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She Won't Break!

New Dads With Newborn Fears

By Jenn Director Knudsen

Yet the best strategy new dads can employ to work through their newborn fears is to copy the moms: Get with others like you. Take a class or participate in a program, and make an effort to meet men also doing the dad thing for the first time. "A little bit of encouragement goes a long way," says Bishop. "These days, it's the most wonderful time ever to be a father."

In fact, the number of households nationwide with an at-home dad increased by 70 percent from one million in 1990 to 1.7 million in 2000, according to Julie Shields' new book How to Avoid the Mommy Trap. And dads more involved with childcare and household chores have happier marriages, more sex, better health, more successful careers and are less likely to divorce.

Fortunately for new dads, they tend to be as emotionally resilient as their babies are physically. Most fathers quickly get into their new role, get excited about it and spend less time than the mommies sweating the small stuff.

"Just so long as the baby's happy, I'm good," says Goldberg. "I'm gonna screw stuff up along the way, but I think, just so long as I love him, help him when he needs it, let him figure some things out on his own, and just generally be there for him, I hope, I think, I believe that everything will work out fine."

Want to see more?

• Dads New Role: Should a Worried Father-to-be Share His Concerns?
• Postpartum Dad: Helping with Labor, Delivery and Baby's Homecoming
• Postpartum Dad: Supporting Your Partner
• Postpartum Dad: Playing Problem Police
• Talk about it!