Parental Role Division
Mothers often take on most of the responsibility for feeding, soothing and daily routines and can find this overwhelming. Fathers sometimes feel sidelined but getting involved in bathtime, bedtime and play routines helps them develop strong connections with their child. If you or your partner need help, please see our resource page to get to a list of helpful organisations (e.g., Coram, Dadvengers, Fatherhood Institute, One Plus One).
Bespoke Roles
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At the initial stage the baby's going to be very reliant on mum - feeding and contact, although it's important the baby to have contact with me. At the initial stage mum is the focus and I see my role at that point really as to make sure that everything else that she can't be doing is done. So, I see my job as to keep the house tidy, keep people away when she doesn't want to see people, tidy up - that sort of thing, do the cooking and that kind of stuff. I really see it as sort of my role as helping with the routine, although baby won't understand it at that point, once they are able to understand it, I think it will help them.
Change in Priorities
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That's what having a baby is, that's what happens. Your, your life is not your life anymore, you now have this child. You look after them, you do what they need. That's the whole point of it, it's not, "I can carry on going off and doing what I wanted to do, what I used to do," because that isn't what you do. Umm, your priorities change, your responsibilities change and that's just what the whole point of having a baby and being a family is.
