\n<\/p>\n
In the summer of 2024, Cale Moore was gearing up for fatherhood alongside his wife when they discovered the Boot Camp for New Dads at LMH Health. This workshop, held on Saturdays, is organized in partnership with the nonprofit Dads of Douglas County.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to be an involved and equal parent,\u201d shared Moore, a resident of Lawrence and a product designer. \u201cThis course seemed like the perfect place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the July session, Moore and other soon-to-be dads got the chance to hold and feed a baby, providing them with practical experience. The three-hour workshop features insights from experienced fathers, including some who brought their newborns to share their journeys.<\/p>\n
The facilitators from Dads of Douglas County guide discussions on several important topics, like what to expect during birth, adjusting to life with a newborn, and ensuring the baby\u2019s safety. They also highlight the importance of supporting partners after childbirth, emphasizing the creation of a nurturing environment and recognizing signs of postpartum depression.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most impactful moments for me were the discussions where we shared our worries about becoming dads,\u201d Moore reflected. \u201cI learned so much from both new and experienced dads about what traits we want to carry forward from our own fathers and what we want to change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vince Romero, a Lawrence local and trained facilitator for the workshop, noted that the Boot Camp offers an excellent opportunity for soon-to-be dads to ask their questions and hear stories from those who have recently welcomed a baby. \u201cIt\u2019s reassuring for men to realize that everyone else is feeling the same mix of excitement and fear,\u201d said Romero. \u201cOur aim is to ensure new moms feel supported knowing their partners are eager to be engaged in the family journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conner Foster, a veteran dad who attended a recent Boot Camp, echoed this sentiment, stating that the workshop creates a space for men to bond with each other, something that can be hard to do in everyday life.<\/p>\n
Moore found the Boot Camp experience to be a great launchpad into fatherhood. \u201cAs my wife\u2019s pregnancy progressed, I felt quite isolated,\u201d he explained. \u201cThe boot camp reassured me that other guys share the same feelings and aspirations to be attentive and caring dads.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dads of Douglas County is dedicated to fostering the involvement of fathers in their children\u2019s lives. Board member Charlie Bryan, who works at Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, shared that the group aims to create a supportive community for men to connect and build lasting relationships with their children and partners.<\/p>\n
While the Boot Camp for New Dads has been running for several years, the sessions had slowed down during the pandemic but have picked up again. Bryan noted the joy in witnessing new dads gain confidence as they return for follow-up classes with their babies in tow.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s uplifting to see how these men evolve from showing up nervous and curious to leaving with a clearer sense of their role as fathers,\u201d he said. \u201cEven more rewarding is when they come back to support the new dads, sharing their own experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Boot Camp is crucial as it gives fathers a place to connect, ask questions, and learn from one another. \u201cThis kind of support not only benefits the dads but also their partners and children,\u201d Bryan added.<\/p>\n
Romero has observed the positive impact of the boot camp and hopes it inspires a ripple effect throughout the community, empowering new fathers as they embark on their parenting journeys.<\/p>\n
Moore is thankful for the Boot Camp, especially since his daughter arrived three weeks early in August 2024. As she nears her first birthday, he reflects on the value of the class, recommending it to any expecting fathers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the best way to start preparing for fatherhood and understand the changes in your relationship,\u201d he said. \u201cIt also helps you to think about the joys and challenges ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
LMH Health, in collaboration with Dads of Douglas County, hosts the Boot Camp for New Dads every quarter. The next session is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 12, at the LMH Health auditorium, located at 330 Arkansas St. Registration can be done online, and the cost is $10 per person. For scholarship information, you can contact 785-505-3081. <\/p>\n
For more information about Dads of Douglas County, you can check their website or find them on social media.<\/p>\n
\u2014 George Diepenbrock, member and volunteer with Dads of Douglas County.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Boot Camp for New Dads: A Helping Hand for New Fathers In the summer of 2024, Cale Moore was gearing up for fatherhood alongside his wife when they discovered the Boot Camp for New Dads at LMH Health. This workshop, held on Saturdays, is organized in partnership with the nonprofit Dads of Douglas County. \u201cI\u2019ve<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[15895,15898,15896,15897],"class_list":["post-13371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-announcements","tag-workshop-at-lmh-health-helps-new-dads-prepare-for-parenthood","tag-workshop-at-lmh-health-helps-new-dads-prepare-for-parenthoodhealth","tag-workshop-at-lmh-health-helps-new-dads-prepare-for-parenthoodother-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13371\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}