“Studies show that fathers experience the same physiological response to a baby’s crying as mothers do. It is nearness to a baby that releases knowledge of what to do. A baby’s cry is itself instinctively driven, and so is the response. The sound of the cry tells us that they are in need and that we must stay near to work it out. Mothers can quickly become experts in this because, especially if they are breastfeeding, they are often already nearby. If as a father you also interact with your child, regularly changing his nappies, picking him up if he cries, you will have an equal chance to understand the baby’s needs. You may worry about being too big and too rough for this tiny creature. If so the best thing you can do is try holding him anyway.”

Extract from ‘Finding Your Way With Your Baby’ – included in the Showcase