Having a child is always an adventure. You'll have an opportunity to observe your baby's personality developing as she learns about the world around her. You'll also have a chance to take an active role in that process. For new parents, the experience is unlike any other, and they'll remember it forever.

New moms and dads will also experience a mild sense of anxiety regarding several "firsts" in their little one's life. No matter how many books you read, and how much you prepare, your infant's first bath, haircut, illness, and tooth, are bound to make you feel uneasy. It's part of the adventure. With that in mind, this article will give you a brief road map to prepare you and help you form the right expectations.

Bathing

You can expect your little one's first bath to be a nerve-racking experience. You'll naturally want to do everything right and simultaneously protect her from harm (e.g. too-hot water, drowning, etc.). But, it's important to avoid placing too much pressure on yourself and your partner. Realize that things may happen outside "the plan," but are unlikely to cause a problem.

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to minimize your anxiety while fully enjoying the event. First, prepare the supplies in advance. Set out a towel, sponge, cotton balls, washcloth, and a diaper. Second, after you fill the basin with water, test the temperature to make sure it's warm enough without being too hot. Third, close the windows in whatever room you're giving the bath to prevent your baby from getting cold.

Haircut

As nerve-racking as your baby's first bath is for you, her first haircut is stressful to her. From her point of view, she'll be draped in an unfamiliar - and uncomfortable - cape while someone she has never met stands near her with scissors. She'll be comforted by your presence, but will still find the experience unsettling.

When you and your little one visit the beauty salon for her first time, let her bring one of her stuffed animals. That will give her an extra degree of comfort. You can also help her become more comfortable by letting her watch as you receive your own haircut.

Illness

Moms and dads never enjoy seeing their children cope with sickness. And to be sure, the first time your little one gets sick, you'll likely feel anxious and powerless at the same time. Regardless of what you do to try to ease her, she'll remain fussy and teary-eyed. Moreover, her normal routine (i.e. eating, sleeping, etc.) might be thrown awry.

While it's inevitable that your baby will eventually suffer a cold, ear infection, or other ailment, there are a few things you can do to make her more comfortable. For example, breastfeeding usually has a soothing effect on babies. The physical contact is a comfort to them. If your baby's nose is stuffy and she's having trouble breathing through it, try rocking her back and forth in your arms. That might ease some of the congestion.

Tooth

By your baby's sixth month, she'll likely have started teething. While part of you will be tempted to grab your camera, another part might feel exasperated. Your little one will become fussy; she'll change her eating habits; she might wake up crying throughout the night; she might also have diarrhea while running a fever.

First, use cold water to dampen a washcloth and let your baby chew (or gnaw) on it. That will relieve some of her discomfort. If your infant has toys that she uses for teething, place them in the refrigerator to keep them cool for her. You can also try gently massaging her gums with your index finger. You won't be able to completely get rid of her pain, but you can provide a degree of comfort.

Watching your baby experience things for the first time is both exciting and a little frightening. Realize that there's only so much you and your partner can do to calm her fears and ease her discomfort.

Here is a little known perfect storm that can be a great gifting opportunity for new dads: when Mother’s Day coincides with the expected delivery day. It would be a big mistake for dads to forget about celebrating Mother’s Day, even though you can bet their minds are elsewhere. But if you play this hand right, it’ll be the best Mother’s Days ever. Allow me to take a few minutes to give you some great ideas about how to transform this “perfect storm” into a surprise celebration.

First off, call a flower delivery service and make an appointment for delivery on Mother’s Day. Even if the delivery date turns out to not be correct, and even two weeks late, she will still appreciate the flowers because you made the connection about her new duty in life. This is powerful stuff, because many women complain that their husband’s mothers always come first.

Next, order your wife’s favorite dinner (or cook it yourself if so inclined) and put it in the freezer. Trust me, near the end of the pregnancy, you both will be bored with quick and easy take-out food and she will love the forethought in cooking her favorite meal on Mother’s Day. There’s no time to think, much less cook, during those final days of the pregnancy or the first days of the baby’s life, so a well-cooked meal that is easily prepared will be convenient and heart warming.

Lastly, do some undercover nursery decorating. This is easy, guys. If the nursery has already been decorated, simply choose some kids art that matches the general color scheme. She will love that you had some innovative plan for the nursery, which as you know is traditionally a ‘Mom zone.” Better still: put the mother’s day boutique in the nursery for an extra jolt of surprise.