Home Alone! 10 Survival Tips for Your Day Alone with Baby

It happens eventually – either because you offered (good for you!) or she said so, but you will find yourself at home, alone, for the day with your newborn.  This, Noodads, is your true indoctrination into fatherhood…a test of your nurturing, time-management and care giving skills and a rite of Noodad passage.  Relax brother, success is just a matter of having realistic expectations and knowing a few tricks.  We’ve had to figure it out on our own or piece together tips from our fellow dads but you, thanks to Noodad.com, have access to the 10 essential tips that will make this daunting day doable.

1. Know the Drill
Talk to your wife about what the baby’s day is typically like.  You’ll soon discover that your day is just going to be a series of feedings and naps with diaper changes mixed in. Facilitating those three activities will consume 2/3 of your day.  And realizing this should greatly lessen concerns you have about what your going to do with him/her all day. You don’t need a list of ways to play…just a few tried and true tactics…you’ll be amazed how they’ll never tire of “peekaboo” or  “head, shoulders, knees and toes.”

2. Expect and Appreciate the Little Things
You most likely won’t witness a huge developmental milestone today.  But you will experience the wonder of a day in the life of your child.  The other day, my kid burped (which seemed to surprise him) and laughed about it …that was seriously one of the funniest and best moments so far!

3. Stock Up on Boynton Books
Sandra Boynton books are easy to read, easy to hold while holding an infant and have enough fun, tumbling alliteration to keep you from wanting to toss them into the fireplace after the 50th reading.  She’s got 20+ titles and you can pick ’em up on the cheap for a couple of bucks each at stores like T.J. Max or Marshall’s.  If your kid is 9 months +, one word – “Seuss!”

{mosnooad}4. Go In Eyes Wide Open
Accept the following to be universally true…if any or all turn out not to be the case, then you’re a lucky #$%@.  Don’t count on it.

• You’re Unlikely to Shower – do it the night before or be satisfied to spend the day with bed head
• You Need to Do Your Business Quickly – it’s uncanny (no pun intended!)…the moment you get settled on the can, your kid WILL wake up from napping. Go and be done.
• You’re on K.P. Too – Your wife does it, why can’t you?  If it’s a work day (meaning she went to work) and she’s getting home at dinner time, it’s your duty to plan dinner and start it too
• She’ll Want to Know Every Detail – It’s in her motherly DNA to need to know so make it easy on yourself and keep a tally of feeding, diaper and nap times

5. Straighten Up as You Go
Nothing’s worse than surveying your house late in the day and realizing what a friggin’ mess the two of you have made.  And if it doesn’t gross you out, there’s one thing that I guarantee is worse…dealing with your wife’s disapproving glances and regard for you as “such a guy” for the rest of the evening.  Your other option is to frantically run around trying to “demessify” the place between 4:30 and 5…but that blows too and is bound to include the indefensible act of hucking a bunch of stuff into the hall closet.

6. Know that Some Free Play is OK
You are not some delinquent bastard if you let Junior play in his exersaucer for 10 minutes while you eat lunch or read the sports section.  As long as baby is safe and isn’t crying, you’re good. When you play with him, you tend to direct play.  Free play (even at very young ages) and the self-discovery that comes with it encourage brain development.  So your checking the standings is one of the best things you can do for your kid.  You’re quite a dad!

7. Understand that Bumps will Happen
They happen when mom’s watching the baby too…she just doesn’t tell you about it.  You can’t hold onto baby every second and wrapping them in bubble wrap isn’t a realistic option.  If a bump happens, be smart about it – follow the three “c’s” of bump management 1) Comfort, 2) Check and 3) Confess.  Comfort because it’s your job.  Check to make sure there’s no swelling or cuts and if there’s redness, watch to see if it swells.  Confess because it happened, not because you did something wrong (unless you did in which case you will be found out!).  Your wife needs to know plain and simple.  Beyond that, take it easy…you’re NOT a bad dad.

8. Anticipate that You Will Be Bored/Frustrated/Insecure
It’s OK to feel these things.  In fact, you’ll probably feel all three!  The aforementioned routine (see #1) almost guarantees some boredom.  Trying to keep baby socks on your kid is, in itself, an exercise in futility.  And you will wonder if your kid has more fun with mommy and whether there’s something wrong with you because he won’t go down for his afternoon nap.  Chill…it gets easier.

9. Get Outta Dodge
With the kid of course!  Strap baby into the stroller and hit the pavement (or strap on the Bjorn and hit the trail).  Getting out of the house doesn’t just break up the monotony, lull the baby to sleep and get you some exercise but it’ll help your little one sleep better that night.  Moms swear that babies that get fresh air and some sunshine tend to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.  If the weather sucks, there’s always the mall.  Hop in the car and join the geriatrics in their nylon “mall walking suits.”  Feel free to mock them to your kid…she won’t judge you.

10. Don’t Expect a High Five from Your Wife
5:00 rolls around and you’re feeling pretty good about yourself… If your wife is cool and understands that this is as new to you as it is for her, she’ll be very appreciative…the first time.  After that, don’t count on excess adulation or much more than “good job” or a simple “thanks.”  You’re a modern dad and she expects that you’ll be able to do this (and so do you).  And besides, she does this all the time.  Recognize that this day was your fatherly and husbandly duty and not a favor to her.

May the force be with you Noodads!  Have the power now do you, yesss.

Got a great home alone survival tip?  Share it with your fellow Noodads below!