How should dad bond with his new baby?

Soon after a baby is born his father should hold him against his skin by taking his shirt off so he gets accustomed to his specific smell and learns to equate it with comfort and reassurance.

He should also speak to his baby so he gets used to his voice, although he’ll recognise it if he spoke to him while he was in the uterus.

Childbirth is very focused on mothers but dads should take an active role too from early on, learning how to hold and bath their babies, change nappies and bottlefeed expressed milk.

Both of you should cuddle him when you’re naked, so he can feel and smell your skin and hear your hearts beating.