Encourage dads to share their experiences with preterm birth
December 28, 2018 | Karen Alexander
Men think of themselves as protectors. This is true even as they transition to fatherhood. But in truth, becoming a parent is often as stressful for men as for the women carrying the baby, especially in the case of a preterm birth, when an infant is born before 37 weeks’ gestation. In this situation, it’s much more than just the birth of a baby—it’s an extraordinary life situation, and since birth is an occasion that focuses almost exclusively on mother and baby, the feelings of a preterm father often fall by the wayside. By providing the dad the emotional support he needs during this uncertain time, the entire family will benefit.