We all talk about how pregnancy can be such a beautiful time for a woman and how difficult (and equally uncomfortable) the journey can be, but what about the fathers? What goes on in their minds? Well, we spoke to a few dads about it and here’s what they had to say.
1. Nitin Sachdev, father of two toddlers
“It was around the fifth month when we did this 3D ultrasound and for the first time, I could see the baby’s face. I can never forget that moment as this was my first moment with Kabir. This was when things suddenly became real for me and the father-to-be moment set-in. It was a mixed feeling of extreme love and panic. The more I thought about it, the more I knew how much had to be done and the list kept getting longer. The second was to budget and ensure that all things necessary were in place before the baby arrives home for the first time. Kabir was our first born, so we went overboard with it and the whole experience of doing it together with my wife made it all the more important. The third and the most difficult was to prepare myself for the life-changing moment. To prepare for the imminent transition from being a father-to-be to a father. This is something you can’t imagine until you hold the child for the first time. When the time comes, you automatically change and adjust. Having Kabir and Zoey has been two wonderful experiences and surely made us stronger as a family.”
2. Udayan Moitra, father to a nine-month-old son
“Part of it, of course, is being really happy. But, that’s for everyone to see. What fathers-to-be will not tell you is that we’re constantly panicking. This happens especially after the baby bulge is evident. So what are the top three things we panic about? One, doing the right thing. We don’t want to upset the already emotional wife who, by the way, nonchalantly mentions you’re the reason for her morning sickness. Secondly, who gets to clean the poop? The wife went through labour. It is a dumb question to even consider really! And lastly, boys night are officially out. And beer, Netflix, PS4 will be no more. But the day your child is born, your life changes. It is the best thing that can ever happen. The feeling of holding your baby for the first time resonates in a dimension you cannot fathom. Unless of course, you have been a father already.”
3. Rahul Kharbanda, father to an eight-year-old
“Everything changed for me when I first saw my baby’s movement in the very first ultrasound. I was suddenly bestowed with a sense of responsibility which was exciting and scary at the same time. I’m sure every ‘father-to-be’ has played a role of a late night cook or a food pick up guy at odd timings, especially when it’s satisfying those crazy cravings.”
4. Anuj Khattar, father of a 10-year-old and a seven-year-old
“Fathers don’t tend to show much but honestly I was really scared from within when we found out I was going to be a dad. It took a while for the feeling to sink in but I still remember when my daughter Adya was born, I couldn’t stop weeping. It was magical holding my little baby girl in my arms.”
5. Ankit Kapoor, father to twin girls
“Contrary to popular beliefs, fathers, too, have a hard time during the nine months of pregnancy along with the expectant mothers-to-be. Except our worries are a tad bit different. You need a whole lot of planning for everything from taking leaves, managing finances to making sure your home is in place before the baby comes. It is definitely a great feeling but more than enjoying that phase, men at this time are more concerned with what that phase will bring to their lives. But when you take your newborn in your arms, that feeling can never be expressed in words, it’s beyond everything.”
GIFs: Giphy, Tumblr
Featured Image Source: YouTube
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