Technique

The intricacies of fatherhood is comprised of many things, unfortunately being a dad for a week has not enlightened me to too many of the secrets at this time. But I will share these various techniques that has made me a better father to my daughter.

1. Swaddling- It's important to learn how to swaddle so that the baby feels safe and secure, in a tight fashion, just like when they lived inside of mamma. Sometimes baby get startled by their own involuntary movements. Like when I'm dreaming about playing ultimate, I may extend my arm out for a bid, and hit my wife, but that's another story. Not sure what babies are dreaming about, but they squirm just as much as we do in our sleep, except it's weird for them. When things are weird, babies tend to freak out, and then start crying. If a baby starts crying before they wet or poop in their diaper, or before a scheduled feeding time, this is going to make any dad or mom unhappy in the middle of the night. So it's best to swaddle, so how do you do it?

Take blanket, (preferably cotton or fleece like material, no silk or something slippery like) and lay it on a flat surface, but lay it down with a corner pointed at your crotch, you don't want one of the sides of the blanket in front of a crotch. The corner in front and opposite of your crotch should be folded down about into the center of the blanket about 6 inches or so, basically not quite halfway into the blanket and more 1/3 to 1/4. Since I couldn't find and visuals, let's repeat here. At this point, the 4 cornered rectangular blanket will not only have 3 corners and the top corner will be folded into itself to have a flat edge.

On this fold (flat edge) is where you'll place your baby's head (face up, of course). You'll have to experiment if that means the whole head, half head, or base of the head, etc.

Now you take the left corner for your righties and fold it over the front of thebaby's body. There should be enough blanket that it will go across the front of the baby's body and then still have enough material to tuck it under the baby's body. If there's too much slack, just reposition the baby and start all over. If your baby is young or tends to scratch at its face, it may be more beneficial to have it's right are down by the baby's side before folding the left corner over the baby's body. If your baby likes to suck it's fist or fingers, and you don't mind, then place both of its hands near its face when swaddling.

Next you take the lower corner of the blanket (one closest to crotch) and bring that up towards the baby's left shoulder and tuck that corner underneath the shoulder. The important thing to remember is that both feet are secured and will not poke out if it kicks or squirms. So if this isn't possible, you may have to start all over and reposition in a fashion that you have enough blanket below the baby's feet.

Rounding third, heading for home now, you take the final corner on the right hand side and bring that over the baby's body, making sure it's snug, and securing the the previous folds from slipping out, and tucking the excess material underneath the baby's body. Also, you'll want arm placement consistency here, either at its side or near the face. Again it's important that the feet are secured in this fold. The baby's own weight will keep the baby from un-doing all your hard work.

One of the most common mistake is to loosely swaddle which is a waste of time, because the baby will eventual fun in a short amount of time. Of course no swaddle is impervious to getting loose, but the more snug it is, the better the swaddle, and longer the baby and you may get to sleep. Also another common problem is the baby's ability to kick through the swaddle, so it's important to have the folds that go across the leg to be snug and have enough blanket to keep them secure.


2. Cloth Diapering/disposable diaper changing- the key here men is speed. Isn't all things measured by how fast we do things? Like most things, we don't want to fall into "haste makes waste." The trick is to be Navy Seal like, fast and efficient. Also like the military you want to be prepared for the battle before you're wrist deep in doo doo. So like a good surgeon or NASCAR pit crew, you'll want to lay out all the things you will need before you take off a diaper.
Things one will need:

1. Appropriate changing surface
2. anti-bacterial gel
3. new diaper
4. moist wash cloth/baby wipes
5. place to dispose diaper
6. post diaper changing plan
7. misc items

First you'll need to find an appropriate changing surface, whether it's a changing pad on the floor, changing table, in the crib, etc.

Next you'll want to practice good hygiene as you'll be in contact with baby's delicate genitalia, so slather on that anti bacterial gel, or wash your hands with soap.

New diaper-whether cloth or disposable, you'll want to have a steady supply of them. Before even removing the diaper, you'll want to have new one laid out-flat, with all the adhesives ready to stick, etc. If you're cloth diapering, it's all the same, except you'll also want the option for a new cover in case it's stained or wet.

Undo the dirty diaper, if it's just pee, great, cuz it's going to be easy breezy. If it's poo, take the clean part of the diaper and wipe down (front to back) the poop. More poop in the diaper less chance that it'll get on your hands and more efficient use of diaper wipes or wash cloth.

Once baby's been wiped with the diaper, grab both or one leg of the baby, kind of like your going to hog tie a calf, and raise baby's butt of the diaper. Pull dirty diaper away, and set aside for disposal. While holding onto the baby's legs, and butt off the changing surface, take baby wifes/moist cloth and wipe down baby front to back. Don't want to go back to front and have poop or debris near baby's genitalia.

Now that baby is poop free and clean, take new diaper and slide it underneath the baby. Lower baby's butt on diaper and reposition if necessary. Now if this is a newborn and the poop is that paste like black stuff, you'll want to put some vaseline on the diaper, so that you can smear the vaseline on the baby's butt, genitalia, legs, etc. This is to prevent that black stuff from getting caked on the skin and easier clean up. Now close up the diaper and you're all set.

Now we're back to swaddling the baby if that's the post diaper change plan or hand of clean diapered baby to someone, or whatever. If baby is diapered, now you go back to disposing of the dirty diaper, and whatever clean up.

If you're cloth diapering, I've found that the flying angel wing technique good, also using the snappi fasteners has also made cloth diapering neater, in that there hasn't been any leaks of any kinds.

3. Consoling- Dads need to have a good repertoire of ways to console a crying baby or fussy baby. When mamma is frustrated or too tired to deal with crying baby, guess who's on deck to help out- you are. So have a good list of things that your baby is going to like including, singing, dancing, reading, rocking in the glider, multiple ways to hold/position the baby, different music (preferably one with a good distinct beat like reggae or something), changing diapers, swaddling, going for a walk, bouncing seats, swings, etc.

I'm sure there are many more techniques out there that dads need, but these are my top 3 for the moment.