Fatherhood in focus, sexual activity can wait: new fathers' experience about sexual life after childbirth.
BACKGROUND
Becoming a parent is overwhelming for most men and women and alters the sexual relationship for many couples.


OBJECTIVE
To describe fathers' experience about sexual life after childbirth within the first 6 months after childbirth.


METHODS
A descriptive design, using content analysis with a qualitative approach, based on focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews.


METHODS
Eight first-time and two subsequent fathers participated.


RESULTS
Three subthemes were identified: Struggling between stereotypes and personal perceptions of male sexuality during transition to fatherhood; new frames for negotiating sex; a need to feel safe and at ease in the new family situation. The overarching theme emerged as 'transition to fatherhood brings sexual life to a crossroads' and guided us to a deeper understanding of the difficulties men experience during the transition to fatherhood. To get sexual life working, a number of issues had to be resolved, such as getting involved in the care of the baby and the household and getting in tune with their partners in regard to sexual desire. The men needed to be reassured and prepared for this new situation by health care professionals.


CONCLUSIONS
New fathers in our study put the baby in focus in early parenthood and were prepared to postpone sex until both parties were ready, although they needed reassurance to feel at ease with the new family situation. The fathers' perceptions of sexual life extended to include all kinds of closeness and touching, and it deviated from the stereotype of male sexuality. This is important information for health care providers and midwives to be aware of for their encounters with men (and women) during the transition to fatherhood, and parenthood and can contribute to caring science with a gender perspective on adjustment of sexual life after childbirth.
Olsson
Ann
A
Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Caring Science, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden. Ann.Olsson@ki.se
Robertson
Eva
E
Björklund
Anders
A
Nissen
Eva
E
D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition; D019529:Sexuality