LPT Request: Expectant Father

bearded_pacifist · 1 year

Pre birth:

make smoothies using frozen strawberries, blueberries, and OJ. You can add surprising amounts of baby spinach and not alter the taste or color.
pregnancy is tough emotionally, be really sympathetic of what she's going through.
exercise a lot now b/c after the baby arrives you'll have a lot less time.
prenatal vitamins for the expectant mom
light exercise for the expectant mom is also great.

Post-birth:

breastfeeding is great and raises IQ
bring comfy clothes to the birth
buy a good digital baby monitor (audio or audio + video), otherwise you'll have to listen to constant noise.... or I suppose co-sleep.
get the 'happiest baby on the block' dvd, it demos very useful approaches to baby calming)
if it's a boy, do not circumcise it.

freelanceterry · 1 year

Variety of munchies on hand at all times...and if you don't have it and are forced to make a snack/food run - always buy multiples of it. This will save you trips.

The absolute best tip - from guy to guy here - is to completely be on board with her breastfeeding. Advocate for it even. This will completely help you with the lack of sleep stuff. Not to be a dick about it...because breastfeeding is universally recommended by peer-reviewed studies of baby development...but when that kid wakes up at 3:00 a.m. hungry as shit....you ain't got the titties man! Best thing ever. When she goes back to work and has to pump...that's when you'll be able/required to help out a bit more perhaps. Again, even writing this makes me feel like an asshole - but I've had kids on both formula and breast feeding and man...for your health and sanity (and the kids health...) - breastfeeding is awesome!

Co-sleepers that go right next to the bed are great....or, we had one that you put right between us w/ padded bumper things. If you have a large enough bed, this is great too.

Epidural(?). Get it and get is as early as possible. Again, this is a night/day thing when it comes to labor - we've done it both ways. It's so awesome. It's so awesome. It's SO awesome. I mean, hey, it's technology right? If you have a headache, no biggie taking ibiprofen or soemething right? And hell...you're already using a ton of med research, technology, drugs during this process (drugs to induce labor, etc.) - heart monitors, blood tests, baby "stress" monitors, fully trained doctors, staff....hell, you probably got to the hospital in car and not a horseless carriage amirite? Use the technology our brains have given us. Get the epidural(?).

TeamYMD · 1 year

Hey man! First off, congrats! My wife and I currently have a 9 month old boy. I'm 31 and my wife is 28. We went through a birthing class, and she had the baby the traditional way (with meds of course...lol.) Ask away and hopefully I can share some experiences.

MrGadams · 1 year

What exactly do you want to know?

Just so you know, there's really no humor or hyperbole that can get you through the initial no-sleep phase. It blows. People will try to laugh it off, and maybe that's how they had to cope with it, but no sleep + going to work for months eventually got me fired.

And fuck what all the hippies say, let your baby cry it out and don't sleep with them for too long.

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