I am so grateful for all that “my fathers” have taught me:

• Of the strength and love between couples and how gentle, encouraging and supportive the dads are
• Of how they too can slow down for the labour, walking around outside through the long , long hours of labour
• And watching a new dad MELT as their little one is held skin to skin on his chest(yes and the laughter as the baby sometimes tries to find milk from his nipple!)
• Of watching teenagers grow into their new responsibility as parents
• Of how incredible the dads are at supporting and helping with breastfeeding
• That holding their baby skin to skin at birth profoundly changes dads care-giving and connection to their child in the early months and years (yes they get a prolactin care-giving spike at birth!)
• That dads are amazing at cleaning up meconium!
• And that their sense of humour at being shot in the eye by their son for the first time at a nappy change is a good reminder that this is a new adventure, and fun

Thank you fathers for daring to walk into this uncharted territory of labour and birth and parenting with such courage