We welcome Matt Ashbolt from Lismore, who shares his journey of supporting pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. Matt opens up about his relationship with his father, recounting the challenges he faced in connecting during his teenage years and how his perception evolved after becoming a parent himself. Matt describes how much he loved witnessing the birth of his son, which unfolded in a hospital setting involving an epidural and episiotomy, following a transfer from a birth center. Matt touches on the lack of birth education regarding the role of fathers, He speaks about feeling well-prepared for the birth itself but unready for the challenges of the early days, especially when their son struggled to settle. He openly reflects on the subtle undercurrents of depression during the initial weeks post-birth, alongside moments of sheer bliss. *** Ready to give yourself a confidence boost ahead of the big day and start your transformation into parenthood? Visit our website and kickstart your journey today with the Birthing Dads program. Use Code: POD for a 10% Discounthttps://www.birthingdads.com.au/ *** Helpful Resources Antenatalhttps://prepare.org.au/resources/https://www.birthingdads.com.auhttps://www.cope.org.au/readytocope/https://www.sms4dads.com.au Perinatal Mental Health Support https://panda.org.au https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au https://www.cope.org.au https://forwhenhelpline.org.au   This podcast was recorded edited and produced by Steven Kennedy, Founder of the PREPARE Foundation https://prepare.org.au.