# Becoming first time father of premature newborn during the first wave of the pandemic: a case study approach

## TL;DR

This paper explores the emotional and psychological challenges faced by first-time fathers of premature babies during the first wave of the pandemic.

## Contribution

The study introduces a case-based analysis of paternal experiences under pandemic restrictions and medicalized fatherhood.

## Key findings

- Fathers experienced emotional distress due to separation from their newborns caused by pandemic restrictions.
- The fathers showed signs of phobic tendencies and an increased risk of postpartum depression.
- The transition to fatherhood was marked by medicalized connections and concerns about long-term infant development.

## Abstract

The aim of this paper is to delve into the emotional and psychological challenges that fathers face as they navigate the complexities of having a preterm infant in the NICU and in an unprecedented sanitary context.

We used three data collection methods such as interviews (narrative and the Clinical Interview for Parents of High-risk Infants- CLIP) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to gain a comprehensive understanding of the cases.

The following analysis explores two individuals’ personal experiences of becoming a first-time father during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic through a close examination of two superordinate themes: “A series of separations through the experienced COVID- 19 restrictions” and “Moments of connection.” The transition to fatherhood is essentially with a medicalized form of connection with their newborn and the perceived paternal identity. In terms of temporality, these fathers experienced a combination of concerns about their infants’ long-term development and COVID-19 health concerns. Furthermore, they showed indications of phobic or hypochondriac tendencies using a psychoanalytic framework, along with an increased risk of postpartum depression.