How I’m preparing for fatherhood.

Babies have become the fuel of my life. These little humans make me happy. The blank spot that I used to ignore has transformed into a spotlight that brings a huge smile to my face.

The closer the delivery date arrives, the more it hits me that there will soon be an actual human life that I am completely and utterly responsible for. My little daughter’s exploration of this completely new place – Planet Earth - will depend heavily on what I say, do or believe in. The opportunities that she will have and how she executes on them will be influenced by what kind of father I will be.

With this huge opportunity comes huge responsibility. I know that I am only human and am prone to making mistakes. So, I want to place my trust in God through the entire process of raising my little girl. Nothing beats the blessing of The One. I want to focus on having a strong connection with God in order for my little baby to have that connection as well. Can't serve from an empty cup. And there is no better way to have that connection than through prayer.

I believe that the most powerful thing is a thought. What we think eventually becomes what we say and do. Our thoughts become our intention, which grows into habits and eventually becomes our character. So, essentially the best thing I can do in preparing to become a father is to “get my thinking right”.

My mind has a whirlwind of questions. What kind of person am I currently and what do I stand for? Every day is a gift, how do I spend my limited time here on earth? Am I going for better at 70?

With the million and one different lives that my daughter could live, which one will it be? What skillset and mindset will I pass on to my child? Will I raise someone who lives from a place of love, one who is kind and compassionate, one who is independent and loyal, one who is a contributing member to society and gives more than she receives? Someone who loves God and the people around her?

Julie and I stay up late talking about the near future and beyond. We try to understand each other and what we both want so that we are on the same page.

With that being said, no amount of research or late night dreaming can fully prepare us for what is about to come. These are the moments that make our life worth living. Our intent is to approach this with an open mind, with gratitude, acceptance and positivity. I love this quote by KW - “Be here now. Be in the moment. The now is the greatest moment of our lives and it just keeps getting better. The bad parts the boring parts the parts with high anxiety. Embrace every moment for its greatness. This is life. This is the greatest movie we will ever see.”

Preparation for delivery:

This means snacks and a good playlist. I would love for the delivery to go as smoothly as possible with the result of a sweet memory for Julie and I.

With the current condition of the health care system, we really wanted to have our birth as naturally as possible. There is a wide range of options when it comes to birthing - anything from a scheduled medical C-Section extraction to simply delivering in your own basement. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for eliminating unnecessary intervention in childbirth. Unfortunately, 1 out of 3 births in the USA are done through a C-section. While there are definitely times when a C-section saves lives, we want to avoid unnecessary interventions. And this is why we feel more comfortable going through a midwife - someone who we know and understands our philosophy/needs. With that being said, we still want to enjoy the benefits of modern medicine so our location will be a local hospital.

They say doctors are their own worst patients. I must admit, there are times when I definitely drop the ball in terms of taking care of my own health. As I am stepping into this new chapter in my life, I want health to be a priority for my entire family. We make time for moving our bodies, staying on that 8 hours a night sleep grind, spending time outside, eating clean-ish with plenty of probiotics. I even went on a 30-day detox. That was an awesome reset for my system and I recommend that for everyone.

What I should be preparing for:

Changing diapers-

The Digestive Doc aka “the poop doctor” per @sesharikov will finally have to do a natural application of his knowledge.

Swaddleball Champion-

It's as easy as folding paper airplanes, right? Those swaddles don’t stand a chance.

Staying up late-

I hear babies like to hang out late. Currently, I am enjoying my solid 8 hours a night. That will be the best part.

In this post, Julie had an opportunity to collab with Pink Blush Maternity once again. She claims that their stuff is super cute for expecting mothers and for those who are not. Check them out while the entire store is 30% off.