Nap Time Tips for Dads with Babies

I have some exciting news for you all. My husband, Matthew (aka Reavera) , is in the process of creating a daddy blog! When he asked me if he could write a post for The Miracle Momma I immediately agreed. I love that my husband is so interested in what I’m doing that he wants to jump right in.  My husband’s blog will be live shortly. When it is I will link it here.  Let me know if you want to see more of my husband’s writing in the comment section below!

Nothing can prepare a new father for the experience he is about to have when he is gifted his first child. People tell you that your life will change but you shrug it off. That is until your little bundle of joy is here. Then your world truly changes forever. It doesn’t just change because of the new schedule you have to adopt for simple trips to the grocery store. Your world will change because everything you do is geared towards what your little one will become.

The biggest change for me was patience. The most aggravating thing I can think of was when our little man seemed to cry for no reason. No matter what I did I couldn’t console him.  It was a blow to my ego. That blow to my ego eventually turned into guilt. Why couldn’t I get my son to calm down? When my wife and I found out the reason why our son wasn’t sleeping because of reflux I felt relieved that my son’s lack of sleeping wasn’t because of me per say but it’s still amazing how such a simple thing as a non-consolable baby affected me in such a dramatic way.

I want to share my nap time tips for dads with babies that may be or has experienced some of the same issues I have when it comes to our little bundles of joy’s sleep schedule. Maybe you’re like me and happen to have a son like ours which hates the sandman. No seriously. I believe later on in his life he will have a career revolving around being a sandman assassin. Here’s a little back story on my son: He screams bloody murder as soon as you take him into his “nap room.” He’ll hit and fling his little body all over the place. This can last for 5 to 10 minutes on a good day.  Then there comes the time to lay the little guy down when he is finally asleep in my arms. He might just pop right back up wide awake because he realized I laid him down. The sleep process has to start all over again.  I have had scratches, bent glasses, ringing ears, and headaches. I can promise you that this might wear on any parent’s patience.

 Do not get stressed out. If cuddling your little one does not help him go to sleep do not get stressed out and give up. Think about other things.

Do not think about the things you want to do after your child is asleep. This will cause you to be impatient and stressed. Instead of imagining the things you could be doing put all of your focus on your little one. A calm daddy is a calm baby after all.  It’s alright to think about the plans you have in the days ahead. Sometimes the quiet time with my son and I helps me have my own little brainstorming session.

Use your smart phone – carefully. I have my smart phone’s brightness setting set to low for nap time. When my son has calmed down sufficiently I position the phone’s light away from my son and where I can still read it so I can catch up on today’s  news.   Distraction from impatience & stress is important to me and with today’s technology a smart phone is the best way to beat that.

Nap Time is one of the most trying times a parent can face. Unfortunately it may continue to be a struggle until your little one learns is old enough to learn a bedtime routine. It doesn’t have to be stressful for you and your child. Hopefully my nap time tips for dads will help other dads out there who are struggling to maintain their calm in the face of sandman adversity or similar challenges.

Matthew Morris is the husband of professional blogger & stay at home mom Desiree Morris. Matthew Morris has years of experience in technical support & management. He plans on starting a daddy blog focused on parenting and technology.