by Spike Freeway
I’ve been asked to do my least favourite thing, talk about myself.
Well I’m Spike, dad to Leif, he’s three months old. We wanted him for quite a while but
there’s a few medical things and bits and bobs so he was a bit of surprise when he came
around, a very very welcome surprise, something we’d been trying for, for a long time.
Leif is a very happy little boy who has plenty to say for himself. His favourite thing to do is sit
in his pants and watch the world go by.
So who am I? I’m an older dad.
This is my second time around, but I’m learning everything from new.
Things change all the time so stuff that I thought I knew, I actually didn’t.
I’m armed with hindsight though and I know these precious early times with the children are
gone in an instant, so even the times where a night feed at 0200 in the morning and he’s not
settling are all OK. I would just sit with Leif and have time together.
Those times have nearly gone now as he sleeps through the night.
We’ve already gone through this milestone, probably loads.
People ask us is he a good baby. I’m not sure what that even means. He has been a pleasure
to welcome into the world. He had some issues when he was born – tongue tie which later
when it was fixed, the doctor said it was the most severe they’d seen.
This stopped him feeding properly, so the only way to get enough milk into him was to
substitute with formula. He in turn is allergic to cows’ milk. This made him sick often.
He really struggled to gain weight. We tried lactose free and goats’ milk which made things
better so we tried an allergic formula as Dory, my OH, had read up on it.
Once we had done that his life changed, He’s rarely sick now and is a right old chunk.
I like ice and roller skating, I’m a DJ, I have a completely out of control collection of speakers
and amplifiers and stuff like that. I also like a bit of street theatre including fire eating.
We’ve just come back from Creamfields. I’m a training officer for the DWP. We also have a
car transporter too, which we hire out.
I was aware that I didn’t have a great deal of peer support.
I was pretty confident and comfortable that would be okay but it’s that uncertain, you don’t
know, do you?
It’s good to have back up, should I need it.
Leeds Dads has helped us in terms of when I’ve had questions, I’ve been able to ask the
group and have always got answers. It’s been a pleasure to help others as well.
It’s really nice to be out with Leif in a park on a Leeds Dads Walk on a sunny day.
It was even nicer to be in the company of other dads.
It’s reassuring for Dory to know I have support if I need it.
She enjoys the break when myself and Leif go to stuff, although she’s also keen to have us
back home.
