Pitter patter: Why not support groups for dads, too?

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
23 May 2004

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Pitter patter: Why not support groups for dads, too?

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Pitter patter: Why not support groups for dads, too?

Marilyn Rodrigues, one of our journalists, has just given birth to her first child. Just as we followed the progress of her pregnancy in Pregnant pause, so we shall follow the family’s life with baby Naomi Thérèse in this new diary.

Last week I reflected on adjusting to having a newborn from a woman’s perspective, but, of course, new dads carry quite a burden as well.

Peter’s fantastic (I have to say) but at worst his weekday can go like this: after going to bed around 11pm, he wakes up at 2.30am when I go and fetch Naomi who is hungry.

From 3.30–4.30am he wakes again a couple of times when I unsuccessfully try to put Naomi back in her cot. He sees I’m getting nowhere so he helps to settle her. By 5am we are all asleep again. His alarm goes off at 5.30am.

He returns from work to find a screaming baby and a wife who gives him a quick kiss, hands Naomi over and dashes out for a walk to the shop (any excuse to go will do) before you can say ‘her nappy needs changing’.

Later, we give her a bath and he starts preparing dinner. I want to hear about his day and fill him in on the thrilling details of mine which include the time of Naomi’s sleeps and feeds and today’s topic on the Dr Phil’s Chat Show.

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