menshealthaustralia.net

 More to being dad than holding baby

Services for new and expectant dads are few and far between on the peninsula, but at Manly Hospital fathers-to-be are eased into their new role thanks to a male-only pre-natal class that runs in conjunction with the conventional, six-week group sessions for both partners. The brainchild of former Manly resident, Sean Tonnett, the concept of pre-natal classes for men was devised in response to his own experience of becoming a new dad. 'There was nothing out there when I had my first child, nothing pre-natally anyway,' he said. 'I was aware that men often talked about how great the experience of becoming a father is but my experience was very different to that. 'I didn't realise the impact that it would have on my relationship, lifestyle and on the household finances. It sent me into a spin.' While there are lots of articles and books on how to change a nappy and burp a baby, Mr Tonnett said there was little information available on deeper problems associated with new fatherhood or how to manage the couple's evolving relationship after the birth, from the male perspective. Soon after his son was born at Manly Hospital, Mr Tonnett, a qualified family relationship counsellor, set about writing course material for Transition to Fatherhood, the first male-only, pre-natal class on the northern beaches.