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Posted on 31 Jan 2022

Taking your newborn baby home for the first time is incredibly exciting for new parents, but it can also be a daunting prospect as you worry about how to care for the new member of your family.

Babies don’t come with an instruction manual, but now help is at hand thanks to a new online resource called DadPad, which can help new dads in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire get ready for parenthood!

The DadPad app is being launched by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which provides specialist perinatal mental health support in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

It’s an easy-to-use resource developed by dads for dads, with lots of invaluable information and details on local support groups and service providers. Its aim is to help fathers prepare for family life and tackles the mental health issues which can affect new parents.

The app covers topics such as:

• Feeding, holding, changing and cleaning your baby
• Surviving without sleep and coping with crying
• Getting to know your baby
• Home safety and first aid
• Looking after yourself and supporting your partner

Lisa Carter, Service Manager at Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s Perinatal Mental Health Services, says: “We’re thrilled to launch DadPad across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and we hope it will become an essential tool for new dads to support them as they navigate their lives with their newborn.

“The app covers a wide range of issues, such as the support dads can give while mums are breastfeeding, being aware of perinatal mental illness, and the anxiety and frustrations that come with parenthood. There’s also lots of hands-on advice on issues like nappy changing. We hope it will help dads across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire develop the confidence and skills they need to meet their baby’s physical and emotional needs.”

DadPad was developed with the NHS by Inspire Cornwall CIC – a Cornish-based community interest company. Julian Bose, Director of Inspire Cornwall CIC, said: “DadPad was created because babies don’t come with a set of instructions, and dads told us there was important information they wanted to be given on what to expect and how to care for their baby. We listened to what dads, their partners and health professionals asked for and combined it all in the DadPad.

“With technology playing such a big part in everyone’s lives today, developing an app to complement the existing DadPad seemed the obvious next step. This has opened up a world of possibilities in delivering new content and features and, crucially, getting updates and news out to the dads quickly and easily.

“We are delighted to have been given the chance to work with the teams at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to be able to now launch this resource for dads and dads-to-be across the area.”

To download the app: DadPad | DadPad app | Essential guide for new dads (thedadpad.co.uk)