Teresa Martín-García

Chapter 1: Anticipating and Practicing Fatherhood in Spain

Using data from a qualitative longitudinal sample of 31 non-traditional fathers-to-be interviewed in 2011 and then again in 2013, when the child was about 18 months old, we examine the relationship between prenatal anticipation and the development of ‘positive paternal involvement’ (i.e. an engaged, accessible and responsible type of fatherhood). We expect differences with regard to the antenatal development of a non-normative father identity to explain variations in subsequent paternal involvement. While there might be – and there often is – a discrepancy between fathers’ prenatal intentions and actual practices after childbirth, anticipating concrete needs and actively foreseeing particular paid work adaptations favour the development of a positive paternal involvement. Our analysis reveals the importance of anticipation during pregnancy – that is, the development of an identity as a father and of explicit plans for employment adaptations – in facilitating men’s greater implication in care. The empirical findings also show that non-traditional gender attitudes and favourable working conditions facilitate fathers’ involvement, yet are not enough in themselves to guarantee the development of a positive type of fatherhood covering the three noted dimensions of care. Achieving the latter in Spain will likely require the encouragement of shared parenting responsibilities through normative changes in workplaces, the revision of parental leave policies and the integration of fathers-to-be in prenatal education classes. Our research contributes to shedding new light on the elements that favour a positive paternal involvement, which has the potential to enhance both children’s well-being and gender equality.

Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance: Couples with Egalitarian Practices in their Transition to First-Time Parenthood in Spain

This study analyses dual-earner couples’ subjective satisfaction with work-life balance after having their first child. We draw on a longitudinal qualitative analysis of 31 Spanish couples who showed an egalitarian division of housework prior to childbirth. Participating couples were interviewed during pregnancy and about 18 months after the birth. We analysed individuals’ subjective feelings of satisfaction with the way that childcare was organised. The study reveals that half of the couples moved towards a traditional gender division of childcare, but that this did not necessarily entail dissatisfaction with work-life balance. Satisfaction with work-life balance is less dependent on specific arrangements than on whether initial expectations are fulfilled.