Hi, I’m Dan, I’m 28 and work as a company director. I’m married and have one child. Having a child is something both my wife and I were keen to do, although we had never talked about it particularly in-depth. I think we both just naturally reached a point where we thought it was the right time for us.
Whilst we were relatively lucky that we conceived quite quickly, we went for our first scan literally the day before the first pandemic-related lockdown! And there ensued what we imagine was quite an unusual pregnancy experience. I spent most trips to the hospital for scans or check-ups sat waiting in the car park, due to the restrictions on visitors allowed in. My wife was also diagnosed with ICP Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (a very serious, potentially life-threatening liver disorder) about 2/3s of the way into the pregnancy, which meant we spent quite a few nights apart (she was in hospital for 18 nights out of 30 at one point). This meant she became friendly with many of the doctors and midwives, which was reassuring for me when we rushed to the hospital four days before the planned induction, due to an overnight haemorrhage.
Compared to the pregnancy, the birth itself seemed relatively straightforward (my wife might disagree!) She was admitted about 5am on that morning, and our son was safely delivered less than 12 hours later. Parenting however is as much challenging as it is a rewarding. From balancing work & personal life like never before, to becoming parents during a global pandemic. But for all the early mornings, late nights and sick-covered clothes, it's been amazing to see our little one grow & develop so much in just five months.
When it comes to the things I love about fatherhood, as touched on, it's just so enjoyable seeing him grow. From that very first smile, to the first time he interacted with a toy and the first time he rolled over, to our 'conversations' (repeating insane baby babble) and being able to spend true quality time with him, like giving him an expressed bottle as my wife is breastfeeding. Nonetheless, it also come with its challenges too, for me it's definitely the lack of routine and spontaneity of it all. In some ways the lockdowns have been a blessing as much as a curse, as we've been able to learn about parenthood from the safety & comfort of our home. But it truly has turned our world upside-down.
So many people say "make sure you get your sleep now, because once the baby comes..." But if I could go back and give myself some advice before I became a dad I'd say the opposite - get into a routine and practice broken sleep. You might be up countless times during the night once your baby arrives, so practice getting up & being alert if needed, even if it means disturbing you from a pleasant dream or the comfort of your nice warm bed!