Tips for New Dads

Tips for New Dads

• Make a commitment. Sit down and think about your role as a parent, even before the baby arrives. Planning will reduce anxiety and help prepare you for what's coming.

• Attend prenatal classes with your spouse. You can get a head start on your fathering assignment during these classes.

• Seek peer support. You can learn a great deal about fatherhood by talking to other dads who are already "on the job."

• Don't waste energy fretting if you had no father model for your own parenting. If you're determined to get it right, and willing to learn as you go, you're likely to succeed.