Being a Hands on Dad : Advice for Your Better Half

Evidence suggests that child development is better when the child has close relationships with both parents right from an early stage.¹

Here are few ways in which your partner can play a role in supporting you after child birth^1,2

• After the childbirth, when you are resting, your partner can help spread the good news of arrival of newborn to family and friends.
• He can have a list of important people and their phone numbers ready to call from the hospital.
• At the time of the discharge from the hospital, he will have to make adjustments of the car seat.
• It is important for your partner to have some basic information about postpartum depression (PPD).
• If he notices any signs and symptoms of PPD, he can help you in dealing with it or by taking you to the doctor.
• He can bring the baby to you for feedings.
• He can help you by burping the baby and changing the baby afterward.
• He can offer help in feeding the baby, if you pump the breast milk into a bottle.
• He can participate with you in patient education sessions that provide information about general health and wellbeing advice e.g., nutritional diet, exercise, rest and relaxation, healthy lifestyle habits, and contraception.
• He can talk to other parents regarding how they managed to adjust with a new baby.

• After childbirth, your old roles as a couple shift and you need to adapt to new ones.²
• Your partner spending time with you can make the transition easier.²
• Remember, fathers have major influence on your health choices and experience during pregnancy and after childbirth.¹
• Working with your partner as a team can help make the experience better for both of you and your new baby.²