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The Benefits of a Sitty Down Wee

We’ve all been there as fathers. The kids are running riot. You’ve lost all semblance of control and are beginning to lose your mind. You kind of have a feeling in your stomach, it’s coming. You get a little giddy at the prospect. It’s soon to be toilet time. It’s a sitty down wee. Here we’ll explain the benefits.

Sitty down wee
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Our Day Out at Sunderland AFC Ladies

On the last game of their season, I took our daughter Ayla to her first proper football match to watch Sunderland AFC Ladies. We’re going to tell you all about our first day out at the football.

Melanie Reay
Ayla with manager Melanie Reay
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Inflata Nation Newcastle Review

TOP TIP: Always lift your arms when going down inflatable slides.

We love a day out at the soft play. So you can imagine our excitement when we were invited down to inflatable themepark, Inflata Nation Newcastle. Here’s our review…

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What Kids Watch

Despite both still being at a relatively young age, our children have already had a wide range of obsessions when it comes to what they watch on TV. Both have shown early signs of ‘fighting over the remote warfare’ and thus limited my own choice of screen time (humph!) Here’s what kids watch –

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Ayla is 4!

As our first born daughter Ayla turned the big 4 recently we decided to share just a few of the things she’s done this past year that made us beam with pride.

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How to Get More Attention Than Your Kids In Public

There are times when our children get more attention than me in public. This is fine and to be expected. Here though, I document my irrational struggles with this and how I’ve adapted and overcome.

Get more attention
“Am I in the shot?”

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Channel 5 Christmas B Movies

The Christmas season is upon us. It evokes happy memories and allows you look forward to family time, Christmas dinner and the presents. Yet nothing makes family time more than forcing your family to snuggle up and sit through Channel 5 Christmas B Movies.

Channel 5 Christmas B Movies
“Daddy, why are we watching this?”

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A 1-Year-Olds Journey Through The Day

Have you ever wondered what your little one gets up to when they go silent in another room? We decided to find out by noting our 1-year-olds journey through the day.

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The Case Of The Missing Dummy

As parents we’ve had a complicated relationship with the dummy or dodie as it’s dubbed in our house. Yeah, we’ve found the dummy a must to help soothe the baby back to sleep during the night. Despite the ‘good or bad’ debate, our main gripe is how they seem to be the Houdini of the inanimate object world, how and where they go I will never know.

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Weekend Box Review

When Weekend Box got in touch to become an affiliate partner, we jumped at the chance if only to receive a box to occupy our crafts-mad, 3-year-old daughter. See, during the Summer holidays, the kids often get bored and demanding. In this day and age our time is limited. Anything and everything demands our attention and it’s sometimes impossible to cut through all the noise and have genuine human interaction and give your undivided attention to your own family at times.

Weekend Box
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How to Get Up Early

If there’s one thing that parents need to get used to its that kids don’t work on the same time schedule as you. In fact, a lie in from now on will probably be around 6am! This means you need to know how to get up early, really early! Read on to find out how to make it that little bit easier.

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How to Name Your Baby

Top Tip: Never take Urban Dictionary name definitions seriously.

After watching my wife go through the whole wrangler that is labour, I swiftly decided to sign over all naming rights to her. Who was I to demand what to name the watermelon she’d just pushed through her nether regions. An experience which manages to be both brutal and magical in equal measure.

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When Does a Parent Become Officially “Old”?

When does a parent become offically old? I remember when I was a lad playing ‘internash’ or ‘Wembley pairs’ football in the street. The estates resident grumpy, old man would come out telling us to “play up your own end!” (Which would prove difficult as I lived over the road from the bloke). He’d follow that up with threats he’d either “stick a knife through the ball” (the old ones are the best) or somewhat randomly his “son would come out and knack all your fathers” I remembered thinking I’d never be that guy.

Old
“My name is Michael Caine…”

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How to Get Your Kids To Support Sunderland

Join us as we take a nostalgic trip down memory lane of a lifetime watching football. How I came to support Sunderland and how I plan to coax our children into supporting the Lads as well.

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Sudden Coffee Review

Coffee brings function to this early rising Daddoo’s day, like a morning shower, exercise or a brisk walk in the fresh air with Ayla (she does tend to dawdle behind me though). It gets the brain ticking and after about three cups on the bounce can make you wonder whether you’re vibrating or there’s an Earth tremor. Some mornings I feel I’d be better off pouring it over my head for maximum impact.

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Disney Character Flaws

In our house a day rarely passes in which we don’t have a Disney movie on in the background. Maybe it’s the cynical side of me but I’ve watched these movies so many times I’ve found disney character flaws in most of them, not to mention the plot holes. Read on to see what I mean and you’ll never think the same of some of your favourite characters.

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Last Minute Father’s Day Gift Guide

If you’re anything like me, you probably leave clambering around for gifts till the last minute. Well, this year, with our Fathers Day Gift Guide we’ve got you covered (and might save you some cash too!)

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Clip Locks (To The Tune Of Tom Jones – Sex Bomb)

When Ayla was younger, one of her first obsessions was clambering near any clip locks scenario (mainly her bouncy chair) and locking them bad boys together. That’s when I wrote this. A song to the tune of Sex Bomb – Tom Jones.

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Royal Wedding Marriage Tips: An Open Letter to Prince Harry

As the dust settles on the Royal Wedding, it allows an opportunity for Prince Harry to take a sip of his morning Earl Grey, log-on and read our tips on making his marriage as successful as mine (smug face!) with these Royal Wedding marriage tips.

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If I Knew Then What I Know Now

It’s an old saying you generally overhear old timers say in the pub “If I knew then what I know now” When I’d overhear this in my glass collecting days as a teenager I never understood what it meant, but imagine knowing what you know now – as a baby.

If I Knew Then What I Know Now
Daniel as an old man

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Celebrities Daniel Begins To Look Like In The Middle Of The Night When He Wont Go Back to Sleep

A while ago we compiled a list of celebrities Ayla begins to look like in the middle of the night when I’m so sleep deprieved her face forms into the members of the world of showbiz. We’re all about equality here at How to Daddoo so this is Celebrities Daniel Begins To Look Like In The Middle Of The Night When He Wont Go Back to Sleep.

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Graeme Donkin – How to Daddoo

Here’s another great guest post as 33-year-old Graeme Donkin from Sunderland tells us about his busy life with Isabella and twins, Matthew and Christopher.

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Inanimate Objects Our Son Loves

It’s often the case, you can get your child all the presents in the world and they’ll still end up sat playing amongst a pile of wrapping paper or with the cardboard box the thing is packaged in. Our 8-month-old son is no different to this so much so we’ve compiled a list of random inanimate objects our son loves.

1) The Baby Wipes Packet

Inanimate objects our son loves
Look at your partner the way my son looks at packets of baby wipes.

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How to Baby Sick

There’s something about Daniel Jr and his baby sick. Now I know most babies are sick and regularly bring up their feeds. Yet Daniel seems to have an innate ability to do it at the worst possible times. For his first eight months the most commonly used words in our house have been “Quick! Pass the muzzy!

Baby sick
“It wasn’t me!”

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Milk Boss Review

For many reasons, my wife had to work really hard to breastfeed. She had a couple of obstacles to get past which sometimes prevented her from enjoying the breastfeeding journey. With both of our children she struggled with positioning which seemed to affect the latch creating a toe curling, tear-inducing pain. Once she’d manage to get the baby on and feeding more comfortably I remember her then complaining about back pain. She never moans or anything my Missus! I only really understood her plight when we started introducing a bottle and I was able to offer my feeding support.

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How to Softplay

Softplay trips can be the best of times and the worst of times. The mere mention of the word brings overcrowded spaces, screaming kids and your child potentially doing a damage to the mind’s eye. It can though, when you follow my tips below, be a fun, rewarding, bonding experience.

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Ayla’s 3rd Birthday Special (10 Things We Love About You)

It’s Ayla’s 3rd birthday and we’re so excited. As frightening as the prospect sounds to us, this is the year she’ll start nursery and begin moving into the big, wide world. In three short years she’s achieved so much and we thought we’d mark the occasion by compiling a list of the things we love about our special girl.

3rd Birthday

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Pushy Parent? My dreams for my children

I always remember picking my younger sister up from her weekly tap dancing lessons. I must have sounded like the crazy woman off Dance Moms (not that I’ve ever watched it!) as I told her misguided nuggets of advice such as “You have to be really good to reach the top of the tap world” and “You need to eat, live and breathe tap to succeed!”

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Elf on the Shelf: A How to Daddoo Christmas Special

On December 1st 2017, a mysterious door appeared on our kitchen skirting board. He came with a letter saying he’d been sent by Santa to ensure the kids were being ‘nice.’ To his credit he also brought treats and an advent calender and thus we gained an annoying pint sized lodger for the month. No, it wasn’t the plot of a Channel 5 Christmas B movie. It was Elf on the Shelf and this is what happened.

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BenQ e-Reading LED Desk Lamp

Late nights up blogging, early mornings and sorting Daniel Jr’s midnight snacks lead to one thing – tired, strained eyes. You’ve got to be kinder to the ol’ peepholes. So when BenQ got in touch to send me their e-Reading lamp it was easy to say yes.

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How to Halloween – How to Dad-BOO!

Halloween always evokes special memories for a whole range of reasons. I wouldn’t say we are that much of a ‘spooky family’ but it’s a time of year when we love to celebrate. Would you believe that both me and my wife grew up in houses beside graveyards – different graveyards by the way – we actually have to drive through the graveyard to get to my Mams house. Maybe we are spookier than I thought!

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How to Dress Your Daughter

Top Tips:

  • Pink leggings with brown knee socks (with decorative ribbon) over the knee aren’t, and never will be, in season.
  • Long sleeve vests under short sleeved garments are a no-go.
  • If you’ve cut the toes out of your child’s sleep suit for extra foot space don’t take them out in it. It’s not a good look.

Dress

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Misreadings During Storytime

As parents, bedtime stories usually come at the end of a hard day at work or chasing your child around all day. After limping around the house making a supper time snack, fetching pyjamas, brushing teeth and giving any required medicine you and your little one settle down to read the bedtime story. It’s only when you’re winding down for the day, you become prone to misreadings during storytime.

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How to Tongue Tie

When I was born I had a severe tongue tie. Due to having so many other ailments as a child I’m not really sure at what age I was when I got the proverbial snip. I’m told I was older than most.

Tongue tie
Before and After

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Parenting One vs Parenting Two

No, this isn’t the latest fight announced on the Mayweather vs McGregor undercard. Becoming first time parents was something which we could have never prepared for and changed our lives in many areas. So two and a half years on with our new addition in tow I’ve noticed a few differences this time around as well as some things that apparently never change. At this point our little man is only two weeks old so here I’ll compare the first fortnight of parenting one vs parenting two.

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How to Do A Labour….Again

It started just like any other labour free night. I’d set my alarm to arise for work the next morning. We settled down in bed to watch that nights recording of Love Island. It was during a conversation in which I’d vetoed two names from the final list of three when it happened.

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Does Ingrown Toenail Surgery Hurt?

As the dust settles on what was a brilliant Fathers Day spent with my wife, daughter and soon-to-be son, I can finally get back to talking about one of my favourite subjects, my ingrown toenail journey!

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Fathers Day Gift Guide

With Fathers Day only a week away time is fast running out for buying the perfect gift for your Daddoo. Now I’ve mentioned my questionable gift choices before on the blog. Luckily though, a few brands got in touch in order to help out with this. Here I’ll give a couple ideas on potential gifts for your Daddoo this Fathers Day.

This is the How to Daddoo Fathers Day Gift Guide.

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How to Daddoo Bod

I recently came across the below photo of our family holiday in Salou. On first inspection, it’s a loving moment between a daughter and her dad. When inspecting myself closer (naturally!) you may notice my man boobs floating on the water looking worse than the North Sea oil spill. Proper Daddoo Bod!

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Health Visitor Questions That Confused Me

First of all, I must put on record my massive respect for midwives and health visitors who work very hard to ensure the safety of our children’s health. I remember before Ayla’s first health visitor visits I’d change my outfit three times before they arrived in case they realised I was a schlub who was living in his pyjamas everyday at the time and deem me unfit.

health visitor questions
“Whose at the door?”

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Decorating Nursery

As this is my first DIY post, I must start with somewhat of a disclaimer. I’ve never been very good at DIY, let alone decorating a nursery for my son. I’m clumsy, I tend to awkwardly get in the way and break things rather than improve them, sigh. I’m also not too proud to welcome any help and/or guidance from wiser members of the family or in other words let them do it for me. Alternatively I tend to provide a steady stream of cups of tea and biscuits throughout the day. In this instance my wonderful in-laws were the beneficiary’s of my tea making prowess.

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Things You Never Imagined Yourself Saying As a Parent

Over the past two years I have heard myself say many strange phrases that I never imagined I would be saying as a parent. These are a few more recent ones…

saying
“Put them where Daddy?”

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Andrew Fisher – How to Daddoo

Andrew Fisher is a professional mixed martial artist and MMA coach. He has amassed a 15-8-1 record in organisations such as Bellator and ACB. Out of his TFT (Team Fish Tank) gym he trains all age groups from top prospects to established champions fighting all over the world. As a proud dad of two, we caught up with him to talk all things fatherhood and MMA.

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How to Accept That Babies Bounce

When you first get your new baby home, you literally do everything within your power to protect them. There is a reason for the phrase ‘wrap them in cotton wool’. After the first few months of sterilising everything within reach, (bottles, teats, the house pet) you gradually become less scared and realise that babies bounce. That’s not to say you suddenly become any less nervous, actually for me it only got worse the more mobile she became.

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Gav McDermott – How to Daddoo

Hi everyone! Let me introduce myself. My name is Gav McDermott, I’m 31-years-old and married to my childhood sweetheart, Amy. We have two kids, Alfie our first born who turns 7 this month, and Scarlett who has just turned 4 but has the sass of a prepubescent 12-year-old!!! We also have a hairy child, Prinny, our border terrier puppy.

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How to Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is quite an important day. I had a chat with my wife this week where I admitted I wasn’t too fussed with Father’s Day. It came as a bit of a surprise to me to hear that Mother’s Day is very important to all women who are lucky enough to be mothers and to many more besides…  Those who are expecting and those who will be in the future, those who may not birth any children but symbolise a mother, those who yearn to be mothers. Today we celebrated a significant day for many and a special day in my own family. Continue reading “How to Mother’s Day”

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Bad Habits You Pick Up As A Parent

As parents you can begin to live in a bit of a bubble. What becomes normal to you may appear slightly strange, random or a tad crazy to the outside world. I’ve compiled a list below of bad habits that I’ve picked up so far along the way…

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Sleep Tactics – The Controlled Crying Edition

When we last left Sleep Tactics Ayla needed to obliterate our pinky fingers in order to get to sleep. Exiting the room, once what remained of your digit was prized free, was also an ominous task. We’d heard about controlled crying but were still in denial she would miraculously nod off without us lying by her. This is the point we started to look for advice.

controlled crying
“Is she awake?”

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A Tribute to my Daddoo

On March 1st 2016 at 11:30pm I lost one of the best men I’ve ever known, my Stepfather, my Dad. He took his last breathes beside me and his life slipped away following a six-month battle with metastatic renal cancer. This is a tribute to the man who taught me how to be a father.

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Things I’ve Taught My Daughter

It’s always important to pass down our knowledge and experience to our children. Since the beginning of time generations have taught life skills to their offspring in order to best equip them the for the road ahead.

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Here is a list of the early lessons, I’ve passed down to Ayla thus far: Continue reading “Things I’ve Taught My Daughter”

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Valentines Day Special: How to Love Your Wife

I remember the first time I saw her. She saw me first apparently as I walked passed her in the bar. I was probably concentrating on which flavour bag of crisps to get with my pint. We were both attending a wedding evening with mutual friends and we’d met in a pub beforehand. We soon hit it off. In those early days she laughed at my jokes and didn’t seem phased by the ropey stories my mates told her.

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Baby’s Birthday: To Party or Not to Party?

As Ayla’s first birthday approached, my wife and I began discussing whether Ayla would remember or even know she was having a birthday party and whether it was necessary.

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Mobile Phone Drone

I often find myself, like I’m sure many other Daddoo’s do, hiding in the toilet using some kind of device (GET YOUR MIND OUT THE GUTTER!) such as a mobile phone or tablet. It’s then I realise, looking up irrelevant information to my life, there’s nothing to hide from. It’s much better and more beneficial to engage and be pro-active in family life. So, I run back out and join in the fun.

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Cold and Flu season with BeKOOOL

When I was first approached to review BeKOOOL gel sheets, I did wonder when I would get the opportunity to test them out on Ayla. At first, I considered letting her run around in wet socks which was clearly stupid. My next idea was turning the heating up in the house which was again a barm-pot scheme.

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Ayla’s First Christmas

Around the 10-month mark, Ayla’s first Christmas was fast approaching. This prompted the neighbours to put up the equivalent of Blackpool illuminations around their premises. Next doors were mega bright, that white/blue light that dazzles your eyes. Add to that the fact they were on the ‘random’ setting, they would go from solid, steady flashing, fade in, fade out, RAVE ON mode and back again.

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How to Telly: cBeebies OR Sky Sports?

It’s an inner turmoil that would affect the most conscientious of person. What to watch on the telly with Ayla. Sky Sports News or CBeebies? On one occasion I was giving Ayla her bottle (naturally as the only remote control operating adult in the relationship, I get to choose what channel we watch) and was watching Sky Sports News when I became engrossed by it. After staring at the screen intently for a good five minutes. I looked down to see our baby girls neck folds had consumed the vast majority of the 7oz and soaked into her sleep suit with sponge-like efficiency.

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A regular sight

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Celebrities Ayla Begins To Look Like In The Middle of the Night When She Wont Go Back to Sleep

Sleep deprivation can play games with even the most balanced Daddoo’s mind. Sometimes when lulling my daughter back to sleep in the middle of the night with my eyes playing tricks on me, her face can take on many forms.

celebrities-ayla-looks-no-sleep
“You’re fired!”

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Reading With Your Child

I know what you’re thinking and no, this post isn’t about this bumbling dad being unable to read. I can read, go me. In fact, I had many great experiences growing up involving reading. I was lucky enough that reading seemingly just clicked with me in the early years of infant school. As someone who wouldn’t class themselves as an academic, I always felt comfortable reading out loud to a teacher or the class.

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Back to Work

I remember when I was younger Sunday nights followed a certain routine. I’d have my bath, come out with wrinkly hands and feet and get in my PJ’s. Next I’d sit in my dressing gown watching You’ve Been Framed and, staring into host Jeremy Beadle’s eyes, that Sunday night dread would loom over me about returning to school the next day. I got a similar feeling when my wife returned to work after 9-months on maternity leave.

back-to-work
My beautiful girls’ first day back at work

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Teething Troubles

Teething is a long, enduring battle. Not only is your child in pain but there’s little you can do to avoid it. Ayla would slavver for England, develop rosy red cheeks like a beacon of light and get a constantly runny nose. The pains can come out of nowhere, and Ayla would begin screaming uncontrollably. We felt helpless watching our little one in pain but there were several things we could do to try and help her.

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Sleep Tactics – 3-6 Months

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Ayla with Ewan

Top tip: When getting your child to sleep ensure that you, as the responsible parent, do not fall asleep first. Not like the time this Daddoo had been trying to put Ayla to bed (for over an hour) and my wife came upstairs to find me sound asleep and Ayla awake and partying.

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Torture Techniques My Daughter Uses During Bedtime

torture-techniques-bedtime
“Please don’t kick me!”

Has anyone else ever thought that they are living with a highly trained mini assassin? Ayla waits till the dead of night (when her opponents are at their weakest!) to inflict her full repertoire of torture techniques. This may sound extreme to some people but I’m telling you, you don’t know what it’s like…unless you do! Those of you who do, I feel your pain. Continue reading “Torture Techniques My Daughter Uses During Bedtime”

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Bottle vs Breast

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“Bot Bot pease dadda!”

When Ayla was born we decided that my wife, Rachel would give breastfeeding a go. The hospital were really supportive. When Ayla struggled to latch they offered an overnight stay to help my wife figure out how to breastfeed. From Rachel’s messages to me that first night I realised that this breastfeeding thing may not be plain sailing. Ayla managed to feed, despite Rachel being in great pain, we came home thinking it could only get easier. Continue reading “Bottle vs Breast”

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I’m Always Left Holding the Baby

always holding the baby I’m always left holding the baby! Shot’s fired, I hear you cry. ‘Wait till your wife reads this’, I see you type. I mean  this 100% literally though. The fact is in Ayla’s first 11-12 weeks I tried to carry her every waking moment we were together.  Continue reading “I’m Always Left Holding the Baby”

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Ayla’s First Time at the Swimming Pool

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“Daddoo, I’m swimming!”

As parents, we decided to get Ayla in the pool as early, and as much, as possible. I’ve always loved swimming. It evokes some great childhood memories of getting launched about by my Dad and having wrestling moves performed on me. Not to mention the dragon’s head, the waves and the ice cold diving pool at Sunderland’s Crowtree Leisure Centre. I was eager to begin shot putting Ayla around a pool. Although I was informed by my wife, with our daughter only 8-weeks-old, we’d have to maybe start by getting her used to being in the water to begin with. Continue reading “Ayla’s First Time at the Swimming Pool”

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How to Survive in Mummy Dominated Playgroups

"What can I bash this tambourine with?"
“What can I bash this tambourine with?”

I had heard a lot from other dads about the perils of venturing into the mummy dominated territory of playgroups. Add into the mix that I’m socially awkward in new or unfamiliar surroundings makes the whole ordeal quite painful for all involved. Continue reading “How to Survive in Mummy Dominated Playgroups”

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How To Deal With Poo

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Here at How to Daddoo we pride ourselves on being a kind of unhelpful user guide on all phases of fatherhood. If we were in physical format we’d most likely end up in the paper bin or used to swat flies. In this post we’ll cover these nappy questions as only we can. Continue reading “How To Deal With Poo”

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Things I’ve Learnt From My Daughter

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1) Smile More – Of the many things I’ve learnt from my daughter, smiling is one of the most important. Ayla smiles so often that we nicknamed her Ayla Smiler. When you’re trying to be ‘in a one’ because you’ve ran out of milk, or your nephews saved over your updated FIFA teams, that one little smile, that glint in her eye is totally contagious.

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Sleep Tactics – 0-3 Months

*Whispers* "She's asleep!"
*Whispers* “She’s asleep!”

I remember when my wife was pregnant and my brother-in-law told me, “the first 3 months are the hardest, then they become self sufficient”. While I looked forward to our three-month-old cooking us meals and pottering on with the housework, it finally dawned me how hard the next three months would be as soon as we had Ayla home. Continue reading “Sleep Tactics – 0-3 Months”

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What Kind of Daddoo Should I Be?

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In my last blog post, I left you all on tenterhooks following the excitement and awe of becoming a first time Daddoo. Now most people would get straight into the role of being a parent. I, on the other hand, began pointlessly daydreaming  of what kind of Daddoo I should outwardly portray. The unconditional love I felt for my daughter was undeniable and there for all to see, but how would I parent her?  Continue reading “What Kind of Daddoo Should I Be?”

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How To React When Your Wife Tells You She’s Pregnant

 

Wife
Wife: “We’re pregnant!”

Top Tip: When your wife is nearly at her due date do not attend pointless seminar’s especially with an uncharged phone.

Before we found out, I had a feeling my wife, Rachel, was going to tell me she was pregnant. We’d had a test a couple of days earlier that came back negative but Continue reading “How To React When Your Wife Tells You She’s Pregnant”