Expert Webinars
The ride home from the hospital is the moment a lot of dads realize nobody is going to check on them every hour anymore. This bringing baby home webinar topic covers the first 72 hours, the first two weeks and how new parents can work as a team when everyone is exhausted. Here's what the session covers and what you should walk away knowing.
Use the nurses while you have them. Ask them to watch you change a diaper, swaddle and burp the baby. Ask how often the baby should be eating and how many wet diapers to expect. Find out when the first pediatrician visit should be, which is often within a few days of discharge.
Make sure the car seat is installed and adjusted before discharge day. Have the after-hours number for your pediatrician saved before you pull out of the parking lot.
Expect the first few nights to be messy. Many newborns are more awake at night early on. Your partner may be sore and exhausted, especially after a C-section, and needs real rest to recover.
Your role in those first days is often logistics and protection: keep the house running, handle meals, manage visitors, take the baby between feeds and make sure your partner is drinking water and eating. Write down feeding times and diapers if your pediatrician asked you to track them.
Settle in. Keep visits off. Focus on feeding, sleep and recovery.
Start splitting nights. Restock diapers and groceries.
Prepare for the first pediatric visit. Check in with each other about how you're both feeling.
Family and friends are excited, but too many visitors too soon can wear out new parents. Decide together who visits and when, and let the dad be the one to communicate the plan. That keeps your partner from having to say no.
Ask visitors to wash their hands, stay home if sick, keep visits short and bring food or help with a chore. A simple message works: “We'd love for you to meet the baby. Can you come Saturday for 30 minutes and bring dinner?”
If you have paternity or family leave, use it to build skills and confidence, not just to help. Take full shifts with the baby. Learn the routines. Spend time alone with your baby so you develop your own ways of soothing them.
Spreading leave out can help. Some families split leave so one parent is home with the baby for a longer total stretch. Check your employer's policy and talk with your partner about what makes sense.
Come with your real worries, like how you'll know the baby is eating enough or how to handle a parent who wants to stay for two weeks. Specific questions get the most useful answers from hosts and other dads.
Live session announcements and replays are shared through the Phenomenal Fatherhood online community, with recordings posted at https://phenomenalfatherhood.builda.space/community/Welcome-Fathers/recordings. Related short videos are in the video gallery.
For checklists you can print, see newborn essentials and home preparation and the newborn care toolkit. Browse other expert webinar topics for what comes next.
FAQ
Expect frequent feedings, short stretches of sleep and a baby who may be more awake at night. Take turns resting, keep the baby's sleep space safe and call the pediatrician if anything worries you.
Decide together who visits and when, keep visits short, ask guests to wash hands and stay home if sick, and let dad handle communication. Accept offers of food and practical help.
Take full care shifts, learn the baby's routines, handle household work, protect your partner's recovery and spend one-on-one time with your baby to build confidence and connection.
Keep going
Expert Webinars for DadsParenting webinars for fathers on bringing baby home, toddler life, emotional intelligence, resilience and self-care. Learn what each covers and find replays.
Newborn Essentials and Home PreparationPreparing your home for a newborn: the real must-haves, a safe sleep setup, car seat checks and what dads can do in the final weeks before baby arrives.Newborn Care Toolkit for DadsA newborn care toolkit for dads: home prep, sleep and feeding, health basics and bonding in the first months. Practical checklists for the first weeks home.Understanding Newborn Sleep and Feeding RoutinesUnderstand your newborn sleep and feeding schedule: how often babies eat, why nights are rough, hunger cues and how dads can share the load. Read the guide.
New Dads: A Practical Guide to the First YearPractical tips for new dads on the first weeks home, sleep, feeding help, bonding and your own mental health. Read the guide and find dads who get it.Ask a question, meet other dads in the 24/7 room, or join the community for resources and support at every stage.
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