Mercy hosts Boot Camp for Dads program for new fathers

By Lori O'Brien

Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD- "It's awesome to be a Dad."

Those were the sentiments expressed by Eric Seymour of Chicopee as he introduced his three-week-old son Jack to a group of men participating in a Boot Camp for New Dads program at Mercy Medical Center on a recent Sunday afternoon.

Jack quickly took the spotlight as each participant had an opportunity to learn the correct way to hold and transfer him. As each participant took turns cradling Jack, veteran dad Glenn Swanson of Ashfield continued his informative lecture on the do's and don'ts of becoming a new dad.

"The best part of 'Boot Camp' is knowing that I make a difference in children's lives," said Swanson, during an interview with Reminder Publications. "The boot camp is designed to recognize that fathers have concerns and unanswered questions about the childbirth experience, and that making better dads will enhance the life of a child."

Swanson has 12-year-old twin boys, and has been an instructor for the Boot Camp program since 1999. Being a dad is the main reason he became involved in the program, he said. Swanson is also the nurse manager for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit at Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke.

Swanson explained that he has had a varied background, from a military stint serving in Desert Storm, to being a certified advanced open water scuba diver and an EMT.

"The title I am most proud of is Dad," he said. "Fathering my children defines me."

Swanson presented a down-to-earth program for the men who soon will step up to the challenge of being a dad. Issues covered during the three-hour session included how to effectively attend to a crying child, the 'shaken baby syndrome,' car seats, pets in the home, child proofing your house, feeding the child and the need to support the head of the newborn.

Swanson added that the questions most often asked run the gamut from purely technical, procedural issues, such as changing the diapers, to the other end of the spectrum of psych issues, such as supporting and caring for the mother, and understanding her needs postpartum.

"The men come to this class nervous, hesitant and unsure of their role and of their capabilities," said Swanson.

That's why Eric Seymour was also an integral part of the program as he helped reassure the men by talking about his family's childbirth experiences. Eric and his wife Dawn are also parents of a daughter, Madeline, age two.

"The veteran Dad normalizes the experience by sharing his story," said Swanson. "The men are able to identify with him. The proof is tangible because he comes with his child. It is a good message from a credible source when they see the man sitting with a new baby in his lap."

Swanson added that the class is "father oriented" so men can talk about their concerns and to be reassured. He also said the class offers time to take an honest look at issues that many men have around the childbirth experience since many issues aren't addressed in other educational offerings.

The next Boot Camp for New Dads program is planned Jan. 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Mercy Medical Center. To register or for more information, call Alice Hodge, R.N., B.S.N., Parenting Education Coordinator, at the Family Life Center for Maternity, (413) 748-7295. Class size is limited and early registration is recommended.