Is it normal to feel anxiety about first child?
I'm a new father, about to have a child in a few days. I don't know what to do. I am freaking out.
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I'm a new father, about to have a child in a few days. I don't know what to do. I am freaking out.
Welcome to the club! All parents are anxious about the birth of any child. I can't think of anything more normal. But don't worry, instincts will kick in when you see your child. We are programmed that way. My advice, let mom sleep. If you can carry what feels like more of the burden at any time, do it. It is the hardest most rewarding thing you can do. But you got this.
What are you freaking out about exactly?
I took on the role of raising my nephew a short while after his birth, so I don’t have the experience with having a partner going through pregnancy or newborn care.
But my fiancée and I have been trying to get pregnant for a lil while now.
I know your girl might be a bit of a mama bear or be a little rude or snappy for a while after the birth lol. Just be a Yes Man for the first couple days if that’s how it goes.
Your feelings are normal, but you need to take your focus off yourself right now and give your attention to your partner and then to your baby.
I know most men are terrified of doing this, but if you could talk to some other men who've had or are expecting children, I think you'd find others have gone through the same thing and come out the other side.
Actually, I think the anxiety so many new parents experience is an evolutionary thing: newborns are very vulnerable and need a lot of attention if they are to survive.
Instincts will kick in. If your wife has trouble getting the baby to latch for breast feeding look into something called nipple shields. I wish someone would have recommended it to us. Our baby would never latch and my wife pumped from then on. Pumping sucks.