No one issues you with an instruction manual with a baby instead you need to learn how to cope with their practical needs as you go along. We hope that dad's will use this section to share their experiences of the day to day practicalities of caring for a baby.

Please share your experiences with other dads by emailing: contributions@forparentsbyparents.co.uk.

"To be honest when Sarah was born it was all a bit of a letdown. She didn't do anything except take up all my wife's time. There was no response at all and I found her quite boring. As my wife breastfed I didn't think that there was much I could do in the early days. Now she is a toddler I really enjoy playing with her. She's a good laugh'" "I know a lot of men that got up in the night in the early days to help with the feeding. Breast feeding sort of excluded me from this, but to be honest, with work the next day, I'm not sure I could have helped anyway" "I think that I help most when I play with my son. Also, I know my wife appreciates when I ask her about her day. She feels it can be a bit trivial and misses work, but I know that if I show an interest then it makes it easier for her to do what she has to do. Also acknowledging that I probably couldn't do what she does helps"