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Hi, this is Dan from Dad Psych.

New or expectant dad?

Freaking out?

Say no more. 

Every Wednesday, we break it down so you don’t have a breakdown.

Here’s what we’ll be covering today:

• 👨🏻‍👶🏻 Dads, skin-to-skin with your newborn matters

• 😲 Dad loses HALF his body weight for fatherhood 

• 😂 Hilariously ‘cringe’ reader story of the week

• 🤦‍♂️ Dad joke of the week

Dads, skin-to-skin with your newborn matters 👨🏻‍👶🏻

Skin-to-skin contact with your newborn is more powerful than you might think. Beyond creating a bond, it plays a crucial role in soothing and comforting your baby.

A study I came across explored how skin-to-skin contact between dad and baby can help relax the newborn and even encourage sleep.

What happened?
29 father-infant pairs participated in a randomized trial that took place directly after the mother’s C-section. Some babies were held skin-to-skin with their dads, while others stayed in a cot. The team monitored crying time, wakefulness, and prefeeding behavior every 15 minutes.

The results
Babies held by dads cried significantly less—within 15 minutes of skin-to-skin contact, crying dropped (p < 0.001). They also became drowsy faster; within 60 minutes versus 110 minutes for the cot group.

Overall, infants in the skin-to-skin group stopped crying, calmed down, and became drowsy faster than those in the cot group. Researchers noted that fathers can support the infant’s prefeeding behavior during this crucial period and should be seen as the primary caregiver when mother and baby are separated.

Our takeaway
Dads, this study shows how important contact with your baby is at the very beginning and even makes a case for continuing the practice into the future.

Skin-to-skin contact is something you can easily do at home to help your baby feel calm and comforted. By holding your newborn close, you’re not only relaxing them but also creating a special bond that could last for the rest of your life.

Also, when mom needs a break, stepping in with some skin-to-skin time is a simple and natural way to connect with your little one.

Read the full, fascinating report here

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Dad loses HALF his body weight for fatherhood 😲

Isaiah Caldwell, 28, from Missouri, was determined to become a dad after discovering his 434-pound weight (that’s 31 stone for UK heads) could be affecting his fertility.

Eager to start a family, he switched to a carnivore diet, eating only meat, eggs, and dairy, paired with regular workouts.

He’s now lost 210 pounds (15 stone), weighing 224 pounds (16 stone), and feels healthier and more prepared for fatherhood.

tips hat

While the diet helped Isaiah, it’s essential to remember that cutting out major food groups can be risky. Missing out on key nutrients could affect long-term health, so it’s important to have a chat with your doctor before trying drastic diets, especially for new dads wanting to stay healthy for their future children.

Had to say that in case one of you tries it and gets scurvy.

Our takeaway: Sorry for making this sound like a Weight Watchers meeting but it’s an incredible transformation and shows what becoming a dad pushes you to do.

Do what you’ve gotta do to be that warrior you need to be when baby arrives/gets older. But don’t hurt yourself doing it.

Dad Psych readers story (NSFW) 📧

When I saw this trickle into my inbox, I couldn’t leave it sitting there.

Enjoy!

"Hi Dan, I had to share this with you. Hope you can publish it without worrying too much about the content:

So, I'm from the West, and my wife is from Asia. We live in her home country, and after trying for a baby for about six months with no luck, we decided to see a local doctor for some advice. Now, things work a bit differently here in Southeast Asia compared to the West, especially when it comes to privacy—there is none. Keep that in mind.

Anyway, the doctor wanted a sample of my 'small men'—his words, not mine. I assumed the glorious event would take place at home, and I'd just bring the 'troops' back in a cup later. No. They wanted it done in a special ‘masturbation room’. I kid you not. The nurse handed me a cup and gestured toward the door.

I joked, ‘I’m married, no thank you,’ but her expression said it all, like she’d heard that five times already today, and it was only 8 AM.

So, I did as I was told and entered the room of dreams, or should I say nightmares? Nicotine-stained walls (yes, in a hospital), frosted windows, and an L-shaped couch that definitely hadn't been cleaned in a while. Oh, and for ‘material’, they had a few posters of women in underwear. Truly a romantic setting for what was about to go down. Couldn’t top it. Anyway, I decided to move to the bathroom, which at least seemed cleaner, and put something a bit more interesting on my phone.

When I finished, I walked out of the second exit, slightly embarrassed, only to find an entire waiting room full of people staring at me, knowing exactly what I'd been up to. Then, in front of everyone, the nurse shouts in the local language, ‘Doctor, he's finished now!’, which sent about ALL% of the room into giggles.

The doctor told me my sperm quality wasn’t great, so I went home feeling a bit worried. But, one day later, according to our tracker, I made my wife pregnant.

What a completely unnecessary procedure."

Our takeaway: Lads, there’s nothing wrong with getting your sperm checked out if things aren’t going as planned in the babymaking department. Just know, that if you’re in the west, it’s probably more discreet.

Dads! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll feature it in the coming editions.

Dad joke of the week

Let this one sit for a bit. Thank me later.

That’s about it for now, have a great week.

- Dan from Dad Psych

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