Should new fathers be getting more help to be able to support during birth and beyond?

This question was debated on Women’s Hour this morning.  Among those taking part were Dean Beaumont from Daddy Natal and Prof Tina Miller from Oxford Brookes.  Dean was up against a presenter, Jane Garvey, who took a particularly scornful approach to his suggestion that many men would welcome, and profitably use, extended paternal leave in order to begin the development of a sound relationship with their new-born.  The fact that midwives are part of the problem because they usually ignore fathers, as well as part the solution, was given an airing, but without a hint of what needs to be done in order to improve matters.  It was a reminder of how far away we still are from a grown-up discussion about the importance of fathers, as well as mothers, in the lives of their children and how services have to change in order to meet their needs.  But at least the programme debated the question.