Dave and John talk about being in the thick of the newborn phase, from changing clothes for the first time, hearing tests (for the babies, not the husbands) and how much time to take off work.

The boys share their experience of baby blues and how they could best support their partners in their roles of caring for the newborns.

The Wonder Weeks: https://www.thewonderweeks.com/

The 5 S's for Getting Baby To Sleep: https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/baby/the-5-s-s-for-soothing-babies

How to Cut Your Own Hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUwR_CbezmQ

Modern Day Dad Challenges:

• Dave’s Surprise: The golden bullet strikes again
  • I believe the words used where ‘baby making machine’
• Hospital stay:
  • First night - what our experiences were
  • Tests done on babies in the hospital:
    • hearing
    • Hepatitis b and vitamin K vaccine
  • Breast feeding
    • Collecting colostrum
    • Latching
    • Many opinions presented as fact
    • Nipple confusion - bottles and dummies
  • Skin to skin contact
  • Swaddling to stop moro reflex
• Back home:
  • Putting bub in the car seat for the first time
  • Introducing bub to pets
  • The importance of the first month - western vs eastern cultures
  • How long to take off work
  • Challenges we faced
    • Dave: Overtiredness, learning wake windows, googling fucking everything, first bath, being overly anxious about her sleep
  • Baby blues:
    • Mood swings, anxiety, stress, overwhelm. 80% of women experience the baby blues
    • Occur between 3-5 days post birth
    • Rapidly changing hormone levels that happen during birth and soon after.
    • Birth experience can also play a role
    • PND rate according to the national institute of health ‘Postpartum depression most commonly occurs within 6 weeks after childbirth. PPD occurs in about 6.5% to 20% of women. It occurs more commonly in adolescent females, mothers who deliver premature infants, and women living in urban areas.’

• Eat, burp, change, sleep, repeat (and cuddles)
• ‘Sleep while baby sleeps’
• Nappy changes
  • Dont leave poop too long as it can cause skin irritation
  • Any redness of skin needs cavilon, bepanthan, sudocrem
  • Female anatomy, wipe front to back
  • Male anatomy, get all the crevices
• Tummy time, contrasting colours
• Trying to eat meals while they’re still hot

What Dad’s Didn’t Teach (John): 5min

• Alex's Pram modification
• Teach your wife to cut your hair - actually, thats a risk, cut your own hair
  • Talk about the fade tutorials on YT

Dad Hack/Advice (Dave): 5min

• Make household chores fun with toddlers:
  • As blokes we constantly have a to do list of what needs to be done around the house
  • Get the kids involved and make a game of it
  • Studies show that kids who are involved in chores at a young age tend to do better academically and have improved problem solving skills
  • Kids love to feel needed and part of the team “help”