Class helps new fathers adjust to parenthood

  • Published
  • By Cassie Brown
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Everyone knows that the Air Force is very family-oriented. When families welcome a new baby, society's predisposition is the mother nurtures the baby and the father simply beams with pride. 

The New Dads Boot Camp teaches new and expecting fathers how to care for and connect with their new children. The classes are held quarterly and last for three hours, covering everything from child care, to child safety, to maintaining a healthy relationship with their wives. Each class is run by a coach and veterans who help the rookies. The coach educates new dads what to expect and how to interact with their new baby. 

Veterans, who often have very young children and have been through the classes before, will often bring his child to the class, giving the rookies an opportunity to handle a real baby. 

Together, these men form a close-knit community where they are free to ask questions that would normally be considered embarrassing. For the men's emotional security they have a strict rule: no women allowed! 

"The goal of the program is to make the father more comfortable with his baby, which in turn will also strengthen their relationship," says Master Sgt. Richard Krusemark, 60th Component Maintenance Squadron, who coaches Travis' class. 

One way to make fathers feel more comfortable is to teach them the basics of taking care of babies. They teach the new fathers how to hold a baby correctly, how to feed and burp the baby, and, of course, how to change a diaper. These things are important as they create a bond between father and child. 

Along with child care, they make sure the men understand the importance of keeping the baby safe. They explain how delicate and yet strong babies can be in their first year. The coach shares with them staples of baby care such as never shaking a your baby and how to baby-proof the house. 

The majority of men said the most important thing they learned was appreciating the changes in their wives throughout pregnancy and childbirth. 

The coaches and veterans explain to the rookies all of the emotional and physical changes their wives will undergo. They offer them advice on how to keep the spark alive between the couple as they deal with new family stresses. They also give the rookies tips on how to deal with the, sometimes unwanted, "advice" from the new baby's grandparents. 

The New Dads Boot Camp program was actually started in the civilian world; however, the Air Force renovated the civilian program to better suit military needs. In 2002 Travis became the first Air Force base to begin this program. 

As parenthood is a little different for those in the military than in the civilian world, Travis' coaches also counsel new fathers on dealing with long deployments away from their children. 

As Travis' New Dads Boot Camp program is considered a hospital appointment, it is a great way for fathers-to-be and new fathers to learn about their new babies without taking time away from their families. 

For information, visit www.Newdads.com, or to sign up for the next class call the Family Advocacy Program at 423-5168.