Fears and Difficulties in the Early Stage of Parenthood: Findings from a Longitudinal Study of First-Time Parents

The article focuses on the concerns of Czech expectant parents and their subsequent life difficulties. A qualitative longitudinal methodology was used to study parental experiences for a period of around four years. Three waves of semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen dual-earner parental couples who had their first child in 2011 or 2012. An analysis of 93 interviews revealed that the fears of the parents-to-be principally concerned childcare, paid work, free time, the relationships, and health. Actual experience of difficulties in these areas was often mentioned by different respondents from those who had expected to have them. The theory of intensive motherhood was employed to underscore the heavy demands and responsibilities placed on contemporary parents and the difficulties that accompany the use of a child-centred approach. The heavy demands on childcare felt by mothers who adhered to the intensive mothering model were cited as causing difficulties in the everyday lives of parental couples; the fathers mainly complained of a lack of rest and quality time with their partners.