Parental Postnatal Leave as a Permission for New Father Involvement

1. Parental Postnatal Leave as a Permission for New Father Involvement Caterina Forray Claps Psicologyst – University of Chile Master in Clinic Psychology, Family and Couple Studies – Diego Portales University

2. Problem in Context Family and Paternity has been challenged • Democratization and modernization • Complex context of change • Diversification of the family • Global Policies for Male inclusion Paternal leave and sexual reproductive health policies promote father involvement

3. Legal Commanding Frame 2008 • 1980 Constitution supports patriarchal • hegemonic paternity. • Father's position: replacement and • nominal character. Postnatal Leave a positive proposal

4. Relevant Questions • What do fathers of newborn children believe about fatherhood, as they take a postnatal leave? • Which are the beliefs involved in the upbringing or rearing of newborn child ? • Which are the beliefs about the relevance of the father's involvement in the upbringing of the newborn child, and about the importance of the role of the both father and mother , during postnatal leave?

5. The First Emergent Phenomenon Paternity as a dimension that promotes and which emerges from the affective relationship with the child, and shows up from the triad coordinated behavior of the father / mother / child

6. Relationship with the newborn child In the dyadic dimension Paternity resides : Link or relationship Father /Mother/Child In the triad and is experienced as emerging through an emotional link within the couple and the child

7. In The Dyadic Relationship father /new born The fathers believe that involvement in the care of the child during the paternal leave, favors a recursive process of mutual information which enables them to emotionally regulate the baby.

8. Affect Regulation in the Dyadic Relation Father-Baby Through listening to the voice of the father and receiving physical contact the baby calms down He discriminates the child's affective and physiological needs giving a balanced recovery Mutual information recursively sequenced The baby recognizes these signs coming from his father and recovers the affectionate balance He speaks to him, hugs him making the baby calm down

9. Emergent fatherhood takes ownership of the emotional link with the child and with the mother. And so includes itself in the reproductive field. Pregnancy Postnatal period Birth

10. Included in the Reproductive Field Taking part and sharing the postnatal days, shapes and defines the father's role in the affective triad Takes part in and share the Birth: 1. Share the “We” Mother/Father/child 2. Imprints relationship with the new born

11. Mother's Role • Essential figure • Irreplaceable • Breastfeeding link is the mother's exclusivity The systemic dimension of the paternity. Three partners or Triad interaction • Protects and supports Mother/ child, breastfeeding/ link. • Accessible and available to the relation with the child and with the mother Father's Role

12. Father protects the affective bond between the mother and child, during the breastfeeding link.

13. The prominent figure of the triad is now the dyad father / baby. Mother remains in a stand by position.

14. Second Emergent Phenomenon • The Early Father's Presence is a condition for the Active Paternity in the Upbringing

15. Beliefs on Paternity: Their daily involvement in the first care is a condition of active fatherhood in the upbringing. Balance Productive/Reproductive fields affects the possibility of father´s presence. • Promotes mutual recognition with the child • Promotes sharing upbringing and co-parenting • Father's Role in taking care for the mother, the child, and mother / child relationship. • Paternity in experienced with pleasure. • Father learns through upbringing, “learning by doing”.

16. Conclusion Although the policies of health and post natal leave are part of the field of practices and social meanings of reproduction, they just slightly accentuate the gender equity processes. These practices are still insufficient in Chile. And expose that the Father's competence is not accompanied by the performance.

17. Father's integration in childbirth and postnatal period: • Promotes a better and equitable parenthood in the nuclear Chilean family. • Promotes an intense emotional link with the offspring and participation in the child care. • Promotes a fatherhood that takes ownership of the reproductive space.

19. The transcendence of the paternity in a three dimensional context appears. The father was once an external observer excluded from the dyad mother/child and now takes a fundamental part being a coordinated and attuned performer in the melody of the bonding link Father/ Mother/Baby

21. Therefore a future challenge for us is to promote public policies in which the fatherhood is assessed in a systemic approach, considering the significant repercussions towards the father, the child's psychological development, and the family as a whole.

23. Parental Postnatal Leave as a Permission for New Father Involvement Caterina Forray Claps Psicologyst – University of Chile Master in Clinic Psychology, Family and Couple Studies – Diego Portales University