Get nappy, dad!

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“You are going to be a father,” says the wife to her young, uppity and devil-may-care husband as he stands flummoxed at the news of being a “dad”.

There are many celebrities too who have recently been taken through the whole “new daddy” routine like Raj Kundra with Shilpa Shetty, Aishwarya with Abhishek Bachchan and tennis pro Mahesh Bhupathi with Lara Dutta. It’s an oft repeated scenario when a young man takes on the mantle and responsibility of fatherhood. Either they suddenly change into responsible and wise versions of their older selves or they go from abject denial to resignation to sheer joy.
We asked men about the noticeable changes fatherhood brings. Stand-up comedian and VJ Cyrus Broacha is quite the family guy, “My wife Ayesha is a busy lady as she dabbles with photography and theatre. So we take turns to take care of the kids, Mikhaail and Maya. Things change after you become a dad. I have intentionally chosen to do work that I like as it gives me flexible hours to be around with my kids whenever required. We also take holidays together.”
But what about the sudden responsibility? “The first thought is whether you are ready to shoulder responsibility. There’s doubt, surprise and happiness. You think, ‘wow! I have taken the leap.’ Initially, the enormity hits you and there’s a 360-degree self-appraisal. Since the first semester is the most dicey, the mother needs to be extra careful. The fun bit happens in the second trimester, and you must be cautious in the third trimester.” explains Ashok Nath, an international marathon runner, who is a father thrice over.
For RJ Rohit Barker who just became a father, the excitement never stops and his wife is in awe of the transfor mation. Pashmina Barker reveals, “He’s such a brilliant hands-on father that everyone in the family is shocked. Our son has him wrapped around his finger. Rohit does crazy things with him, all the baby talk becoming a baby and doing mad things and the like. He is an amazing father and helps me out with everything. At night, he even stands by me, nappy changing, spending time with him, taking him out and everything,” says Pashmina.