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Fatherhood Initiative
What should fathers know about the ABCs of safe sleep?
- Baby should sleep in the same room with their caregiver, but not in the same bed.
- Baby should sleep alone in a safe sleep environment – keep loose bedding, bumpers, and toys out of the crib as this can increase your baby’s risk of suffocation and entrapment.
- Baby should always sleep on their BACK.
- Provide a crib or bassinet that meets current safety standards.
Why shouldn't fathers smoke around or near a baby?
- Smoking affects growth
- Smoking delays brain development
- Smoking impairs breathing before and after birth
- Smoking causes ear infections
- Smoking causes colds and coughs
- Smoking causes respiratory problems, such as bronchitis and pneumonia
How and why should fathers have skin-to-skin interaction with a baby?
- To initiate better bonding with their baby
- To empower the father to be feel less helpless and more as a primary caregiver
- Makes father feel less nervous about baby care
- Helps fathers learn their baby's cues for hunger or stress
- Helps fathers remain calm and able to deal with postpartum struggles better
- Helps make their baby feel more calm and able to sleep better
- Keeps baby warmer, regulates breathing and keeps blood sugar levels higher
- Helps baby to cry less
- Helps to detect even a one degree fluctuation in baby's body temperature and adjust accordingly to heat up or cool down the baby
What should fathers know about breastfeeding?
- Human milk boosts a baby's immune system
- Human milk contains substances which promote sleep and calmness
- Breastfed infants are at lower risk for sudden unexplained infant deaths (SUIDs)
- Breastfeeding reduces a baby's risk of disease later in life
- Breastfeeding reduces the mother's risk of breast and ovarian cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis
- Breastfeeding saves a family approximately $2,000-$4,000 annually
- Breastfeeding calms the mother and helps with bonding