Having your first baby will be a new experience for both you and your partner. This means there is a lot of grey area in deciding who is going to take on which responsibilities. There is quite a bit of work involved with caring for a newborn and if that work can be shared, it should be. However, dividing up those tasks will be different for each couple.
One of the biggest concerns with a new baby is getting enough rest and sleep. Often it is the mum who is doing all the night feedings. However, since dad is mostly likely working during the day, this means mum will not have much sleep. It is a better plan to split the night feeding whichever way works best in the parent’s schedule. If there is one parent that works best with less sleep, they should certainly step up to take on most of the night feedings.
It is also a good idea to discuss other things such as where your baby will be sleeping, philosophy on pacifers and thumb sucking, whether to let your baby cry it out, and how to handle outings. Having a plan beforehand will eliminate some of the stress after your baby’s birth.
