Looking back over the first few months of my ex-wife’s pregnancy I remember the idea of becoming a father was as exciting as it was frightening!! Both emotions seemed to go hand in hand and without much of a definitive line between the two. For a brief period it was difficult to tell what exactly I was excited about and what I found alarming.

I didn’t have much of a chance to talk to people I was close with since I was the first among my friends to become a dad. Seeking advice from my own dad was fine, but I felt as if so much had changed over the years that the challenges I would face could somehow be different. I felt dizzy and blind, but was certain that my best intentions and ability to learn quickly would suffice.

Fortunately, I was lucky and I had the support of so many loving people around me. That’s not to say I couldn’t have been better prepared since nothing could be farther from the truth.

Here are my “Top 3 Things I Wish I Had Known as a New Dad”

You will accidentally hurt your baby, and that’s ok…

Nobody is perfect. Not you, not your wife, your spouse, or partner. Accidents will happen! You’re going to bump a little head, squish a miniature toe, or knock over a tiny two-leg walker. I can guarantee you’ll feel like the biggest turd on the planet when you do. But, it’s important to remember that you didn’t do it on purpose. Babies are still spongy, they tend to bounce back pretty quickly. Barring a head injury involving loss of consciousness it’s not necessary to rush your baby to the pediatrician everytime you see a bump or bruise. Use your best discretion to make decisions based on the best interest of you baby, not out of fear. Oh, and be honest with your partner! You’ll never look more dumb than when you try to play off a boo-boo as nothing.

You’ll go through more diapers than you realize…

Be sure to budget for more than you think you’ll need the first few months after your baby arrives. On average you can expect to go through 10-15 diapers a day for the first two months, if not longer. That’s at least 600 diapers!!!! You will also run out at the most inopportune times! Keep an emergency reserve of all your diapering supplies just in case, you’ll want to avoid a 2am trip in the rain. Also, try not to switch between brands unless it’s truly necessary. Your infant may be accustomed to the fit and feel of a specific brand of diapers and let’s not mention the impact it could have on their skin. Imagine if all your underwear were suddenly replaced by a similar style that fit in a completely different way. Frustrating!!!

It’s ok to make mistakes or not know what to do…

You’re going to encounter a situation where you won’t know what to do. Without a doubt you will get something wrong or you may feel like you’ve failed. It kinda goes back to number one, nobody is perfect. Sometimes it’s small, other times not so much. You’ll forget to pack an extra onesie for that trip across town or leave a full bottle to sit in the car over the weekend. You may even forget the diaper bag all together!! What matters is what you go next and how you overcome the problem. Dwelling on it doesn’t help, it’ll only make it worse. The best lesson any of us can teach our kids is how to move forward. I know it may not seem like you can when a child is that young, but they will always be watching. Don’t beat yourself up, pull yourself up!

What are some things you wish you had known as a new dad?