Newborn seems to prefer dad

[PaigeB95]

I am 5 weeks postpartum with my first child (my partners 3rd) and both me and my partner have been off the entire time (thankfully able to share the load and given me support as a first time parent)
I do the night feeds then in a morning he will wake and get up with her which I will then get a solid few hours sleep then we spend the rest of the day together
In the last week or so my baby has been quite stressy (very new behaviour) and crying a lot more. It seems to me that she cries with me and then when her dad takes her she stops.
i can help but feel like she doesn’t like me, and prefers him a lot more and that I’m making her cry because she doesn’t want to be with me.
it’s breaking my heart, that and hearing her cry regardless of who she’s with I hate it, but more so now I feel like it’s only with me.
don’t get me wrong i love the fact he’s an amazing dad and supportive but then I feel a rubbish mother that I can’t settle her or that she’s not happy with me. It is also giving me great anxiety for when he returns to work on the 19th.

Has anyone else been through similar? I’m a new mum and it’s breaking my heart.

4 week growth spurt probably. It'll calm down soon. Of course she doesn't prefer him

It's often much easier for babies to settle with dad because mum smells like milk and is distracting even when sleepy!

Are you breastfeeding? My DD1 was like this as a newborn - with me she'd fuss and cry until I fed her, but with DH she'd be a lot more settled.

Oh love. It’s fine - and normal. It’s called the calm Daddy effect. He’s not as frazzled as you and it’s calming for the baby. I know the last thing you want to do is read a book but What Mothers Do (Especially When It Looks Like Nothing) will be reassuring

I’ve not been breastfeeding since the first week so I don’t think that’s the reason 😞

I’ll definitely have a look at the book as it’s really getting me down, thank you for the recommendation