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Becoming a new dad is an exciting and overwhelming experience but, for fathers of premature babies, the journey can be extremely daunting.
The joy of birth can be overshadowed by long weeks - sometimes months - spent in hospital watching the tiniest of babies battle to survive while medical teams work round-the-clock to keep them alive.
Now Mater Mother’s Hospital Brisbane has launched a new support group for fathers with premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to better help them manage the challenges.
For new dad of premature twins born at 28 weeks and one day, Ben King, it’s been a valuable experience to connect with other fathers facing similar difficulties.
When his daughters Eva and Matilda were born in May this year, Eva weighed 894 grams and Matilda was just 430 grams.
“We discovered at ten weeks gestation that one of our twins was not growing as much as her sister, so it’s been a very scary and daunting eight months,” Mr King said.
“This isn’t the journey that I thought I would be on, it’s not a normal dad’s experience.”
Mr King said he has benefited from the fathers’ support group to help him cope.
“The premmie babies fathers’ group has been a good opportunity to connect and learn from other dads, and also to get different perspectives on how to handle situations.
“It’s been a big emotional journey, not only for me but also my wife Sarah, and I want to make sure that I support her as well as I can.”
Clinical Nurse Consultant Becky Rackham started the innovative group in June this year after researching the needs of dads with premature babies at Mater.
“I talked to many dads to get feedback, and while much of the focus is rightly on the baby and mother, fathers also experience significant stress,” Ms Rackham said.
“Supporting fathers helps strengthen the whole family unit, which ultimately benefits the babies in our care."
Ms Rackham helps facilitate the sessions along with Mater Chaplain Esteban Monti, a father of four, who has also endured the loss of a baby.
“Research shows that it’s important to support dad’s and get them to share how they’re feeling, it’s good for them and the whole family,” Mr Monti said.
“Men are not often encouraged to be vulnerable, and it’s beautiful to see them grow and connect with their babies and support the mothers.”
Every night, up to 79 premature babies are cared for in Mater’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit.
On average, a premature or seriously ill baby needs to stay in Mater's Neonatal Critical Care Unit for 11 days.
Around one in five Queensland babies are born at a Mater hospital.
