Baby is going to spend plenty of time with Mom, but it is important to set aside some bonding time with your partner. From skin-to-skin to bath time, make sure that your partner has an active role in the first weeks of our child's life. 

Below are some more details we found here on the science & details of benefits for Dad + baby below:

Benefits for Baby: 1. Accelerates Brain Development:

Skin to skin contact is a multi-sensory experience. Holding baby on Dad’s skin increases the development of essential neural pathways, which accelerates brain maturation. In addition, research shows that kangaroo’ed babies spend more time in quiet sleep, which enhances organizational patterns in the brain and decreases baby’s stress responses.

2. Calms, Soothes & Reduces Stress:

The direct connection with Dad’s skin during Kangaroo Care soothes baby so much that babies’ cortisol levels (stress hormone) are measurably lowered after only 20 minutes of being held skin to skin. And, remarkably, their pain is reduced when held skin to skin. As a result, babies who experience regular Kangaroo Care often cry less and appear less agitated.

3. Improves Quality of Sleep:

Development of mature brain function in infants depends on the quality of their sleep cycling. During skin to skin, most infants fall asleep easily, and achieve what is called “Quiet Sleep”, a natural deep sleep for 60 minutes or more.

4. Enhances Immune System:

Baby’s immune system is stimulated when placed skin to skin. Dad’s mature immune system passes antibodies through his skin to baby. Being on Dad’s skin also increases baby’s skin hydration, which provides a protective barrier from harmful bacteria entering baby’s skin.

5. Stimulates Digestion & Weight Gain:

Kangaroo Care reduces cortisol and somatostatin in babies, allowing for better absorption and digestion of nutrients, while decreasing gastrointestinal problems. With a reduction of these hormones, baby’s bodies preserve brown fat (the healthy fat babies are born with), helping to maintain birth weight and keep a warm body temperature. As a result, baby’s body does not have to burn its own fat stores to stay warm, resulting in better weight gain. After just one hour of skin to skin, the infant’s digestive system is restored to the right balance for optimal GI function.

6. Synchronizes Heart Rate + Breathing:

Simply put, through time spent skin to skin with Dad, baby’s body learns to self-regulate, resulting in a regular and stable heartbeat and breathing pattern. 75% of sporadic breathing and slow heart rate episodes are reduced through skin-to-skin contact.

The benefits for baby alone are well worth the time spent skin to skin. But what’s even more remarkable is that there are benefits for Dad too:

Promotes Psychological Well-Being

As Dad sits with baby skin to skin on his chest, oxytocin (natural “feel good” hormone) levels in his body increase. With increased oxytocin levels, Dad’s testosterone levels decrease. This shift in hormones creates a “relaxation and well-being” response. This aids in Dad responding with nurturing and affectionate behaviors toward baby and allowing him to better bond with baby. As Dad is more sensitive and aware of his baby’s needs, he feels more tuned-in to baby, and more confident about his parenting skills. Dads are more interactive with their infants and report a stronger bond long term if they’ve held baby skin to skin.