When your child is born early, your role as a dad begins in a hospital environment, which can make adjusting to fatherhood more challenging.
The early bond lays a vital foundation for your relationship with your child.
With relatively few children born prematurely, finding role models and support networks within your family can be difficult.
Many dads of premature babies worry about their child’s survival, immaturity and future. It often helps to discuss these concerns with healthcare professionals and other dads in similar situations, such as those you meet in the neonatal unit.
- Share your experiences of a premature birth to help process and articulate your thoughts.
- Express your needs and wishes as a father in the neonatal unit to ensure the staff can support you effectively.
- Be actively involved in caring for your baby to strengthen the connection between the pair of you.
- Learn about your baby’s care and treatment from doctors, nurses and your health visitor to feel more prepared for the journey.
- Consider who in your network can help make the hospital stay more manageable and perhaps support you with practical tasks.
- Seek advice from a social worker about parental leave regulations and practical issues.
- Explore opportunities for counselling with a psychologist for ongoing support.
- There are also chaplains at the hospital who you can talk to if you’d like.
- Get inspiration from other dads who’ve been in similar situations.
- See if you can build a network with other dads, both in the neonatal unit and when you get home.
Also listen to
Link to the podcast episode: William’s dad’s story
The texts for ‘Dads of premature babies’
were created collaboratively by first-time dads of premature babies, doctors, nurses from neonatal units, public health nurses, and the Child, Maternal and Family Health Care research group in The SUPPORTED study project, which aims to foster a more father-inclusive culture in a family-centred context within the healthcare system.
