

Ask HN: Anyone has experience of running startup and becoming To-Be-DAD soon - reach_kapil

I am running my &quot;yet to be launched&quot; startup and found out this great news about becoming Dad next year. Can not be more excited than that. I want to make sure I can do the best for the baby and also focus on the startup(which is also my baby)
Any one has similar experience or any advice they can give for To-be-Dad?
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jasonkester
Congratulations! Step one: get launched and out of "build" mode well before
the due date. Especially if you have a day job and this is a nights and
weekends thing. Free time will be spent playing with the baby for the next
several years. (That's a good thing!)

A couple thoughts on the actual mechanics of raising babies. First, breast
feed. It's actually amazing that anybody would voluntarily put themselves
through the hassle of dealing with bottles when there's this always-on supply
ready to go. It's also the universal fix button. Plane's landing, baby starts
crying? Stick a boob in his mouth. Sorted.

Cloth diapers vs. disposables. Cloth diapers are pretty impressive these days.
They generally work, don't smell too bad, clean up fine, and are probably even
cheaper in the long run. But here's the thing. Disposable diapers are made out
of pure magic. You really have to see it to believe it. You know why we don't
have Mars bases and hoverboards? Because every genius mind in the last 40
years has seemingly been working around the clock to make a single pair of
Huggies Active Fit hold 15 gallons of urine without leaking. You can leave
your kid in one for weeks on end if you feel like it. Honestly, it's the
single greatest invention of all time, and they're like $0.25 per poop. Sorry
cloth. Sorry environment. Disposables rule.

Good luck!

~~~
reach_kapil
Thanks for your advice.

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zer00eyz
First of all congrats!

We are missing some facts here that would help give guidance.

What does mom do now, does she plan on doing after baby is born?

You haven't mentioned your role at the startup, how many folks are involved or
working with/for you, and when you think you are going to launch, and in what
general sector (b2b, SAS be vague but give us some clues)

There is one more key factor, and thats do you have other family near by
you... this can be a blessing and a curse, but help is help and take it where
you can get it.

General parenting stuff:

Im sure you know other folks who have kids, you need to start asking them
about the things they learned that could have made the process easier. Your
going to hear lots of stuff take it all to heart and listen its going to sound
a lot like...

Tips like making the bed with a mattress protector, a sheet, another mattress
protector, another sheet, another mattress protector... cause at 3am you don't
want to have to re-make bed due to an accident, and pulling off the wet sheets
lets you go back to sleep quickly.

Learn to nap now your going to need them

Buy this, follow its advice [http://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Sleep-Weeks-
Step/dp/05259...](http://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Sleep-Weeks-
Step/dp/0525949593)

sleep will make or break you, sleep will be the thing you long for.

Find out how to cook things that are fast, easy, healthy and don't destroy the
kitchen.

Realize that any aversion you have to bodily fluids are going to disappear
quickly, as a parent pretty much nothing grosses me out any more.

Plan on having at least 3 months after birth where your a total MESS. You
might have good days in there but don't count on having them or being able to
plan them.

Bottle feeding has advantages, one of you can get a good nights sleep every
now and again. Also feeding time is reading time, I learned more bottle
feeding my kids then I have since.

Find playgroups and peer groups early. This is mostly going to be you walking
your kids around with other parents in the early days, but other moms and dads
with the same tired expressions, strollers and diaper bags are a good reminder
that you aren't alone!

~~~
reach_kapil
I will order the book. really appreciate your advice

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noomerikal
Congratulations!

I have zero practical advice to give you but I can relate as I am in the exact
same position. Stressing out to get as much done prior to 11/30.

The one thing that I keep hearing about is the yo-yo feeling of guilt. Guilt
that you aren't doing enough at work, guilt that you aren't doing enough at
home. Ultimately, I am trying to get myself in the right mindset to be able to
look past those feelings and realize I am doing the best that I can and that
will have to be good enough.

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justbecame2xdad
Mom comes first, then baby, then you, then the startup.

