Welcome, all rookie dads and soon-to-be fathers, to one of life's most incredible journeys! You've stepped into a world filled with love, joy, and countless priceless moments (and diapers). As you embark on this heartwarming adventure, we're here to offer you some advice for new dads to help you navigate the beautiful path of fatherhood.
Those adorable tiny humans will look up to you with eyes full of wonder. The best new-dad advice anyone can give you is to be prepared for the unexpected. Babies can surprise you at every turn — whether it's the first diaper explosion or the first time they grab your finger, every moment will be filled with love. It will be chaotic but rewarding. Another piece of golden advice for first-time dads: be present. Your tiny human needs your love and attention more than anything in the world. Give them your time. Soak up every giggle, grab every moment their tiny hand reaches for yours, and record every milestone. As the saying goes: they grow up too fast. Before you know it, those tiny hands will be reaching for independence.
We looked at Reddit to bring you the best advice for new dads. These new-dad tips cover everything from how to feed babies to silly things you can do to bond with your baby. A lot of them will tell you to embrace multitasking and get cozy with the concept of power napping to make up for the sleepless nights. We even found some tips for new fathers that'll teach you how to save money.
Fatherhood is a journey of growth. No one has it down perfectly. These tips on being a new dad will help you navigate fatherhood better. So, dear new dads, embrace the adventure ahead with open arms. Create memories and treasure the small moments. Dive into our new-dad advice to learn from the pros:
#21
"Give your wife something sacred. For me, I ensure that my wife has an uninterrupted shower every night. No kids, no bother."
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16points
#22
"If ever you are too tired to play with your kid(s), just lay down in the middle of the room or on a couch and state invite your kids to come to play. They will provide 99% of all the energy to make it fun!
Source: Father of 5yo twins."
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16points
#23
"Think about how your child will respond to some questions. Such as, what does your dad do besides work? What is your dad’s favorite thing to do? What happens when your dad gets mad? What makes your dad happy? If you like the answers to some of these questions, you’re doing a fine job. Think of them before yourself."
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16points
#24
"Don’t worry if the kid doesn’t respond to you for the first few weeks/months. It usually takes longer than bonding with the mom. It will happen I promise."
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15points
#25
"Not to take your kid out to be handled in public unless necessary before 3 months. If they get sick and you go to the ER with a high fever because their immune system can’t handle the world yet, they will do a spinal tap and it will break your heart putting them in that much pain."
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15points
#26
"If you don't know the answer to a question, don't BS your kids. You might fool them when they're little, but they'll figure it out sooner than you think. Then you'll have grown-up kids who know they can't quite trust everything you say."
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14points
#27
"Babies need constant attention which can be draining on both you and your relationship. It's important to remain a team and talk as much as you can. If you have family or friends that can have a baby for a little while, it's good to have a bit of alone time together."
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14points
#28
"White noise was a freaking godsend for colic. We got on those 10-hour hair dryer sounds on YouTube and it improved our nights dramatically!"
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14points
#29
"My wife has to remind me all the time, they are babies and they don’t know better. Remember this when you inevitably get frustrated with them. It’s not personal."
insertcaffeine replied:
"Right. You have never been a dad before. Mom has never been a mom before. And the baby, not only are they a baby, they've never been a baby before. You're all learning."
"Right. You have never been a dad before. Mom has never been a mom before. And the baby, not only are they a baby, they've never been a baby before. You're all learning."
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14points
#30
"Figure out something that you and only you do to help out. Mine was bath time. I gave my daughter every bath/shower except maybe 3 until she was 2 years old. Also always did morning bottle feeds. I liked being the first thing she sees in the morning."
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14points
#32
"The biggest thing I've probably learned from being a stepdad is if you want them to clean their room, you have to keep your room clean too. I mean that metaphorically too. You have to be a role model for the behaviors you want them to have."
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13points
#33
"Real talk, just start hitting yourself in the balls now to build up a tolerance. They will hit, run into, drop stuff on it, and step on your thing on a daily basis."
Basically, every time my kid runs to hug me I turn sideways because of that headbutt."
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13points
#34
"Over-explain everything. I'm still learning this. An example is yesterday I was walking with my son at a department store. Somehow we got on the subject if he got separated and lost. I explained to him how to identify a worker at the store by his name tag. He could also go to a cash register. He said 'Ah, I didn't know they wore name tags.'"
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13points
#35
"Depending on your work schedule try and be there for the night feeds. My wife struggled to stay awake to feed, so it was helpful for me to stay up, watch TV and talk to help keep her from falling asleep with the baby in her arms."
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12points
#36
"Try to keep your cool and don't lose your temper (this can be hard with sleep deprivation!)."
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12points
#37
"Ask questions, who cares if you feel dumb for asking? We have all done it and it’s better to be safe than sorry."
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12points
#38
"Don't panic. Also, never buy new clothes and toys for babies. Shop at consignment sales."
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12points
#39
"Take lots of videos and pictures. Can never have too many and can never get them back if you don’t."
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11points
#40
"You'll be tempted to go all out on the stroller. Just get one that is functional and well built, it's all you need... and within a year or so, you'll be pushing a $20 one from Target because that's all that's necessary."
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11points
