Mathew Miller

Becoming a dad is both an exhilarating and a terrifying experience. Planning ahead and being prepared are the best ways to handle what’s coming up in the next nine months and beyond. Doing what you can ahead of time, such baby-proofing your house and packing your hospital bag, will save precious time later on and help you feel like you’re in control (at least a little bit).

Immunizations are a very hot topic today for Dad's and one that many parents have vehement opinions about. Although studies haven't supported fears that immunizations are responsible for the increase in children diagnosed with some form of autism, a brain disorder that now affects 1 in 105 babies in the United States, many parents believe the increase in immunizations and increase in autism are tied together.

The idea of having your baby at home may appeal to you and your partner. Home delivery may be an option for you if you meet all the following strongly suggested guidelines: You've found a midwife who's willing to deliver at your home. You live fairly close to a medical facility in case of emergencies. You're not delivering in Montana in January or any other area where roads are impassable during the part of year you're due.

Something to have in your new dad's arsenal is a doula. Although the word doula may have you picturing some sort of metal-studded medieval torture device, a doula actually can be a soon-to-be dad's secret weapon — one that can take some of the pressure off your very tense shoulders. A doula is a person, generally a woman, with a comprehensive understanding of the birthing process.

Pack a bag for the hospital in advance so that when your pregnant partner goes into labor, you’ll be ready to race out the door without worrying about finding deodorant and a phone charger. Your mind will be focused on the labor and new baby, so if you aren’t prepared in advance, you’ll probably forget items you wish you had.

Not all safety measures need to be in place by the time baby comes home from the hospital. But before the first six months are up, you’ll need to make sure to baby-proof with some basic safeguards installed in the following areas of your home: Stairways: Install baby gates at the top and bottom. Never use a pressure-mounted baby gate at the top of the stairs, because it may fail.

Knowing how much food a breast-fed baby is getting is very difficult, especially when your partner is just starting out. To make sure baby is getting enough milk, keep track of wet and poopy diapers for the first week, taking note of the number and type of soiled diapers. Comparing your notes to the following norms can put your mind at ease or can alert you to a breast-feeding issue that may need attention: Every day, baby should dirty 8 to 12 diapers total.

A pregnant woman has more prenatal doctor’s appointments than you’d ever expect, but the checkups are necessary to monitor her health and the growth and health of the baby. To screen for complications, the obstetrician (OB) performs different tests on the mother and baby at various stages of the pregnancy, an

Nobody likes to feel like he doesn’t understand what’s going on, but when you enter a strange new environment — like the labor and delivery floor — it’s normal to feel completely out of your element. When it seems as if everyone is speaking a foreign language, you may feel intimidated, overwhelmed, and ready to hide behind a newspaper or magazine so you don’t have to deal with feeling or sounding like an uninformed dad.