Why do babies prefer their dads?

There are many reasons why babies may show a strong preference for one caregiver over another. Sometimes it's about proximity, routine, or familiarity. Sometimes it's linked to life events and developmental milestones. And other times, these preferences just come and go for no particular reason. But be assured they have no bearing on your future relationship with your child—and your baby may switch back to being all about you soon.

Here are a few common reasons babies express a preference for one parent over another.

Babies often prefer their primary caregiver

Most babies naturally prefer the parent who's their primary caregiver, the person they count on to meet their most basic and essential needs. This is especially true after 6 months when separation anxiety starts to set in. If one parent starts to assume more of the everyday caregiving, they may become the new "favorite."

One of the major downsides of this primary caregiver favoritism is the potential for parental burnout. If parenting duties continue to fall only on the primary caregiver, even when another caregiver is available to help, the result can be added exhaustion, stress, and resentment—and those feelings can impact a parent's well-being and the quality of the time they spend with their child.

If one parent is doing most of the day-to-day baby chores and it is impacting your child's parental preferences, try some of these ideas:

* Create a schedule to decide who will wake up at night to tend to the baby.
* If you are not exclusively breastfeeding, try ensuring that both parents get at least one turn feeding your baby each day.
* Take turns putting your baby down to sleep, so your child gets used to both of you.
* If your baby is naturally spending most of their time with you, encourage quality time between your baby and your partner to help build their bonds too.
* Keep communication open about what is working and what isn't.