PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. — A South Florida hospital is offering a new class aimed specifically at expectant fathers, giving them hands-on tools to prepare for everything from diaper changes to mental health challenges that can come with new parenthood.
The “Understanding Fatherhood for Dads and Partners” class, offered at Memorial Hospital West, is designed to help men feel more confident as they prepare for a newborn.
Charley Naranjo, a paramedic and instructor for the class, said many expectant fathers come in with similar concerns.
“These dads, they might have some anxiety about the unknowns,” Naranjo said. “We talk about how to understand what fatherhood is.”
He said the class focuses on practical preparation.
“It’s more about giving them tools to handle pregnancy, what to expect before birth, during, and after,” Naranjo said.
Adolfo Ortega, a certified surgical technologist who also teaches the course, said many fathers are worried about handling newborns safely.
“They’re, I think, mostly worried about hurting the child and how to handle a baby that is so tender,” Ortega said.
The class includes hands-on training using infant mannequins.
“We actually have babies that are props, and we go through how to swaddle them, how to put a diaper on, and how to maneuver them,” Ortega said.
He added that hospital staff emphasize safe sleep practices.
“We only swaddle here at the hospital, not at home,” Ortega said.
When asked why, Ortega explained the safety concerns.
“It’s only recommended here because it’s a controlled environment,” he said. “At home, babies sometimes get their arms out and may cover their faces.”
He said the goal is to reduce risks such as sudden infant death syndrome.
“We try to avoid any risk of sudden infant death syndrome,” Ortega said.
Beyond newborn care, instructors said the class also addresses emotional and mental health challenges for new fathers.
“We also talk about some of the problems that can arise with their mental health,” Naranjo said.
He noted that while postpartum depression is often associated with mothers, fathers can experience it as well.
“There’s always a focus on maternal postpartum depression,” Naranjo said. “But now they’re doing more studies on fathers.”
He said some fathers may show stress in different ways.
“Sometimes that shows postpartum stress by gambling, working excessive hours, feeling like they don’t want to be with the family, or not showing much input in caregiving,” he said.
One expectant father, Fabian Maya, said he is preparing for his first child with his wife.
“We actually got married at church,” Maya said. So when he brought us together and we got married back in September, we became pregnant the same weekend, and right now we are 28 weeks along. I’m very excited to be a father."
Maya said his wife encouraged him to take the class.
“I said a hundred percent,” he said. “It never hurts to learn something new, especially when you’re going into an area you don’t fully know.”
He said the first trimester was overwhelming.
“The first trimester was very overwhelming because a lot of things were unexpected,” Maya said. “But I think I’ve improved.”
Instructors said the goal is to help fathers feel confident in their role.
“Dad is the Superman of the child’s life,” Ortega said. “That is going to be portrayed differently than the maternal way of a mom caring for a child.”
Naranjo added that perfection is not the expectation.
“It might not be perfect. It might not be the way the spouse wants it to be done, but they’re helping,” he said.
Click here to read more stories from Local 10’s Mom to Mom collection.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
