Transition to Fatherhood An Exploratory Study

Abstract

An exploratory study of the transition to fatherhood for 50 first-time fathers is described. Subjects completed questionnaires within three weeks of their infant's birth and again three to five weeks postpartum on the topics of infant feeding, lifestyle changes, depression, fathering activities with their own father and those planned with their own child, marital adjustment, and infant feeding. Subjects showed no evidence of depression, were maritally well adjusted, were very involved in infant care, had experienced many lifestyle changes, and planned to continue to be very involved with their child.