Early findings from a Queensland study called the New Dads Project shows health professionals may need to step up their support for men as part of antenatal care.

It found one of the best ways health professionals could support mums and babies, was to ‘treat’ new dads.

Project lead, PhD candidate Stacey Bernardin from Griffith University’s School of Applied Psychology, said the results were showing dads had unique needs in comparison to mothers, but they weren’t being met.

“It’s not just mums that we need to look at from a health professional standpoint.

“When we get into that antenatal period we’re all about, ‘how are you going mum?’ and, ‘how is baby developing?’ But what’s actually really important is to not forget that this is a really impactful transition for dads too.

“It’s not so much that mums have to cater for dads, but health professionals need to cater for both.”

Bernardin said the unique study found relationship support would help both partners, particularly dads.

“When dads are feeling like they’ve got a really great relationship with their partner, it actually meets what we call a ‘need for competence’. So they start feeling competent in the things they do,” she said.

“Having that support with their spouse means that they feel like they’re competent to fulfil this role, which leads to decreased stress and increased signs of positive adjustment to their upcoming role of being a new dad.”

Bernardin said the study, that is ongoing and looking for more first -time dads, recognised fatherhood was changing.
She said fathers played a pivotal role in the family dynamic and were increasingly expected to be hands-on in child-rearing, so it was becoming more important to support them in their role as new dads.
“Fathers are often equally as important as mothers in facilitating child development and wellbeing, so research in this area is crucial,” she said.
“I think dads are really under-researched. Even though we’ve looked somewhat at men, the research doesn’t span all that much of a timeframe.

“We’re trying to catch up with what this new modern version of fatherhood looks like, because it has shifted.”

She said the project was capturing that fathers did have feelings and fears that were not the same as what mums are experiencing.

“I think the great thing about this research is that it’s getting a bigger picture of what’s happening for dads. Every little bit we do to research dads helps with the next generation to support them better and better.”