If the family or the baby tend not to follow a routine, parents and infants are more likely to go through a period of adjustment to find some balance. A first child may have an especially large impact on the family's routine because the couple only had themselves to worry about before the baby. With time and experience, parents learn to adjust. Mothers and fathers may differ in some of the ways they accommodate a new infant. On the average, for example, mothers respond more frequently to their baby's signals and learn the baby's needs.
Fathers are more likely to disregard cues and direct the baby's attention to other things.
Fathers are also more likely to continue their leisure activities, such as reading or watching television, while the baby is present. Mothers tend to interact with the baby more. Each of these results in different relationships between parent and child. Social Support Social support beyond the baby's other parent can increase the quality of parenting and family life. This support may come from grandparents, other family members, and friends.