Strengthening the Daddy Bond

Dads are just as good at nurturing as moms -- if you let them!

By Terri Isidro-Cloudas

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Connecting with Baby

A new father cradles his baby's soft body in his arms, inhales her sweet newborn scent, and falls in love at first sight. In another delivery room, a dad cradles his newborn baby girl and feels happiness, but no real connection. The emotions in the delivery room run the gamut from indifference to intense joy -- for both men and women. Even if you did feel that lightning bolt of love the moment you saw your child, that doesn't mean you're set for life as far as bonding goes. Though most people understand bonding as a feeling, it's more a series of interactions that deepen the emotional connection to baby over time.

While dads are more involved than ever, they still face challenges to bonding -- challenges raised by their partners, by themselves, and by the facts of biology. The good news is that there are plenty of practical and effective things that dads can do to overcome these challenges.

Next: Feeling Useless

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