I’m writing this on my phone in the early hours of the morning 10 days after I promised Chris, my best friend and co-founder, that this introductory blog would be ready. The reason? I’m a dad again.

My daughter was born at 11:30pm on the last Saturday in November. Five hours prior we were sat in the pub, and an hour later we were at home with my in-laws enjoying a curry. My wife had been in hospital that morning for her third sweep and throughout the day felt some cramping, which was in line with the previous two sweeps during the week, so didn’t think anything of it. It was only after we’d assured her parents they needn’t take our son home with them and we’d waved them off that the cramps became stronger and my wife suggested that we probably ought to call the hospital. It turns out she’d been in labour most of the day and things moved very quickly thereafter. So our experience of labour was all of about four hours. With our son it was 43 hours.

It’s a little over two weeks later and I’m tired. We both are. But not exhausted like we were the first time. Friends and colleagues told us it would be easier the second time and, at least for us, they were right. Not easy, but easier. Every parent will have their own experience, but I’m grateful that our family are having the kind of experience we wanted and expected the first time. Our son was born in June 2020 at the height of the pandemic. We had fewer appointments during the third trimester, midwives wore masks, our parents couldn’t hold their first grandchild and we had to navigate becoming parents with zero support and declining mental health. We felt lost. We worried about getting Covid and what it could mean for our baby. We stayed at home, trapped in the same four walls and overthought everything. We’d always talked about having two children but the experience was so difficult that we started to think about sticking with one.

Fast forward to 2023 and we’re in a different place. Our son is the happiest, kindest, sweetest boy. We’re out of the pandemic and back to really wanting another child, for us but also to give our son a sibling. And we’re so glad we did. He loves his sister so much, as do we, and we’ve been able to enjoy these first weeks in a way we couldn’t the first time. Coffees, shopping, lunches, visits from friends and a lot of time spent with family.

Something that hasn’t changed in the past three and a half years is the lack of targeted information, guidance and support for dads. It’s getting better, but still not close to where it needs to be and we want to turbocharge it. I know from speaking to midwives, health professionals and children’s services that fathers both want targeted support but can be more reticent to ask questions or seek out support. That’s why Chris and I are launching Fathercraft in the UK. Our goal is for Fathercraft to become a one-stop-shop for all parenting guidance and support, with a specific focus on helping out new and expectant dads. Over the coming weeks and months we’ll be expanding the website with information and guidance, product reviews and short form video content. We’ll also be blogging regularly, sharing our experiences of raising our four children. And as we approach the general election we’ll be sharing our thoughts and ideas on how the next government, whomever they may be, can better support all parents.

So browse the website, follow us on Instagram @fathercraftuk and sign up to receive regular updates. We’re keen to know what you think and what you’d like to see.

Paul
Co-founder, Fathercraft