“Dad – a practical guy in the shadow”: Fathers’ experiences of their paternal role as a father during early discharge after birth and readmission of their newborns

摘要

Objectives: The aim is to explore how new fathers experience early discharge after birth and readmission oftheir newborn in relation to their role and involvement as a father. Fathers of today are active participantsduring pregnancy, birth and in the care of the newborn. Still studies demonstrate that health careprofessionals are unsuccessful at involving fathers in ante- and postnatal care. How fathers experience theirpaternal role in the early postnatal period may affect the well-being of the new family.Study design: A qualitative study inspired by the hermeneutic approach. Data was collected throughtelephone interviews. The study was conducted in the Region of Southern Denmark in a University Hospitalsetting. Convenience sampling was applied. Eight fathers were included from November 2015 till February2016 and six were interviewed.Results: The data analysis revealed three categories: Early discharge – ups and downs, Readmission –waiting but being in good hands, and Practical guy in the shadow.Conclusions: Our study points at fathers being comfortable with being discharged early, but experiencedinsecurity when at home. The fathers experienced to be categorized by health care professionals as thepractical guy, who had to assist the mother. Yet fathers saw themselves as equal to the mothers. Fathersalso saw themselves in the shadow of the mother and showed greater considerations for the mother’sfeelings than their own. Fathers can be insecure in their paternal role when being met as just the practicalguy.Keywords: Early discharge, fathers, paternal role, postnatal, readmission.