Who’s the daddy?

Discover how your baby’s bond grows with the main man in her life!


0 – 6 months

• Dads can get a head start in the bonding stakes by talking to your bump throughout your pregnancy. From about 24 weeks, your developing baby can hear sounds from outside the womb, and research shows that low-pitched tones can be picked up well – so it’s not too early for your bloke to start telling your little one all about his beloved footy team and get in some early influence!

• What better way to encourage an early bond between dad and baby than for your partner to cut the umbilical cord and be the first to hold your new arrival after birth. Some studies have shown that dads who do this feel a closer bond with their newborn.

• Just 14 days after birth, your new babe can recognise her papa’s voice – so all those dad-to-bump chats do pay off.

• While nobody can rival the bond you have with your baby, you can help to strengthen her bond with daddy by encouraging as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. Bathing her is a great way to bond and boost his confidence, plus research shows that babies who are regularly bathed by their dads create a lasting friendship in later life.

6 – 12 months

• Getting your partner involved with as many aspects of your baby’s life is essential to make him feel useful. And did you know that dads are faster at changing nappies than us mum’s? They take a cool one minute 36 seconds, while mum’s average two minutes and two seconds. Sounds like the perfect excuse to get him more involved in the dirty work!

• From six months, you can start weaning your baby, which gives your partner the chance to play more of an active role in feeding her. Making lots of eye contact while doing so is more likely to create an intimate bond, but watch out for flying puree!

• Studies have shown that dads tend to initiate more physical and unpredictable play than mums, and as she grows, he’ll be her fave source of amusement. From eight months you’ll be able to see her sense of humour shine through, and she’ll love nothing more than giggling as he tickles her and blows raspberries on her belly.

• By 10 months she’ll love nothing more than a game of peek-a-boo with her preferred playmate – and you and her daddy will undoubtedly be her favourite people in the world.

12 – 18 months

• From around 12 months, you can expect your baby to utter her first word. Watch your bloke beam with pride as she says ‘dada’ – but don’t be too surprised – she’s far more likely to say this, as ‘mama’ is harder for her to pronounce – but you might want to keep that to yourself!

• When she starts to toddle about, around 16 months, she can start to explore the world around her, with her dad on hand to hold her hand and support her on her feet. And if your man if a mad footy or rugby fan, expect a ball to make an appearance for her first kick-about!

• By 18 months your tot will have realised she’s a separate person to those around her, and she’ll be able to show affection to those close to her – especially mummy and daddy. But don’t be surprised if she’s fickle with her attention and kisses and cuddles daddy while she shuns your cuddles. Shower her with love and affection and she’ll learn to follow your lead.

18+ months

• If your partner’s worried about missing out on important playtime while he’s at work, there’s no need. Studies have shown that toddlers bond just as easily with their fathers as they do with their mums.

Encourage plenty of daddy-time when he gets home – not only will this be fun for dad, but research shows that pre-schoolers who spend more time playing with their fathers are more sociable when they start nursery.

• Watch their bond grow as your little one rapidly starts learning – she’ll love to spend time with the man in her life, and he’ll dote on his little princess.

• By the time she’s two, she’ll be able to tell her papa just how much she loves him – and he’ll be equally smitten, proving she’s a daddy’s girl all right!