The 5 Stages of Being a New Dad

You would think nine months would be enough. You saw mom’s belly grow and witnessed her bizarre cravings. You read the baby books. You helped assemble the nursery. You may have even attended parenting classes. You think this is the time that prepares you for fatherhood, but that’s not usually the case.

Here are the 5 stages of being a new dad:

1.) Denial

For you, it’s not real until the baby is delivered. And even then, you probably won’t process that your life has completely changed. It’s no big deal, you will head home and your life will not be that much different. You’ve got this, you’ve prepared, it can’t be that hard. Except, usually that mindset changes quickly…

2.) Overwhelmed

Once the baby is home, it all starts to become more real. Very quickly you realize your days and nights revolve around someone else. No more impromptu happy hours or going to bed early without a care in the world. You have to watch this little one’s every move. The reality sinks in, and it overwhelms you. You don’t know if you’re cut out for this. You are exhausted, you are frustrated and the responsibilities continue to pile up.

3.) Shocked

Wow, you’re actually doing this... and doing it well! You’re finally getting the diapers on right with the first try. You never thought this would happen! You’re starting to memorize all of the words to children’s songs, and you don’t hate it. Your vocabulary has expanded to include all of the popular baby brands, a language that seemed so foreign not too long ago. You wake up every day in disbelief that fatherhood is suddenly coming so naturally to you.

4.) Acceptance

Now it’s all routine. This is the new normal. You’ve exchanged beers for bottles. Your body has a new sleep schedule. You automatically begin typing in “kid-friendly” when searching for new activities to try on the weekend. None of this shocks you any longer. You’re a dad first, and you’re okay with that because next you experience….

5.) Pure Happiness

Your eyes ache from sleepless nights. You don’t remember the last time you managed to leave the house without spit-up or baby food on you. You don’t even want to try to count the number of dirty diapers you have seen. But you’re happy, so incredibly happy. This little crying, fussy, messy child is the perfect addition to your family, and you couldn’t feel luckier.

What emotions did you experience when you became a new dad? Let us know in the comments!