John Condon1. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Repatriation Hospital, Daw Park, South Australia. john.condon@rgh.sa.gov.au
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although motherhood and the mother-infant bond have been extensively researched, the same is not true for fatherhood and the father-infant bond. OBJECTIVE: This article discusses the psychological tasks of the expectant father, the adjustment issues for men during their partners pregnancy and the postnatal period, and the development of the father-infant bond. DISCUSSION: The 9 months of pregnancy are conceptualised as a time of psychological preparation for the first time expectant father. Four psychological tasks of this period are described with guidelines regarding how a health professional might assess and foster progress. In the postnatal period, 10% of new fathers will have a partner suffering from postnatal depression and the male response to this can positively or negatively influence recovery. This article concludes that the father-infant relationship is influenced by the partner relationship as well as the fathers psychological wellbeing.
BACKGROUND: Although motherhood and the mother-infant bond have been extensively researched, the same is not true for fatherhood and the father-infant bond. OBJECTIVE: This article discusses the psychological tasks of the expectant father, the adjustment issues for men during their partners pregnancy and the postnatal period, and the development of the father-infant bond. DISCUSSION: The 9 months of pregnancy are conceptualised as a time of psychological preparation for the first time expectant father. Four psychological tasks of this period are described with guidelines regarding how a health professional might assess and foster progress. In the postnatal period, 10% of new fathers will have a partner suffering from postnatal depression and the male response to this can positively or negatively influence recovery. This article concludes that the father-infant relationship is influenced by the partner relationship as well as the fathers psychological wellbeing.
Authors: Anne Kaasen; Anne Helbig; Ulrik Fredrik Malt; Tormod Naes; Hans Skari; Guttorm Nils Haugen Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2013-07-12 Impact factor: 3.007