What do you love most about Baby Buddy? For some of you, it’s the daily information, for others it’s the support. Baby Buddy can reduce your anxiety and help you to feel part of a network. But… what about dads?

‘There’s a lack of information, resources or guidance for new dads’ (Experienced dad, with an older baby)

When Alison, Best Beginnings’ CEO, first conceived of the Baby Buddy app, she wanted it to have information for both mums and dads. It’s taken us a while to get to that point, but now, we’re really excited to be the first app in the world to have daily information for dads! Our Head of Content, Nicola, reveals the process behind bringing together organisations, listening to dads from all backgrounds and creating a tailored, personalised ‘fathers’ pathway’ as part of updating Baby Buddy to support even more parents.

 

Working with leading dads’ organisations

‘I’ve just been trying to Google with questions. There’s lots of Mumsnet coming up – nothing specific for dads!’ (Experienced new dad)

Best Beginnings has long admired the work of two expert dads’ organisations, Future Men and Fatherhood Institute. When we began planning to write dads’ content for the Baby Buddy app, we knew we wanted to work with them both and we were delighted they agreed to help us.

Both organisations have a wealth of experience and knowledge built up over the years. They’ve worked directly with dads from diverse backgrounds, and have built up an overview of evidence, policy and practice in relation to new parenthood experiences for fathers.  

 Future Men helped us with our research phase and looking at draft entries to help ensure they had a style and tone that would appeal to dads and feel inclusive. Dads told us that they are looking for positive stories, giving reassurance and with information expressed simply, and in a bite-sized format.  

 Fatherhood Institute were commissioned to write the app content and they brought a strong focus on the couple relationship and building dads’ confidence while they adjust to their changing role. 

‘[After the birth] she’s going to be tired, she’s been through a trauma. You’re going to have to step up; I wasn’t prepared for that’ (First time new dad)

 

600 bite-sized entries for dads!

We are so grateful for the inputs from our partner organisations, the amazing and very honest dads we spoke to and the experts on our Editorial Board who read and reviewed all the new content, meaning we were able to write 600 bite-sized entries for dads. So, we now have this pathway in place, with daily information entries from conception to when baby reaches 12 months old. But we’re not stopping there! 

 Our next steps are to create a collection of films that can give dads extra support wherever that is needed. One important area will be to create films that help to combat the stigma related to mental ill health, which affects up to one in ten dads in the period before and after birth. We’ll also be sharing the everyday joys of parenting with step-by-step guides and positive stories, on topics such as how dads are bonding with their new babies through cuddles, chat and play.

 ‘You need practical information, but it’s not as if you’re learning how to fix a car, it needs to feel human! It’s really nice to see some topics that are more about reassurance. It’s a change from the pressure of telling you how to do things’ (First time new dad)

 The app is now in a ‘pre-launch testing phase’. We are seeking user feedback to inform improvements and optimisation ahead of the public launch in October. You can download Baby Buddy 2.0 (beta) here, and share your feedback here – particularly if you’re about to be, or have recently become, a new dad! Plus, we’re always looking for new recruits for our Parent Panel – find out how to join to help us to shape our content to give parents and carers everything they need.

We hope you love using Baby Buddy’s fathers’ pathway as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it – and that it helps you to give your child the best beginning in life, supporting you on your journey through pregnancy and parenthood.

Blog by Best Beginnings Content Lead, Nicola Cadbury