As a father, you and your spouse, or partner, will have to work together to get the best results as far as taking care of the baby and yourselves. The main question is whether it’s better to handle things at once or use the shift method. In some cases, this may be situational, however, much of the time, it’s better to engage in the shift method, so you are getting things done, taking care of the baby, and supporting each other.

First of all, what is the shift method? This means one person is handling the responsibilities, while the other is resting or partaking in self-care. For instance, during the day, you, as the father, can get some rest, take naps, work on projects, or whatever, while the mother takes care of the baby. Then, at night, the mother rests, while you take care of the baby, getting up to feed, change diapers, and provide comfort, etc. Essentially, you are working together but taking turns.

Will this be a perfect system? Of course not. There will need to be flexibility involved. After all, life, in general, is unpredictable and even more so when children are involved. For instance, while you’re watching the baby, the mother may not get a chance to rest. She may have to work or do some chores around the house, and you may need to do the same while she’s watching the baby. It is what it is. However, take every opportunity you can to rest and support each other in doing so.

Remember that the shift method can be used in shorter spurts throughout the day. For example, 2 hours on and 2 hours off, or something similar to this schedule.