How to prepare to be a father
If you’re about to become a father, there are several things you might want to think about. How will becoming a father affect your life? What differences will it make in your relationship with your partner and daily life? What about paternity leave and work?
Becoming a father is not something you can prepare for to the last detail, but you can do a lot to prepare for your new role.
Some good advice for dads-to-be:
1) Get involved with the pregnancy early.
2) Talk to others about becoming a father.
3) Think about the kind of father you want to be.
As a father-to-be, you will find it very useful to think about these questions yourself and discuss them with others:
- What type of father do you want to be?
- What was your own father like – and do you want to be like him or be different?
- What would you like the relationship between you and your child to be like?
- What are you most in doubt about right now?
- What are you looking forward to as a dad?
- Try to imagine yourself in a situation with your future child – what are you doing? What will you do? What do you feel and think about it?
- What is the ‘style’ at your workplace when it comes to new dads and dads with young children, and what do you want from your workplace?
- Are you going on paternity leave? For how long?
Start thinking about it early
While all the physical side of pregnancy happens with your partner, it is still possible for you as a man to be involved in the process from the very beginning. The more you take part as a father-to-be – consultations, shopping and other things related to pregnancy and birth – the more insight you gain, and the more important your role will be as a father. Altogether, this means there will be more gender equality in your relationship with your child.
As a man, your needs can easily be overlooked during your partner’s pregnancy. That’s why it’s important for you to be involved as a dad-to-be. Share your thoughts, ideas and worries. The two of you will gain a lot as a couple from supporting each other and working together at the task of parenting.
You may also want to talk to other men about their thoughts on becoming a father. There can be a lot of useful input, both from those who have had children and those who have not.
