Role of Expectant Fathers in Maternal and Newborn Care in India

"Having a baby marks not just the creation of an individual life, but the birth of a family." For thousands of years pregnancy, labour and delivery was considered as women's cup of soup. Women were kept informed about childbirth and baby care skills and acquiring this knowledge from mothers and grandmothers was a part of the socialization of young girls. Childbirth was seen as a normal event and babies were born at home, under the care of women, such as the local midwife, neighbours and other elderly women of the family. Childbirth is something more than just a birth of a baby. It is also the birth of a woman and a mother; the birth of a man and a father; the birth of a relationship that will never, ever be the same. Every birth is unique, and each is a life experience, one that should be shared by husband and wife, mother and father, as they grow not only a baby, but also a family. With the growing need for family-centered care, involvement of prospective fathers in midwifery is extremely important for maximizing the life-long well-being and outcomes of the mother and the baby. Pregnancy and birth are the first major opportunities to engage fathers in appropriate care and upbringing of children.