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2nd Trimester
Anyone else with a clueless DH?
My DH is 100% clueless about babies. He also likes the excuse that he "can't do something" because he "doesn't know how". I can easily see this turning into him handing me the baby when he needs a diaper change, spits up, has explosive poops, etc...
Uh...nuh-uh. Not going to happen. So, do I force him to change the diapers on a teddy bear like I saw a lady do on A Baby Story? I'm sure he will feel ridiculed (which I don't want) and will not learn much, if anything, from it. Or do I wait and let him use our child as his guinea pig? Now, I know he's not a bonehead and will handle his child well, but I just want him to feel comfortable with it. I don't want him to be afraid of his own child.
Just wondering if others have these concerns and how you plan on dealing with them. Thanks!
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Re: Anyone else with a clueless DH?
our hospital offers a "first time parents" class to teach us about diapering and bathing and what not. We are gonna go and I think it will help DH get confident about it (not that I know much either) and then he'll have no excuses either.
See if one of these classes is offered near you and send him to it!!! Every guy I know who has been to it LOVED it -- it's all guys (taught by guys, guys in the class and graduates returning with their kids).
https://www.bootcampfornewdads.org/
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
I say let him use the child as a guinea pig, with supervision of course:) . I think men learn quicker than they let on and it's not like putting a diaper on wrong will kill the kid.
My DH is totally scared to hold newborns but I know that once the baby is ours he will be fine. So many men I know say that when it was their own child they felt completely at ease holding them and it felt natural. He'll learn.
i also think that parenting is a leaning process for all of us. Unless you have been around a lot of children or worked in a daycare there is so much to learn and we'll do it together.
?2 guys at my office did this and really loved it. I don't know if it was that one in particular but I would also recommend it based on thier reviews.??
Oh and i should add. DH was left home alone with our nieces once for like an hour and had to change a diaper on a 6 month old. He put it on backwards:) It was funny, she survived. It also took him 15 minutes to figure out how to undress the older one (the snaps of her bodysuit were tricky) so she ended up not quite making it to the toilet.
I would sign you both up for the first time parenting class if your hospital has one. I would NOT force anything- particularly with a teddy bear. Once that baby comes he will be in awe of you for what you did and want to take care of you that he will change diapers- and somewhat gladly- in the beginning.
My DH is a guys' guy and swore from TTC that he wouldn't touch the diapers- esp'y on a girl. And while he didn't change many diapers once he went back to work, he did do it and didn't complain in the beginning when I was healing. Even though my DD had a knack for ARCHING her pee and spraying him!
I know I'm not supposed to post on this board yet....but I'm bored at work...so...
I'm from Kalamazoo and I know Bronson offers a boot camp for dads. It wouldn't be too far from GR if you wanted to come down for the day. It's a Saturday morning and I think they offer it once a month. The website is bronsonhealth.org. And I'm sure there's somewhere up there that offers the same thing. I'm making my Dh go to one...he needs it!!
Good luck!