by Kelly Greenbaum

Created on: October 03, 2009

There are an array of things knew dads need to realize when they undertake the journey of new fatherhood. When in love, a baby can seem like a romantic gesture, to express one's love towards each other. Think again, here are three basic guidelines to think about for new fathers to adjust.

Lesson number one: Forget about spare time, the little bit of time left over, while a baby is a newborn, is usually used to sleep. Your wife or significant other will need your constant support as well as the baby. Babies only sleep a few hours at a time before they need to eat again. Since you are not the one that physically had the baby, the weight of responsibility will sit on your shoulders for awhile.

Lesson number two: Forget about sex: For at-least six to eight weeks you will not be getting any. Due to exhaustion and lack of sleep, many times the mother doesn't feel like having sex as quickly as the man does. You need to be understanding and not pushy. The pushier you are, the less likely you are to get anything, plus the mother may get resentful.

Lesson number three: The baby always comes first: For the first few years babies need a lot of attention to help them to grow and adjust to their surrounding world. They are looking through the eyes of innocence. You are not! Your job is to protect and teach them as they begin to become their own little selves.

There will be darling times when they look up and smile at you as you rock them to sleep, and there can be trying times, when they are up sick all night, and you worry yourself tirelessly. Children are a special gift but also require hard work and responsibility. Many people will tell you that being a parent is the hardest job in the world and the most undervalued, I would agree.

When your children are babies it is hard to see them as our next generation, but they are. And they will be parents themselves some day. Never underestimate the power of fatherhood. You have in your hand a little life that you created, and will continue to create through nurturing, loving, and teaching them. They will rely on you for guidance through-out their entire lives and you will be there shining example, whether you realize it or not. They will need you when they are babies, to teach and protect them, they will need you when they become teenagers, to let them go when it's time, and they will need you when they have children, for advice and guidance. You will always be a pivotal part of your baby's life because fatherhood is forever.

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