How Long Babies Sleep:

A newborn baby may sleep as much as 16 hours or more in stretches of 3 to 4 hours at a  time. At first, these short stretches of sleep may be frustrating for you as they interfere with your sleep pattern. Have patience — this will change as your baby grows and begins to adapt to the rhythms of life outside the womb. As your baby grows, his/her periods of awakeness will increase.

When Babies Cry:

Crying is a new baby’s first means of communication. As time goes on, parents get a little more familiar to the type of cry and what the baby is communicating, but at first, every cry seems the same. A cry from your baby probably means one or more of the following:

• Baby is wet
• Baby is hungry
• Baby is bored or lonely
• Baby needs attention
• Baby has had too much attention
• Baby is in pain
• Baby is tired
• Baby is waking up
• Baby needs to poop
• Baby is uncomfortable (too hot, too cold, too constricted)

Picking Up, Carrying, and Laying Baby Down:

You may worry about accidentally dropping or mishandling your baby. Relax. Even severely sleep-deprived moms and dads rarely drop their children. When handling your new baby make sure you support weak neck muscles during the first four weeks. Here is how to keep your baby’s head from flopping around like a bowling ball at the end of a wet noodle:

• Picking Up: Face your baby and gently slide your hand under his/her shoulder blades. Place your palm on the back of his/ her neck, using your fingers to support the head. Slip your other hand firmly underneath the baby’s buttocks. Lift her/him up slowly against your chest as sudden movements can startle the baby.
• Carrying: There is a variety of safe holds. You can cradle your baby in the crook of your arm or lean him/her up against your chest. Use both hands and always support the head and neck. Avoid the temptation to answer the phone or open the refrigerator while carrying your child. Always place your baby in a safe place while doing other activities.

• Laying Down: Lean down while keeping your baby against your chest, one hand behind his/hers head, the other supporting his/her back or bottom until your baby is safely resting on his/her back. Infants should always be placed on their backs in a cradle, crib, or bassinette. Doing this reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Short periods of tummy time are fine under supervision.

Diapering: 

For many dads, the thought of changing a diaper is gross. They think that since they don’t know how to do it, there is no reason to learn and so they leave it up to mom. However, if mom can do it, so can you. Your baby’s diaper should be changed right after it gets wet or soiled. Leaving it on any longer could result in diaper rash.

For More Information Visit 

BabyCenter
http://www.babycenter.com/baby

Kids Health
http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/newborn_care/diapering.html

First Year Dads at Mr. Dad
https://mrdad.com/category/get-advice/first-year-dads/

Fathers Connection
http://www.fathersconnection.org/