When a woman gives birth to a child everybody seems to forget about the woman themselves - she is in immediate recovery. Not only has she carried a baby for 9 months but she now has to recover from the delivery…mentally, emotionally and physically. The human body can take up to 1 whole year to fully recover after child birth yet the government expect new Mothers to go at it alone after just 2 weeks support from the Father. This is barely enough time to even get use to the new family dynamics. Then he is expected to return to work leaving the Mother to do everything, even if she did have a traumatic experience. Whether it is a vaginal birth or a caesarian birth they are both unbelievably exhausting and require a lot of time to heal properly which is always underestimated and overlooked.

By allowing paternity leave to be extended for an extra 6 weeks, this enhances the health of the Mother but also the bond between the baby and the Father. The ‘newborn’ stage lasts for 8 weeks and I believe it is fair to say that all Father's should be given the opportunity to watch their child grow in this time before returning to work - at the very least. If the system remains the same and paternity leave does not get extended, more Mums will mentally struggle and feel alone resulting in mental health issues. Fathers already believe that the current allowance is unfair and their importance is dismissed. This needs to change and fast.

It is estimated that there are over 2300 babies born each day in the UK, resulting in new Mothers and Fathers all over the nation. Having a baby is the most overwhelming but fulfilling feeling yet it does come with challenges and questionable decisions. Why make it more stressful than it already is? Why restrict the Fathers from experiencing life-changing moments? And lastly, let’s think about how many new parents would be mentally and physically happier with one another’s support. Let’s help reinforce the importance of family stability.