The Paternal Experience of Fear of Childbirth: An Integrative Review

Background: It is estimated that approximately 13% of expectant fathers experience a pathological and debilitating fear of childbirth. Objective: The aim of this integrative review was to examine and synthesise the current body of research relating to paternal experience of fear of childbirth. Methods: A systematic literature search of five databases—CINAHL, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PsycArticles and PsycInfo—identified seventeen papers. Methodological quality of studies was assessed using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. Results: Thematic data analysis identified three themes: the focus of fathers’ childbirth-related fears, the impact of fear of childbirth on health and wellbeing, and fear of childbirth as a private burden. Discussion: Fear of childbirth is a significant and distressing experience for expectant fathers who may benefit from an opportunity to express their childbirth-related fears in an environment where they feel validated and supported. Antenatal education is recommended to enhance fathers’ childbirth-related self-efficacy to reduce fear of childbirth. Conclusions: Fear of childbirth may negatively impact the lives of men and consequently their families. Further investigation into methods and models for identifying and supporting men at risk of or experiencing fear of childbirth is required to improve outcomes for this population of men.

'Il aurait peut-être préféré avoir une autre fille': Paternal Mourning in the Work of Annie Ernaux

Annie Ernaux discovered, at the age of ten, that her sister, Ginette Marie Thérèse Duchesne, had died of diphtheria in 1938, two years prior to Ernaux's birth. Ernaux relates the circumstances of her sister's death and parents' grief in Une femme and in several subsequent texts, culminating in L'Autre fille, a letter addressed to her deceased sister. In the latter text, Ernaux poignantly describes her parents' grief and this article examines Ernaux's perception of her father's mourning processes as depicted across a range of texts. The analysis of Ernaux's writing is informed by Freudian concepts of mourning and grief. According to Freudian theory, when one enters the melancholic stage of grieving, the lost loved one causes a diminishment of the ego. Ginette's death was clearly a profound loss for her father. Ernaux's mother, Blanche, recalls Alphonse Duchesne's reaction: 'mon mari était fou quand il t'a trouvée morte en rentrant de son travail.' (L'Autre fille, p. 16). It is significant, therefore, to note that Alphonse Duchesne, as described by Ernaux, particularly in La Place and La Honte, displays many of the behavioural elements which Freud considered melancholic including a decrease in self-regard – as can be seen through many examples in Ernaux's corpus of her father's abasement, humiliation and emasculation. Our reading of Ernaux's texts will be enhanced by Cathy Caruth's conception of trauma as 'the story of a wound that cries out'. By combining both of these approaches – the melancholia of grief and the trauma of loss – this article engages in a close reading of paternal experience of the death of a child, as related by Ernaux, with a focus on how this impacts on both the physiological and physical self.

Discovering dad: paternal roles, responsibilities, and support needs as defined by fathers of children with complex cardiac conditions perioperatively

Background:Understanding perceptions of family caregivers’ roles and responsibilities regarding their child with complex cardiac needs has potential to help care teams better support parents. Paternal experience has been under-explored in pediatric cardiac cohorts.Methods:Ten fathers of children undergoing cardiac surgery completed quantitative surveys on their knowledge needs and preferred format of communication. In face-to-face recorded interviews, they responded to open-ended questions about the definition of being a good father to a child with a complex cardiac condition, perceived paternal responsibilities, personal growth as a parent to a child with a complex heart condition, support needs, and recommendations to medical staff for paternal inclusion. Semantic content analysis was utilised. The study reports strictly followed COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research guidelines.Results:The fathers reported high preference for knowledge about the child’s heart condition, communication about the treatment plan, and desire for inclusion in the care of their child. Paternal role was defined thematically as: providing a supportive presence, being there, offering bonded insight, serving as strong provider, and acting as an informed advocate. The fathers revealed that their responsibilities sometimes conflicted as they strove to serve as an emotional and economic stabiliser for their family, while also wanting to be foundationally present for their child perioperatively.Conclusion:This study provides insight into paternal experience and strategies for paternal inclusion. This summary of the self-defined experience of the fathers of pediatric cardiac patients offers constructive and specific advice for medical teams.

Being a Father: A Broken Masculinity or a Better One? An Autoethnography from a First-time Father Perspective

The current neoliberal society is built upon a patriarchal system in which new types of masculinities have a difficult time thriving. In this paper, I draw upon my own experiences as a Spanish neophyte father and how it shifts away from models of hegemonic masculinity. In doing so, I am forming a new model of masculinity to explore neoliberal discourses and how these determine my emotions, feelings and personal identity. Methodologically, I make use of a critical lens and an autoethnographic approach, interlinking personal and social aspects. In the results, I reflect upon a normal day in my life as a father and my relationship with my son, and the way in which it is affected by the hegemonic masculinity. The text is presented as an opportunity to rethink the importance of changing patriarchal prejudices and to deepen the knowledge of the role that masculinity plays in the paternal experience.