How to be a new dad

Who knew someone so tiny could be so intimidating? Here's what every new father needs to know.

You Will Need:

* Baby supplies
* Imagination
* Patience
* Paternity leave

Step 1: Be prepared
Practice operating all the baby paraphernalia—car seats, carriages, cribs, and so on—before you bring the baby home.

Step 2: Bond immediately
Snuggle your baby as soon as possible after delivery—especially if it was delivered by cesarean. Studies show that C-section babies cry less and fall asleep more quickly if their dads cuddle them immediately after they’re born.

Step 3: Be patient with your wife
Expect mood swings from your wife; her pregnancy-related hormonal fluctuations don’t end when the baby is born. In fact, they are at their worst a few days after childbirth, and continue for a few weeks.

Step 4: Monitor your emotional health
Monitor your own emotional health. Many new dads experience depression during the first few months of their newborn’s life. If you have postpartum blues, don’t be afraid to seek help.

Step 5: Hold your baby correctly
Make sure the baby’s head is well supported, and be gentle. Men tend to be more physical with newborns—so take care not to shake or bounce your baby too hard.

Step 6: Bathe your baby
Share bathing duties with your spouse. An 11-year study found that children who were bathed by their dad three or four times a week established more solid friendships in childhood than those who were bathed exclusively by their mom.

Step 7: Expect to feel sentimental
Don’t be surprised if you feel sappy and emotional. Newborns stimulate a temporary increase in estrogen and decrease in testosterone in many new fathers.

Fact:
Generation X fathers—those born between 1965 and 1974—spend 1.2 hours more per day with their children than baby boomer dads did.