Parenting How Dads Can Help transcript
David (father of Aiden and Riley) - It's very, very simple - it's feeding and sleeping. It's not simple, but you're the support staff, primary support staff.
Karren (mother of Matilda) - Just be there. Be around. Want to be a part of what's happening. Make food and bring water.
Russell (father of two) - Your job is being supportive, and that means whatever. Whether that means going out and buying pickles at 3 o'clock in the morning, when she's pregnant. Or whether that's doing whatever you can to make sure she gets enough sleep when she's in the feeding process with the baby.
Melissa (mother of Rohan) - Because the time in the beginning is so intense, I really needed help on the mind level. I needed someone to be creative and pre-empt things a bit for us at home. I find that at night or on the weekends, especially as I'd come towards the end of the day, I would really zone out. I wasn't really able to make decision and think clearly.
Patrick (father of William) - If he's really unsettled on the weekend, then I'll take him for a walk. Assuming he's had a feed, then I can take him for a walk and that will give her a chance to have a rest.
Tony (father of Declan and Angus) - Just as soon as there's a time that you feel she can get some sleep, you should give them the opportunity for them to get that sleep. Even for an hour or 50 minutes or something like that.
Katherine (mother of Lakita) - The biggest thing I found in the beginning, was just having Matt help me to settle her. It just felt like it was always me, because I'd feed her and was always busy putting her back to bed and settling her.
Melissa - If your partner can step in, even once, during the night, in those first early weeks or months, it really makes a difference. You just go to sleep with a smile on your face and you feel looked after and it's a treat.
