads, you gotthis.
Today, we're diving intonewborn care and offering some

(01:24):
tips to help you survive andthrive within these early stages
.
Let's check it out.
Sleep deprivation is a commontheme in the early days of
parenthood.
So let's talk about somestrategies to help you and your
partner get through those longnights.
Now, keep in mind this is anideal situation where both
parents live together.

(01:45):
So, for starters, let's talkteamwork.
Ever heard the phrase teamworkmakes the dream work.
Well, that applies here too,because there's not much
dreaming if you can't sleepright.
So I highly recommend applyingsome teamwork.
I mean, if possible, look, dowhat you can to apply that

(02:05):
teamwork, but share the nightshifts with your partner to
ensure you both get some restthroughout the day.
Let's talk power naps.
Take advantage of short napswhenever possible just to
recharge your batteries.
But keep in mind it was yourpartner that pushed out your
little bundle of joy and she hasbeen carrying your baby for

(02:25):
months already.
So why not double it, man?
Let her rest if possible.
Look, I know some places ofemployment may offer parental
leave, so if yours does, takefull advantage of it.
If not, still find somethingyou can put on hold to spend
time with your new baby.
You can put on hold to spendtime with your new baby.
Enjoy this time with your baby,but still get those power naps

(02:47):
in whenever you can and getright back at it.
Trust the bond that you makeearly can create a lasting
emotional connection between youand your child.
Create a sleep conduciveenvironment.
Some would say keep the roomdark, quiet and at a comfortable
temperature.
As far as the comfortabletemperature, I agree, but not

(03:10):
always.
A dark, quiet room is best fora sleeping baby, because the
slightest noise could easilywake them up.
So from experience, I actuallyprefer carrying on with your day
as normal so your baby can getused to its environment and the
sounds around it.
But when it's time to sleep, Ido suggest either using a white

(03:30):
noise or sound machine maybe asmart speaker, something like
that that could continuouslyplay some type of relaxing sound
.
This is to prevent your babyfrom having a jump scare.
This could happen with a singlering of a doorbell, bark of a
dog, someone just flicking alight on you know, now there may
be times where you have to turnyour child's sleeping pattern

(03:54):
around, especially if they beginto sleep more throughout the
day and then they're up allnight.
So I will be covering the artof the turnaround in another
episode, so stay tuned for thatone.
Let's talk about self-care.
Remember to prioritize your ownwell-being.
Eat healthy, stay hydrated andfind ways to relax when possible

(04:19):
, whether it's reading a book,watching your favorite show,
anything that will help yourelax.
Let's talk about feeding for asec.
Feeding your newborn can be adaunting task, whether you're
bottle feeding or supportingyour partner with breastfeeding.
Here's some tips.
Master the burp.

(04:39):
Burping your baby after eachfeeding can help prevent
spitting up and discomfort.
Birthing your baby after eachfeeding can help prevent
spitting up and discomfort.
Pay attention to your baby'shunger cues such as rooting,
sucking on fists or crying.
Patience is key.
Feeding can be messy andtime-consuming, but remember
every successful feed is a smallvictory.

(05:00):
Skin-to-skin bonding Beyond thepracticalities of feeding and
changing diapers, it's importantto focus on the emotional
connection with your baby.
Skin to skin contact is alwaysa powerful way to bond with your
newborn.
It helps regulate their bodytemperature, promotes
breastfeeding and can calm afussy baby.

(05:20):
Remember, dads, you are anessential part of your baby's
life.
Your presence, love and supportare invaluable.
Quick quote a father is a son'sfirst hero and a daughter's
first love.
Hey, dads, the first few daysmight be challenging, but
they're also filled withincredible moments.

(05:42):
Cherish them and rememberyou're doing an amazing job.
Of course, before we get out ofhere, as always, questions for
the dads.
Question number one Dads, whatstrategies have you found
helpful for coping with yoursleep deprivation during the
newborn phase?
Question number two how do youplan to balance your own needs

(06:07):
with the needs of your newborn?
And question number three whatare some ways you envision
bonding with your baby duringthose early days?
Share your newborn survivaltips in the comments below.
Let's create a supportivecommunity for new dads and don't
forget to like and subscribe toinstructions not included for

(06:28):
more dad-centric advice.
See you next time.
I and I.
That's why we say I and I.
There's a unity thing.

(06:51):
No, I unity, we are all oneSweet fight baby.