Men's Entrance to Parenthood

Thirty men who attended childbirth preparation classes were interviewed with their wives before and after the birth of afirst child. The data suggest that developing some kind of coherent role was more important to men's adjustments to postpartum family life than developing any particular role of high or low home life sharing activity. Study interviews and findings point to the need for and usefulness of research about men's preparations for parenting, men's involvements in the birth process, and men's opportunities to participate in theirfamily lives in ways that meet their needs and the needs of their wives and children. Research on men's experiences on entering parenthood may lead to greater understanding of changing male and female sex roles and to the development of social policies and programs that support family life.