29 August 2024
Father's Day is on Sunday 1st of September and is an important day to celebrate the fathers and special men in our lives.
Today we celebrate those spending Father's Day in the Neonatal unit and those fathers celebrating their first Father's Day with their families.
As a new dad, it’s natural to feel many mixed emotions after a premature birth. For example, you might be excited about becoming a parent but also worried about your baby (or babies) and their mother.
A lot is going on practically, too. Straight after a premature birth you might be talking to doctors, learning about your premature baby’s condition, and telling your family and friends what’s going on. You might also be looking after other children or managing work or other responsibilities. This can make you feel overwhelmed.
Look after yourself so you can care for your little one in the Neonatal unit
- It's important for fathers to take time to think about your emotions and needs, whatever they are. And it’s important to take time for yourself too – even if it’s just a quick nap or a hot shower.
- Talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling, particularly if you’re struggling to cope with difficult or negative feelings. We have our 24-hour NurtureLine (1300 622 243) catered to families who have premature or sick newborns, this is extended to family and friends who may need some emotional support during a difficult time.
Every year, Miracle Babies distributes gifts to fathers with a baby in specialised care on Father’s Day. This day should be a celebration, however often it’s quite the opposite. These small gifts remind families that we are here and that they are not alone at this challenging and emotional time. Thank you, to the Chiesi team for volunteering to pack our Father's Day gifts, we appreciate the support!
This year, we spoke with two dads, Cameron and Jahir who experienced having a newborn in the Neonatal unit. While they didn't have to celebrate Father's Day in the NICU, we asked a few questions about the experience from their perspective. This is what they had to say:
How did you take on a parent role while your baby was in the Neonatal unit?
Father 1: Cameron
It didn't really feel real initially because we have to leave the hospital every day without him and go about our normal everyday life. But doing the little things such as changing nappies, bathing him every second day and bottle feeding him made it so much better, something I think parents of babies born full-term maybe take for granted.
Father 2: Jahir
As this was totally new for us, it was all about working together to do our research and understand what was coming ahead for us. The support of different entities like Miracle Babies and doctors helped us to have an early overview about the situation. We also made sure we were there with him as much as possible to do as many cuddles and to provide him with the support and company.
How did you handle working (if you did) while your baby was admitted?
Father 1: Cameron
It was hard because we wanted to be at the hospital 24/7 with him, but we couldn't afford to have time off work and didn't want to take parental/paternity leave straight away because we were told that he wouldn't be home until around his due date, and we wanted to spend the maximum amount of time with him when he was finally home. Thankfully, my workplace was really understanding and allowed me to work 6 hours a day (5 am-11 am) and fill the remainder of my work hours with annual leave, so I could spend the afternoon at the hospital every day.
Father 2: Jahir
I was lucky to be allowed to work only part-time so I could be with him in the afternoons.
How did you find splitting the time between your partner recovering and supporting her, and being there for your baby?
Father 1: Cameron
My partner was amazing, she would pick me up from work every day at 11 am, and we would both go to the hospital in the afternoon to spend as much time as we could with him. She was obviously struggling with everything going on, so I was trying to support her as much as I could listening to her and trying to reassure her that Alex was in the right place and they're all professionals looking after him and he is going to be okay.
Father 2: Jahir
The recovery of my partner was very quick, but I made sure she was getting all the emotional support from me. I think being present at all times to ask questions to doctors and nurses as well as to listen to her when she was going through a difficult situation helped to make her know that we were together and that it was going to be over one day.
How is your son doing now? A photo of your son, then and now, would be beautiful to see!
Father 1: Cameron
"He is now 4 weeks corrected and is doing great, we still have regular hospital appointments for his brain and heart murmur, but they aren't too concerned and are just monitoring at this stage. We are so happy to have him home and are enjoying every second of it."
Father 2: Jahir
"Here is a picture of our little one when he was born at 25 Weeks and 2 days weighing 845gm and another of him now being 7 months (4 months corrected age) doing really well and healthy and reaching all his milestones accordingly."
