The process of giving birth is one strenuous one that requires a lot of time for maternal recuperation.
With adequate birth documents, nurses who put to birth, are given 12 weeks maternal leave, to stay at home and take care of their new born, while resting, in other for the body to heal itself.
When it comes to normal leave, both male and females go for their leave. However, I have not seen a male nurse go for a leave, when his wife gives birth. It's a rare occurrence.
As a civil servant (not nurses), when a man's wife put to bed, the man is entitled to a fourteen days paternal leave.
The thing I heard from some persons is that, it is very difficult to get the leave request granted.
Like I said earlier, I do not know wether or not male nurses go for paternal leave, but if it is the same two weeks paternal leave as that of civil servants, then, my thought on it, is that, it should be increased. Both that of the civil servants, nurses and everyone in general.
My reason is because, during pregnancy, though some people don't pay much mind to it, husbands do suffer as well.
After passing through a long day at work, annoying boss, and over demanding patients, you go home to rest, only to meet your wife craving for things that are impossible to get. You'll hear something like: Baby I want lioness pepper soup. Baby I need Russian Mango with some pepper sauce. Baby I need you to massage my feet please. Baby bend like a donkey, I want to ride on you. Baby blet like a goat. That's what the baby wants.
Sometimes, they get moody and start crying for no obvious reason.
After managing to put her to bed, and also, managing to sleep, around 2am, you'll be woken up with: HARRIS (while hitting you with her hand), HARRIS, wake up.
So I am here, having sleepless night and passing through pains, and you are sleeping sound. I hope you know that you're the person that put me in this condition. Wake up jhoor.
The drama, and the mood swings, sometimes are plenty. The husband will not be able to get annoyed, or complain neither will enjoy the disturbance.
After 9 months of enduring this, I feel like the male should be given more time, longer than 2 weeks, to rest. Also, to aid in paternal and child bonding.
When I was still a student, I was taught in a class of development psychology, that, when a father fail to visit his child after birth, then the childs character will have a deviation from normal. This is to show that children understand, love and recognize their parents both in-utero and in the extra-uterine environment.
Based on this, both parents should be given enough time to properly bond with their child. Let the child feel the love from both parents, and not just the mothers love alone.
Fathers are equally humans. Forget all the tough shell you see them try to put up. As awkward and weak as it may sound, fathers have emotions. They break down and cry, they feel frustrated. They feel tired and feel like giving up. But, the only difference is that, they buckle up, tougen up, put their shoulders high, heads up, and they continue in their path,even with the pain in their heart.
It is just normal to also give them some time to rest, and also, bond with their kid.
This is my entry for the hive learners prompt.
Thank you for reading 😊
Canvas design