My son is two weeks old and I feel completely clueless. Wife is breastfeeding so I feel like I'm just watching most of the time. Changed a ton of diapers, tried to help with nighttime stuff but honestly I'm exhausted and not sure I'm doing anything right. Does this feeling go away or is this just how it is now?
Two weeks in you're basically in survival mode. That clueless feeling is normal - your brain is running on fumes. Start small. Pick one thing to feel competent at. For me it was diaper changes and becoming the swaddle guy.
Two weeks is way too early to feel like you have it figured out. I'm two months in and still don't know what I'm doing half the time. You're doing better than you think you are.
Have you talked to your wife about helping with nights? Even if you can't feed him, you could do the diaper change and pass him to her, so you feel more involved.
That early stage is rough because it does feel like you're on the sidelines. But trust me, you'll get your moment to be the hero soon enough. Hang in there.
Two weeks in is still super early, man. You're doing way more than you think just by being present and changing diapers. The helpless feeling passes pretty quick.
This feeling gets better around week six or seven, I promise. Right now you're running on no sleep and everything feels impossible. It's not. You've got this.
You're not useless at all. Your wife being the primary feeder doesn't mean you're not doing important stuff. Burping, changing, holding the baby so she can sleep. Those things matter hugely.
Bottle feeding was my entry point to feeling useful when my wife was nursing. You could take some feedings if you're doing formula or expressed milk. That's how I started bonding and feeling like I was actually contributing.
You're not useless just because she's breastfeeding. You can do diaper changes, swaddle, soothe, hold him while she sleeps. Dad stuff matters just as much. Hang in there.
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Week two is legitimately the hardest part. You're past the adrenaline and reality is setting in. Get a bottle ready to go and take a feeding. Let your wife rest. That's your job right now.