Need advice from fathers -- baby is coming soon lol

[initialize]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

 

[Alvinq]

Yeah it's going to be hard to get over this mental hump but you need to put your family first and figure out a routine that works for you and your partner. Do the best you can without leaving your partner doing more work than you.
The first year of your first kids life will both suck and be weirdly magical. It will change how you think and act.
Just workout when you can and sleep as much as you can.
My main advice is to keep your diet on point and you'll retain much more than you think you can.
Also take in every moment you can because it goes fast and will all be a distant memory before you realize. Don't give yourself the opportunity to regret missing a moment or not being there for them.

 

[BALLISTIC]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

Eat when you can, sleep when you can, and shit when you can. Haha

I'm kidding, first off congrats man this is the best thing you'll ever do in my opinion.

Is momma going to breast feed? If so the first few weeks are def not of concern. Also get a high quality pump. Start pumping and storing for your role in feeding times. You'll be fine the first 10 weeks easy, they eat and sleep, shit, eat again and sleep, repeat daily haha.

Don't stress man, enjoy holding that tiny creation before you know it they're driving and care less about you. Don't miss a minute for anything else, you'll never get it back. They literally go from holding your hand and clinging to you hard stop out of nowhere. Then you're constantly telling them to speak intelligently and stop calling you bro. Best wishes dude.

Oh diapers man, get a wholesale membership and buy the infant for several weeks then get the multi size packs. You'll see.

 

[Rush]

First of all, congratulations.

Your First responsibility should be your partner and your child, what ever this means in your case. You can't say what's coming in the next few weeks, what it will take and how long it will last. Communication is key, but you will be definitely not the first one to see his needs fulfilled. And you know what, it's fine. Children are magic, so is everything that will come up in the next time. When your kid grabs your finger the first time, you will know the answer to any questions you might have.

Wish you all the best, you got this

 

[initialize]

Thank you guys, it means a lot

 

[hellerhiwater]

you will have a more clear picture on what to do and how to manage it when baby arrives.

some people dont experience this, but a lot do. theres a mental shift that kind of happens in the first week of having baby be outside of the womb. it becomes more real, and the identity of father kind of solidifies into its truer form than the idea of being a father at some point in the future when the baby comes.

of course you dont want to leave yourself behind, and staying healthy for yourself and your kids is a thing. but if that mental shift happens, managing your recovery and keeping gains will be a tertiary or quaternary concern at best.

i think your attention will naturally shift toward momma and the baby and (hopefully) your gains can take a backseat for a few months.

 

[BALLISTIC]

Thank you guys, it means a lot

Absolutely dude, I remember my first, scary at times. Driving in the car contemplating if I'll be up to par on being a father. Comparing myself to my father grandfather.

For what it's worth you don't know me, and for some reason my first post requires mod approval so you'll read it later. But your going to kick ass bro. Never lie to them, never punish them for telling the truth. They'll cling to you for guidance in the hardest times, and you'll some how know exactly what to do. Take care of momma, and this will all make sense once they release my first post from mod jail.

 

[AzzaTesto]

Congratulations.
2 kids here, at start it will be really hard to adjust since its a big responsability and there will be basically no schedule.
As for sleep if you spented any extra time on the phone/pc/netflix,use that time for going to bed early instead of wasting it,cause baby will be most likely awake during the night.
If the baby breastfeeds you will likely not need to be doing anything with that part of waking during the night,but house chores/cooking will be mostly your job.
After few weeks you will see some pattern in terms of sleep schedule with the child so you can plan around it for naps or just resting.
In case you did any AAS like tren or anything that messes with your mind and patience drop it right now.
Your wife will most likely be hormonal mess after birth so you need to be extra patient with her and understand that its not her fault that she says/thinks or does stupid or annoying things.
I wish you and your wife all the best and to your wife speedy recovery.

 

[fw190jd]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

I’m a father of five, and even though I’m older now and my kids are grown, I remember those early days very clearly. Honestly, I can’t imagine trying to run a blast during that time. Your sleep gets wrecked, you’re up at all hours, training becomes inconsistent, and you’re juggling work and helping out at home.
That’s all coming, and it’s just reality. Do the best you can, but be realistic—if you’re hitting 50% of what you normally would, you’re doing great. Don’t beat yourself up over it.
And I highly recommend—ha ha—that you don’t even go near Tren during this phase. Sleep deprivation, stress, and Tren do not play well together.

 

[thejumpingsheep]

Congrats.

The big change is priorities. You are not longer priority. Period. Kid doesnt care. Not for a while. You are now living around the childs schedule.

You can manipulate your childs habits to some extent but ultimately, its hit or miss and dont feel bad if it doesnt go the way you expect. I have 3 kids, all raised similar, totally different personalities and habits especially early life. They eventually normalized to something similar but it took years. They learn skills at different times and rates.

Realizations:
1 - You are no longer the master of your own schedule.
2 - Every child is different, dont assume anything.
3 - Do try to shape good habits but dont stress if it doesnt work.
4 - Your wife will have it much worse than you. Get over your gain problem.

Priorities:
1 - Just be there.
2 - If you are bread winner, this is 2nd highest priority, you must provide financial stability.
3 - Most women will have some depression for a myriad of reasons. If breastfeeding, it might be worse (though better for baby). Again, be there. Be kind.
4 - Majority of women will have some sort of physical problem from pregnancy.

Being a father is a privialage. It has ups and downs but the experiences are unforgettable. The kids will make you angry one minute, and laugh the next. They will do the stupidest things and make you wonder how human beings survived this long only to be followed up by a surprise behavior that makes you pound your chest like an ape in pride... "I did that." (LoL). You will lose a few IQ points while you listen to their play conversations then at 6 years they will beat you at Mortal Combat making you question your manhood... then you spend the next 4 hours polishing up your skills to make sure it doesnt happen again... only to lose again when they figure out how to camp you once you are down and cheap shot you over and over with a single button click action while jumping up and down on the couch and laughing hysterically in your face...

Congrats again.

 

[Catteni]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

You will lose sleep but is what it is. 7 year old and 3 year old boys while working multiple jobs and in school and blast/cruise. Do what you can when you can.

Congratulations, being a father is very rewarding.

 

[Catteni]

Take care of her for doing all she did and will do for your child.

 

[RockyP]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

Stay on HRT and GH. Focus on diet and sleep when you can. Set realistic training goals, focus on maintaining. You’d be surprised how much you retain if you’re eating enough and training 3 days per week. You’ll have plenty of time to blast in the future.

 

[xrayphoton13]

My advice. Go back to trt and don't worry about the gym. Enjoy the day. The moment that baby comes changes everything. Yes you can still try to eat well. I brought a bunch of protein snacks with me to the hospital. But you're going to have your hands full the first few days and your wife is going to need a whole lot of help. You're going to get some serious resentment from her if she's dealing with the brand new baby while you're off at the gym being selfish. You can gain that muscle back pretty quickly anyway. Just remember it's not about you anymore. It's about giving that little one the best life they can have. I have a pretty decent home gym and that definitely came in handy. I was able to work out during the baby's naps. I just brought her out with me so I could keep my eyes on her

 

[Elektrobot]

am I overthinking things?

Depends

Do you know who the mother is?

 

[RockyP]

This is fantastic advice. The challenge is finding the balance between being present for you child and your wife but also taking care of yourself with rest and exercise. I would just sit back and relax, let your body have a break, and when the time is right you will be back better and bigger. The break will help you respond that much better to your next blast, for your CNS and connective tissue a rest, etc. one of our kids was born during early COVID lockdowns. I was on HRT at the time. All I was able to do was walk, pushups, and pull-ups for a few weeks all while getting minimal sleep. Just hydrate and get your protein target in. It’s all very temporary, and by the way, likely the best time of your life. Enjoy it.

My advice. Go back to trt and don't worry about the gym. Enjoy the day. The moment that baby comes changes everything. Yes you can still try to eat well. I brought a bunch of protein snacks with me to the hospital. But you're going to have your hands full the first few days and your wife is going to need a whole lot of help. You're going to get some serious resentment from her if she's dealing with the brand new baby while you're off at the gym being selfish. You can gain that muscle back pretty quickly anyway. Just remember it's not about you anymore. It's about giving that little one the best life they can have. I have a pretty decent home gym and that definitely came in handy. I was able to work out during the baby's naps. I just brought her out with me so I could keep my eyes on her

 

[Ryu82]

Yeah it's going to be hard to get over this mental hump but you need to put your family first and figure out a routine that works for you and your partner. Do the best you can without leaving your partner doing more work than you.
The first year of your first kids life will both suck and be weirdly magical. It will change how you think and act.
Just workout when you can and sleep as much as you can.
My main advice is to keep your diet on point and you'll retain much more than you think you can.
Also take in every moment you can because it goes fast and will all be a distant memory before you realize. Don't give yourself the opportunity to regret missing a moment or not being there for them.

This, 110%

The first week is the hardest and it slowly gets better after that. I would not want to have missed a moment of it though (but I don't want to ever do it again lol)

TRT+ and IIFYM was the way to go. And more caffeine then I would like to admit.

 

[aromatizer]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

Congrats Bro!

When my 1st one came I said what can possibly change to our routine. The correct answer is what is not going to change. Nothing is going to stay the same. I would forget about gains and stick to basic TRT, or even come off completely, try to squeeze in minimal workouts when possible. You can forget about proper sleep, for the first year or two or in our case the first 5 years. Your entire life will rotate around the babies needs. Something in your brain will trigger the dad program, priorities will change. Exhaustion, stress will be the order of the day. People will say enjoy your baby, hahahaha.

But there is nothing to compare to the unique smell of your own freshly born baby. Must come with some pheromones because it certainly triggers something in your brain.

 

[AlexDavis43]

Any other dads here?

My first child will be coming most likely next week.

Probably poor planning on my part but I also have a few weeks left of my blast and I want to keep as much gains as possible obviously, but as you can probably understand I'm mostly concerned about the inevitable lack of sleep/ recovery that will take place during the first few months (or even longer?)

Any advice from fellow dads here or am I overthinking things?

congratu-fucking-lations bro

the cards are gonna lay where they lie (or however the saying goes)

you're gonna find windows to workout or not (hopefully the former)

gotta sleep when you can not only for bodybuilding, but for being a well-rested dad and competent money-maker (if that's one of your primary responsibilities)