As Uganda marks Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, attention is turning to fathers of premature babies. While mothers and newborns receive care, many fathers quietly carry fear, stress, and exhaustion in neonatal wards.
Every morning at exactly 6am, before heading to work, a father would sit quietly in the neonatal intensive care unit with his premature son pressed against his bare chest. For one and a half hours, he barely moved. After that, he would leave for work, spend the day providing for his family, and return in the evening for another six hours of kangaroo care.
Inside the neonatal unit, the atmosphere is a mix of soft alarms, whispered instructions and constant monitoring.
Premature babies often arrive with underdeveloped lungs, weak immune systems and difficulty regulating their body temperature. Even the smallest change in condition can require urgent intervention. For parents, every beep of a monitor becomes a source of anxiety, turning each hour into a quiet battle between hope and fear.
His wife, Mary Lizzie Kawooya, is recovering from severe high blood pressure after delivery and could not hold their baby immediately, so he stepped in. From 6am to 7:30am, he practiced kangaroo care. Then, he would go to work and return from 5:15pm to 11:00pm for more kangaroo care, as she recalls.
Their son had been born prematurely and sometimes struggled to breathe. His heart rate would occasionally drop, making each day feel uncertain. While doctors monitored the baby and relatives checked in on the mother, very few people stopped to ask how the father was coping.
As Uganda marks Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, stories such as his highlight an often-overlooked reality: fathers of premature babies also experience fear, anxiety, and emotional strain, but many carry that burden quietly.
The hidden emotional cost
Preterm birth can be a traumatic experience for an entire family. Parents often find themselves surrounded by medical equipment, complex terminology, and uncertainty regarding their child’s survival.
While much attention is understandably given to mothers and newborns, fathers frequently assume the roles of providers, caregivers, and decision-makers all at once. Research from various countries indicates that fathers of premature infants are more likely to experience anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms compared to fathers of full-term babies.
John Nuwabiine recalls the fear he felt when his son was born at seven months’ gestation.
‘He was very tiny. Every time a doctor called us, I worried it would be bad news,’ he shares. During this time, he struggled to balance work responsibilities with long hours spent at the hospital. ‘You want to be there for your child and wife, but you also have to think about the bills and everything else that depends on you. It was one of the most stressful periods of my life.’
His perspective changed when nurses introduced him to kangaroo care. ‘They taught me how to hold him skin-to-skin. It was the best feeling to see him grow stronger each day.’
More than kangaroo care
Kangaroo care involves holding a premature or low-birth-weight baby upright against a caregiver’s bare chest for extended skin-to-skin contact. This method helps to regulate the baby’s temperature, breathing, and heart rate, and is recognised by the World Health Organisation as one of the most effective interventions for vulnerable newborns.
In Uganda, where more than 226,000 babies are born each year prematurely, the practice of kangaroo care has become especially important.
Dr Patrick Baingana, a neonatologist, emphasises the importance of fathers as active participants in neonatal care.
‘We encourage both mothers and fathers to participate in kangaroo care,’ he says. ‘Not only does it help the baby thrive, but it also allows parents to contribute to their child’s recovery actively.’
For many fathers, the hours spent holding a fragile newborn become more than just a medical procedure; they provide a sense of purpose during an otherwise frightening experience.
The pressure to stay strong
Despite their involvement, fathers often receive little emotional support during family health crises. Clinical psychologist Sarah Nakanjako notes that many men struggle in silence during these challenging times.
‘Men are often expected to be strong and focus on problem-solving. As a result, they may suppress feelings of fear, anxiety, and emotional distress instead of seeking help,’ she explains.
Many fathers are juggling hospital expenses, transportation costs, work responsibilities, and concerns for both the mother and baby. Some spend nights at the hospital and days at work, functioning on very little rest. Because they rarely discuss these challenges openly, family members may mistakenly assume they are coping well when, in reality, they are not.
When fathers need support too
The burden becomes even heavier when complications arise during pregnancy and childbirth. Kawooya recalls the fear she experienced during her delivery and the uncertainty that followed. ‘In our case, my baby’s heart rate was low, and during those early days, he would sometimes forget to breathe,’ she says.
While she was recovering, her husband became the family’s anchor. ‘He carried so much during that period, but nobody really checked on him. Everyone assumed he was fine because he stayed strong.’
Dr John Sekyanzi, a gynaecologist at Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre, explains that preterm births can occur for various reasons, including infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, and multiple pregnancies.
When complications arise, fathers often find themselves in emotionally intense situations without any preparation. Mental health specialists emphasise that fathers also require reassurance, counselling, and opportunities to discuss their fears without judgment.
Asking a different question
As Uganda continues to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare, experts emphasise the importance of including fathers in discussions about mental health.
‘Neonatal units should create environments that encourage men to participate in care and seek support when needed,’ says Dr Baingana.
Families and communities also play a crucial role in this effort. While the focus often centres on the mother and baby, fathers frequently shoulder invisible emotional and financial burdens.
Every day, men sit beside incubators, comfort their recovering partners, worry about medical bills, and celebrate even the smallest signs of progress. Although they may not always express their fears, that does not mean those fears do not exist.
As Uganda strives to improve newborn survival rates, perhaps an additional question should be considered alongside concerns for the mother and child: how to support fathers in this journey.
Kangaroo care
Kangaroo care is a simple but highly effective method of caring for premature or low-birth-weight babies by placing them upright against a caregiver’s bare chest for extended skin-to-skin contact. The practice helps regulate the baby’s temperature, stabilise breathing and heart rate, and supports weight gain and early bonding between parent and child.
The World Health Organisation recognises kangaroo care as one of the most effective interventions for premature babies, especially in low-resource settings like Uganda where incubator space may be limited and access to specialised neonatal equipment can be constrained. In many neonatal units, both mothers and fathers are now encouraged to take part, turning care of the baby into a shared responsibility.