Having a baby is an exciting and potentially terrifying experience for any dad just starting out. If you’re a first-time parent, we’ve compiled a list of 23 tips to help allay your potential fears. Although there is much to learn and assimilate, knowledge is power. Knowing what to expect when your baby is born will help you properly care for your newborn and support your partner during the process.

You don’t have to be perfect to take care of your child. Everyone who has children was once a new parent, and they also had to learn. As long as you’re willing to learn how to care for a baby and not assume you already know everything, you’ll be fine. You don’t have to be a magician to know that children are worth a lot of money. If you’re wondering how you can best provide for your family with this new addition, take the time to really sit down and figure out how having a baby will impact your budget.

If finances are tight, you can cut back on some areas and create a budget to make room for new baby expenses. Yes, you will be spending a lot of time with your new baby. But this does not mean that you should completely sacrifice the things that are important to you. If you want to spend time with friends, take your child with you. A good friend won’t leave you just because you have a child. Likewise, if you still want to find time to go to the gym, for example, talk to your partner and see if you can create a schedule that allows each of you to spend some alone time each day.