New Father!

[Dekonick]

Well - I am the proud father to a 7lb 9 oz baby boy - Gregory Paul.

I love all that he brings to my life, except the lack of sleep...and ride time!

Advice anyone? I can't ride now... at least not for a few weeks at the earliest (too much to do to help mom) but what about sleep?!?

Loving fatherhood....

Hating Sleep deprivation.

:)

[dave thompson]

Sleep? Sleep to a new father, what's that?

A word of caution here. If you let your wife do all the night chores (except for breast feeding of course) you will pay for it later on down the road. You may as well get used to the interruption of your sleep as your new son makes his demands known to you.

In our family, I was the one that awoke at the slightest sound from my infant son. I fed and changed him while my wife got her much needed rest. I think that doing the 'kid chores' at night will make for a much stronger bond with your son, and you will be the hero when your wife recounts your son's infancy at family gatherings.

Congrats!

[Dekonick]

Its 12:20AM and I have my son sleeping on my chest (what a great feeling!)

I change all of the diapers, and do all of the routine baby care as well as cook and clean. Mom has a hard job as it is feeding the critter, taking care of her post birth wounds, and just recovering. (God help all mothers! How yall do it is beyond me. If I had to give birth I dont know how I would survive the pain...yall are champs!)

I actually find that doing all the diapers, and other care has helped me bond with my son. WoW! I just wish there was more sleep....sleep..................sleep............. ................ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Dek.

[Wayne77]

Congrats!

My two year old boy just got a new baby sister a month ago. Sleep - as you know, it gets better. Give it a month or two and your boy will be getting up once or twice a night instead of every few hours.

Riding- Definitely give it a few weeks until you can find a routine that is ok with your wife. Right now I do all of my riding weekday mornings before work for about an hour (Mother and baby are still in bed) and Saturdays I get up around 5 for a 3 hr ride. By the time I get back, everyone is just getting up.

Getting away periodically for short periods, doing something you're passionate about can actually make you a better father. (The key here is moderation of course) -Schedule specific riding times only when you can, that have the least affect on Mother and Baby. Then you can get your "fix" for the day. Go out and milk every last drop of enjoyment from those short times and for some reason its much easier to commit 100% to fatherhood the rest of the day (with all the sacrificies that implies...) Also try to make sure your wife can get out doing something she loves for an equal amount of time.

[William]

Congratulations Dek! :banana:

All good advice here from the fellow forumites. You will be happy when he settles into a sleep routine....but call me crazy....you'll miss this time too.

All the best to you & your family!

William

[Sandy]

you and your wife. May the family share many healthy and productive years together. It won't be too many years until Gregory whips your butt on his brand new $25,000 Serotta wonder machine.

My advice, which would be for any dog, is to not leave Truckie and Gregory alone together. They should be supervised when together. I do think that Truckie will like Gregory a lot and will be protective of him. Be sure to let Truckie know that you still love him.

Mack Truck Sandy

[Kevin]

Welcome to the best club on earth. You are going to love it.

Kevin

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and as for the lack of ride time . . .

Rollers.

BBDave

[TimB]

Dekonick -

Congratulations! Just last week I was wondering when I'd hear from you about the baby arriving. (If I recall correctly, there are two others of us also awaiting new ones.)

My advice to you regarding sleep - sleep whenever you can, even at the expense of other (immediately unnecessary) tasks. Naps, even one or two hours, can be a godsend. I was fortunate enough to take a month off following Sophia's birth and that time went all too fast. She was exclusively breastfeeding, so I tried to do pretty much everything else. Whenever she'd wake up, I'd change her and then pass her off to mom to feed, then I'd go back to sleep while my wife nursed her. As little sleep as I was getting, my wife was getting even less, so any burden I could take from her I did.

As for riding - as everyone else has said, give it some time, and then see where it will fit in your schedule. What I've told some friends about my 'new' riding habits: I decided I'd much rather be a dad who rides his bike when he can than a cyclist who has a baby. I love to ride my bike, but it's a distant second in priority to spending time with my daughter.

[Kevan]

nine months ago!

Don't worry... it only gets better and more difficult.

Park the trike, enjoy the tike. Congrats!!!

[soulspinner]

Congrats. Each life is a miracle. The changes come fast. Document as many as you can by writing and pictures. I am 49 and have a 9 year old that has breathed new spirit into my life. You have been given an incredible blessing.

[Smiley]

Congrats and enjoy these times while they last . Soon he'll be off to college and tuition bills will be the concern of the day .

[davids]

Mazel Tov!

And don't worry - You will ride again. I met a father of an 11-week-old on my ride yesterday!

[Spinsistah]

No ride time? When he is old enough that it's safe to take him with you, buy a Burley and pull him. If your wife rides, great, if not, this may be the incentive she needs to get out on the bike with you. A few of my friends have new babies and this is their goal.

I tried to talk my SO into pulling the four Shih Tzu in a Burley, but he wouldn't bite. :)

Stephanie

[djg]

That's great news.

Sleep. Grab little slivers of sleep when you can, set low standards, and try not to die. The sleep factor improves inevitably, although the timing of that improvement can be hard to predict. Something will emerge from the fog of exhaustion and it will be cool beyond anticipation.

[RABikes2]

Dek,
Congratulations to you and your wife on little Gregory! :banana: Children are gifts from God, little miracles.

Take power naps whenever possible. TimB and Wayne77 have given you great advice; wise men.

Best wishes!
RA

[zap]

Congratulations to you and your wife.

[gasman]

Congratulations !!! Welcome to the best club in the world.

Sleep, who needs sleep ? Actually I have one word of advice that has been repeated here already-naps. All around. Whenever.

Ride when you can but don't expect great things just enjoy getting out.
We got a Burley trailer and when the kids were small they rode in it by strapping them in their car seat and securing the seat in the trailer. Worked well but it will be at least several months before you should do that with Gregory.He needs to get more strength and head control.

[Kevan]

some of the best naps I ever had on the sofa were with my son and daughter layed out asleep on my chest. Talk about about being content.

[SGP]

Well - I am the proud father to a 7lb 9 oz baby boy - Gregory Paul.

Congratulations!! :banana: :banana:

I love all that he brings to my life, except the lack of sleep...and ride time!

hating Sleep deprivation.

:)

this is the easiest time. my oldest graduates from hs this week, when she is out you lay awake wondering/worring, when she's home it is noisy.

the best naps are with the baby!

[weisan]

Deko-pal, you are in for the BEST ride of your life along a "always-on" playmate fully custom-made using your DNA.

Hang in there...and hold on tight.

weisan

[Dekonick]

I am loving it!

He is a true inspiration - a miracle - perfect!

You know you love someone when you get excited when their stool changes color from black to green to brown to YELLOW!!! (means kid is eating enough...)

Anyway - thanks for all of the advice!

A few questions:
How old is old enough for a trailer? (Got the trailer already - did that 6 months ago or so.... hehe ....too bad its not a Serotta... Perhaps I can put a Serotta forum sticker on...)

How long is long enough (time out on a ride)

and

Trailer him on a fixxie or geared bike?

Thanks in advance! Yall have a great time at the Open HOUSE! Watch out for Sneaky Sandy - Silly Sandy try'n to fool yall with his slow snail and salamander speak. Suffer not for such speech!
Seriously - Sandy is great to ride with!

Dek :D