In one line: The New Dad Playbook is written from real experience by a dad of two, and every health claim is checked against NHS, NICE, AAP or WHO guidance before it goes live. We tell you what is proven, what is opinion, and when to stop reading and call a professional.
Who writes this
The New Dad Playbook is written by The Dad Behind the Guide, a father of two. He is not a doctor, midwife or health visitor, and he never claims to be. What he brings is firsthand experience of going through pregnancy, birth and the first years of fatherhood twice, plus the discipline to check what he writes against credible medical sources rather than internet parenting folklore.
This is deliberate. Most parenting content is either clinical and cold, or warm and unsourced. We aim for the third thing: honest, dad-specific writing that is also accurate.
How we source health information
Every article that touches a baby's health, a partner's recovery, or anyone's mental health is written against primary clinical guidance. We prioritise these sources, in roughly this order:
- NHS (nhs.uk) and NICE guidelines for UK clinical guidance
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for infant care and safe sleep
- World Health Organization (WHO) for feeding and global guidance
- Royal Colleges (RCOG, RCPCH) and peer-reviewed research where a topic needs depth
- Specialist charities such as The Lullaby Trust, Tommy's and Meningitis Now for specific risks
Where an article makes a health claim, the source is named in the text, and a short source list appears at the foot of the article. If guidance differs between the UK and elsewhere, we say so.
What we will not do
- We do not invent statistics. If we cite a number, it comes from a named source.
- We do not dress opinion up as evidence. When something is our judgement call, we say "in our experience" or "the evidence is mixed."
- We do not use medical-review badges we have not earned. We do not claim a doctor reviewed an article unless one actually did.
- We do not write fear-bait. Red flags are flagged plainly so you can act, not panic.
Medical disclaimer
This is general information, not medical advice. The New Dad Playbook does not replace your GP, midwife, health visitor or paediatrician. Always follow the advice of a qualified professional who can actually examine your baby or your partner. If your baby is seriously unwell, do not wait. In the UK, call NHS 111 for urgent advice, or 999 (or go to A&E) for an emergency. Outside the UK, use your local emergency number.
How we keep content accurate
Health guidance changes. We review our health articles periodically and update them when the underlying NHS, NICE or AAP guidance changes. Each article carries a published and last-updated date so you can see how current it is.
If you spot something that is wrong, out of date, or unclear, tell us. We would genuinely rather fix it than be wrong on the internet. Email hello@thenewdadplaybook.com and we will check it against the current guidance and correct it if needed.
Our editorial promise
Written for dads, not at them. Sourced, not made up. Honest about the hard parts. Clear about when to stop reading and get real help. That is the whole standard.
Questions about how we work? hello@thenewdadplaybook.com