Maternity Maternity

Information for midwives, paediatricians, obstetricians and other professionals working in the maternity services: helping expectant fathers to support their pregnant partners, and supporting new fathers in the transition to parenthood.

Dads’ FAQs: Right to attend antenatal appointments
Practice » Maternity
1 October 2014
From 1 October 2014, expectant dads have the right to take unpaid time off work to accompany their pregnant wife or partner to up to 2 of her ante-natal appointments. 
Great ideas for communicating with dads from the ‘Dad Project’
Practice » Maternity
8 September 2014
The NSPCC’s Dad Project guide offers a range of useful tips and ideas for why and how to engage more effectively with dads, in the perinatal period and beyond. 
What are we doing about ‘fatherlessness’?
Blog » Maternity
26 June 2014
Jeremy Davies writes: Tanya Gold wrote this thoughtful piece about a vulnerable mother selling The Big Issue on the streets of London. 
Dads’ postnatal depression – not postpartum psychosis, but still serious
FI research » Maternity
8 May 2014
A quick update about postnatal depression in dads. We were recently challenged by someone on Twitter, who said: “PND is a serious psychiatric disorder occurring after childbirth. 
Dad’s the word: why it’s time for medical experts to get real about fathers’ importance
Practice » Maternity
Blog » Maternity
22 April 2014
Adrienne Burgess writes: Infancy is the best time to set parents’ relationships with their children – and each other – off on the right track. 
FI Research Summary: Fathers, care-taking and hormones
FI research » Maternity
6 January 2014
Men are not ‘biologically’ less suited to caring for children than women: • when similarly supported, both sexes develop childcare skills at the same rate (Myers, 1982) • through what they learn they can have similarly positive effects on their children and on family functioning (Cia et al, 2010; Melnyk et al, 2006;.