“Nobody asked me, as a dad, how I was coping”: exploring Australian new fathers’ paternal postnatal support experiences and needs

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Objective Societal expectations of fathers’ involvement in child rearing have changed over the past century, with fathers increasingly involved in their children’s care and upbringing. However, postnatal support services have not evolved to reflect modern, collaborative parenting approaches. We aimed to understand fathers’ (i) experiences of the transition to fatherhood and (ii) desires for postnatal support services.Method We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Australian fathers with children aged two years or younger. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results Three themes reflected fathers’ experiences of the postnatal period – “The Complexities of Transitioning to Fatherhood”, “Good Information and Support is Not Always Easy to Find”, “Services are Not Father Inclusive”. Another three themes summarised fathers’ desired supports – “Information to Support Fathers in Their New Role”, “Improved Support and Connection with Other Fathers” and “Practical Ways to Acknowledge and Support Fathers”.Conclusions Transitioning to fatherhood is complex. Finding useful information and support is challenging, with existing supports being mother-focused. There is a need for improved, holistic, father-inclusive information and support in the postnatal period, including father and baby groups and improved paid paternity leave policies. Recommendations are provided to improve support for new fathers and their families.