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How ancient is father care of human infants and young children, and why did it emerge? Is it possible that father care arose among the ancestors of modern humans and became essential for survival? Or is it a recent, though variable, development? Is father care an evolved trait of Homo sapiens or is it a learned cultural behavior transmitted across generations in some societies but not others? In this important study, Frank L'Engle Williams examines the anthropological record for evidence of the social behaviors associated with paternity, suggesting that ample evidence exists for the importance of such behaviors for infant survival. Focusing on the first three postnatal years, he considers the implications of father care—both in the fossil record and in more recent cross-cultural research—for the development of such distinctively human traits as bipedalism, extensive brain growth, language, and socialization. He also reviews the rituals by which many human societies construct and reinforce the meanings of socially recognized fatherhood. Father care was adaptive within the context of the parental pair bond and shaped how infants developed socially and biologically. The initial imprinting of socially recognized fathers during the first few postnatal years may have sustained culturally sanctioned indirect care such as provisioning and protection of dependents for nearly two decades thereafter. In modern humans, this three-year window is critical to father-child bonding. By increasing the survival of children in the past, present, and quite possibly the future, father care may be a driving force in the biological and cultural evolution of Homo sapiens.

Fatherhood doesn't come with instructions, but 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know is here to give some peace of mind. Learn what to expect on the lead up to the final big day when fatherhood starts! A baby brings great joy to a new father, but also, perhaps, some uncertainty. Don't let these preliminary nerves get to you and dampen what will no doubt be one of the most joyful day of your life. 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know provide information and encouragement to stave back the worry. A little fear is nothing to be ashamed of. For many men, fatherhood may seem like a new job for which they have had no training or experience. In these pages, pediatricians, and fathers themselves, Robert and James Sears offer reassuring, timeless adviceto help new dads prepare for and embrace their important role. In an encouraging and light-hearted tone they highlight 25 important facets of becoming a dad and emphasize the rewards and pure joy that come with parenthood. This inspiring read is the perfect gift for any new or expectant father!

Familien gelten als die älteste Institution einer Gesellschaft. Ihre strukturellen Formen und Aufgaben haben sich im Verlaufe der Jahrhunderte erheblich verändert. Die familiären Veränderungsprozesse wurden im Wesentlichen durch einen soziodemografischen und soziokulturellen Gesellschaftswandel indiziert. Aktuell ist eine polare Rollenverteilung von Müttern und Vätern weitgehend aufgehoben. D.h., dass vormals geschlossene System von Mutter und Kind ist aufgelockert und Väter sind in stärkerem Maße in die Pflege und Erziehung der Kinder einbezogen. Ende des letzten Jahrhunderts wurde der Begriff der'Neuen Väter'geprägt. Zahlreiche wissenschaftliche und populäre Veröffentlichungen widmeten sich diesem Thema. In zahlreichen Untersuchungen wurde versucht, eine Klassifizierung unterschiedlicher Vätertypen zu entwickeln. Die Entwicklung von der Paarbeziehung (Dyade) zum familiären Beziehungsdreieck (Triade) stellt eine tiefgreifende biografische Veränderung dar. Der Übergang zur Elternschaft verläuft bei einer unkomplizierten Schwangerschaft in unterschiedlichen Phasen, die auf die Geburt vorbereiten. Ein anschauliches Phasenmodell hat Gloger-Tippelt 1985 entwickelt. Bei Eltern frühgeborener Kinder ist der Anpassungsprozess aufgrund der frühen Geburt deutlich verkürzt. Nachfolgend kann es zu langandauernden traumatisierenden Prozessen kommen. Während das Erleben und Bewältigung der Frühgeburt von Müttern mehrfach wissenschaftlich publiziert wurde (z.B. Vonderlin 1999, Sarimski 2000), stellt der psychodynamische Bewältigungsprozess der Väter ein wenig erforschtes Gebiet dar. Väterliches Gefühlserleben während der Schwangerschaft wurde bisher hauptsächlich von der psychoanalytischen Wissenschaft aufgegriffen (Gambaroff 1990). Das väterliche Erleben während der Geburt wurde allgemein bearbeitet (z.B. Schäfer et al. 2008), im Kontext einer Frühgeburt wurde es im Rahmen einer Pilotstudie der medizinischen und heilpädagogischen Fakultät der Universität Köln als Teilstudie berücksichtigt. Die Stichproben waren allerdings gering und lassen nur eingeschränkt Verallgemeinerungen zu. Durch ihren explorativen Charakter hat diese Pilotstudie einen wichtigen Beitrag in der wissenschaftlichen Bearbeitung über Väter frühgeborener Kinder geleistet. Eine Untersuchung von Studer (2011) zur Vater-Kind-Interaktion bei Frühgeborenen, konnte weder im Vergleich zur Mutter-Kind-Interaktion noch zur Vater-Kind-Interaktion Termingeborener signifikante Unterschiede nachweisen. Während des stationären Aufenthalts des Kindes bildet der Vater im triadischen Sinn ein wesentliches Bindeglied zwischen Mutter und Kind, besonders dann, wenn die Mutter selbst noch medizinischer Betreuung bedarf. Um bei den Müttern Gefühle wie Inkompetenz, Versagen oder Schuld nicht zu verstärken ist ein sensibler Umgang bei der Einbeziehung in die frühe Pflege und Versorgung des frühgeborenen Kindes auf der Station nötig. Bedeutende Maßnahmen zur Unterstützung der Interaktion und des Bindungsaufbaus zwischen Vater, Mutter und Kind während der Klinikphase sind eine entwicklungsfördernde Pflege (z.B. nach Heidelise Als), familienorientierte Frühgeborenenmedizin (z.B. nach dem Stockholmer Modell nach Westrup) und eine psychologische Betreuung. Nach der Entlassung aus der Klinik sind intra- und interpsychische Stressbewältigungsstrategien von erheblicher Bedeutung und sind eher individuell als geschlechterspezifisch ausgeprägt. Festzustellen ist jedoch, dass Väter einen bedeutenden positiven Einfluss auf die Mutter-Kind-Beziehung bei postpartalen psychischen Erkrankungen der Mutter haben. Der günstige Einfluss von Vätern auf die Entwicklung des frühgeborenen Kindes kann durch eine psychotherapeutische Begleitung (z.B. nach dem Ulmer Modell nach Brisch) unterstützt werden. Auch weitere Untersuchungen (z.B. nach Laucht/Schmidt) weisen auf das supportive Verhalten der Väter mit protektiver Wirkung bei Hochrisikofamilien hin. Eine Studie von Studer mit longitudinalem Ansatz untersuchte di

Men have a crucial role to play in encouraging their partners to breastfeed. This highly entertaining booklet gives men the answers to the issues that trouble them most.

You're having a baby. That's it. Game over, man. Life as you know it is done. Go ahead, freak out. Comic Chris Mancini was terrified of his impending fatherhood. But soon after throwing up upon seeing the little blue line, he realized that most expectant dads sometimes feel nervous, depressed, or powerless -- like a new baby is guy-kryptonite. Chris has been there and survived it. He'll talk you off the ledge. Naturally, you have plenty of questions: How many diapers will I really have to change? Will I ever have sex again? When should I mention that new 50-inch LCD television I want? Is it okay to play Grand Theft Auto while I hold my kid? Aren't there robots that can do most of this stuff by now? From fearing the ovulation kit, to leaving your child with a complete stranger when you go back to work, to the best and worst parts of being a parent, to wondering if Dr. Spock really is like Mr. Spock, Pacify Me is full of honest, hilarious, and insightful advice for new dads. Like, if you screw up a little the first time you're alone with the baby, it's not as if she's going to tattle. And babies love the mall. The truth is, the anxiety leading up to your child's birth is way worse than the anxiety of actually having a child. Soon you'll discover that the joy of experiencing life through innocent new eyes more than makes up for having to send your inner teenager to bed before midnight, unless there's something cool on Adult Swim.

In Great Expectation, Dan Roche gives a man's perspective on what it means to start and expand a family relatively later in life. Through a series of diary entries in turns humorous, angst ridden, and full of hope and joy, Roche describes his own thoughts and concerns during the nine months of his wife's pregnancy. With five years of parenting his irrepressible daughter Maeve under his belt, Roche, already forty-five years old, and his wife, Maura, face the prospect of another arrival and the myriad of emotions that come with a second child. From revelling in the joys of pregnancy such as Maura's delight at'having cleavage'and being able to eat whatever she desires; to assuaging the parental anxieties of choosing the right obstetrician, correcting the mistakes one made with the first child, and sending children to college in the future; to navigating the unforeseen, experiencing the unexpected death of a parent, and feeling trepidation toward the thought of having a son, Roche records his emotions with unusual candidness and intimacy. Reflecting on day-to-day events and their significance in his family's life together, Roche wonders what he is getting himself into and how much deeper he can immerse himself into parenting. Together, he and his wife face the bittersweet intersections of death and new life, menace and hopefulness. With sincerity and a mature wit, Great Expectation stands as a wise recounting of nine months'time, with all of its chaos and charms, and offers a fresh perspective for first-time and veteran parents alike.

A baby brings great joy to a new father, but also, perhaps, a bit of uncertainty. For many men, fatherhood may seem like a new job for which they have had no training or experience. In Father's First Steps, pediatricians and fathers Robert and James Sears offer reassuring, timeless advice to help dads-to-be prepare for and embrace their new role. With an encouraging, lighthearted tone, the Searses highlight 25 important facets of becoming a dad and emphasize the rewards and pure joy that come with parenthood. This inspiring read is the perfect gift for any new or expectant father!

'Treating birth as ritual, Reed makes clever use of his anthropological expertise, qualitative data, and personal experience to bring to life the frustrations and joys men often encounter as they navigate the medical model of birthing.'-William Marsiglio, author Sex, Men, and Babies: Stories of Awareness and Responsibility In the past two decades, men have gone from being excluded from the delivery room to being admitted, then invited, and, finally, expected to participate actively in the birth of their children. No longer mere observers, fathers attend baby showers, go to birthing classes, and share in the intimate, everyday details of their partners'pregnancies. In this unique study, Richard Reed draws on the feminist critique of professionalized medical birthing to argue that the clinical nature of medical intervention distances fathers from child delivery. He explores men's roles in childbirth and the ways in which birth transforms a man's identity and his relations with his partner, his new baby, and society. In other societies, birth is recognized as an important rite of passage for fathers. Yet, in American culture, despite the fact that fathers are admitted into delivery rooms, little attention is given to their transition to fatherhood. The book concludes with an exploration of what men's roles in childbirth tell us about gender and American society. Reed suggests that it is no coincidence that men's participation in the birthing process developed in parallel to changing definitions of fatherhood more broadly. Over the past twenty years, it has become expected that fathers, in addition to being strong and dependable, will be empathetic and nurturing. Well-researched, candidly written, and enriched with personal accounts of over fifty men from all parts of the world, this book is as much about the birth of fathers as it is about fathers in birth.

An indispensable handbook on all aspects of fatherhood during the first 12 months, by the author of The Expectant Father.

From the home pregnancy test to handing out cigars... and beyond. Dads-to-be often worry more than they let on about the emotional, financial, and physical changes that come with their partners'pregnancies. The Pocket Idiot's Guide® to Being an Expectant Father shows you how to get ready for the most important role of your life. In this Pocket Idiot's Guide®, you get: • Idiot-proof tips on setting up the nursery and babyproofing your home. • Straight talk on how having a baby will impact your finances—and what you can do to prepare. • A trimester-by-trimester account of changes in both baby and mom. • Practical ways to get attuned to your baby's schedule—and bond with the little one, too!

Congratulations... Now what? This follow-up to The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Being an Expectant Father guides new dads through all the emotional, financial, and physical changes and responsibilities they'll face as they transition through their first year of fatherhood. This volume includes everything from using bottles and diapers, to babyproofing the home and finding the right pediatrician, to balancing work and family.• Offers a chronology of the changes dads can expect to see during the first year in their infants-and in themselves• Author has been extensively featured in the national media• Author's previous book Dads and Daughters has sold extremely well

A tongue-in-cheek peek at modern parenting from a father's point of view, this spoof is targeted at today's career-minded mom and dad team. Breezy, irreverent humor escorts dads through basic topics such as home-from-the-hospital adjustments, post-partum dos and don'ts, diaper changing, feeding, difficult infant behavior, child-care choices, and the bustle of the pretoddler stage. Lightening up the serious business of being a 21st-century father, this book teaches dads that they don't have to be perfect and shows them how to enjoy the different stages of a baby's life.

It takes a baby to turn a guy into a man.Hard-won lessons of a first-time father — the good, the bad, and the big-time changes.'When I used to see a father holding a baby, I thought he was either a poor sap or else an übermensch possessed with talents and levels of forbearance that I would never attain. Now I live on the other side. I'm someone's daddy, and it's the best thing that ever happened to me.'From pregnancy and childbirth through the whirlwind first year of fatherhood, Quinton Skinner shares the adventure of a lifetime: becoming a daddy — and loving it. Nobody said it would be easy. But if imminent fatherhood made Quinton sit up and take notice, baby Natasha's arrival was the making of the man.Here, with the infinite wisdom of hindsight, is his survival guide for first-time fathers everywhere, filled with hilarious anecdotes and practical advice on how to negotiate that critical first year of your baby's wonderful life.After a year of on-the-job training, Skinner explores:• Dealing with the pride — and panic — of your wife's pregnancy (see page 7)• To be or not to be (in birthing class) (see page 57)• The moment of truth in the delivery room (see page 77)• Finding romance after parenthood (see page 102)• Being the perfect dad while spacing out in front of the TV (see page 112)• The joys of sleep deprivation (see page 192)• Becoming a baby chef (see page 177)• Avoiding the poorhouse (see page 39)

Everything you need to know about fatherhood -- but were afraid to ask!.Why are all parenting books directed at mommies? Daddies need help, too. In fact, when you think about it, they may need more help than their naturally maternal mates do. They need guidance, comfort, and validation. They probably also need a good night's sleep, and they definitely need a good laugh. What the Heck Were You Expecting? provides month-by-month counsel for the spit-up covered, the sleep deprived, and the just plain peek-a-booed out, including such subjects as:What your wife might be complaining about (... anything she can think of)What your above-average child may be doing (... paying attention to small objects) What you might be concerned about (... the meaning of life)A couple of things to say to let her know that you're caring, sensitive, and up on the required reading (...'Listen to this one: Statistics show that attendance at work is better among married men with children and spikes even higher among fathers of newborns. Quite a coincidence, huh?') Thomas Hill, registered father and author of the best-selling What to Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding, answers every father's questions about:ESPN as Edu-tainmentHorsy Knee BurnZen and the Art of Spoon-feedingBasics of Crib AssemblyNap Time... and How to Hide It from Your Boss...among other topics.