Gretta and Sam just had their first child. Gretta is excited and talkative about her birth experience and wants to keep her baby with her constantly. She tells you his name is Joseph and they will call him "Joey" for short. Gretta is breast-feeding and is attentive to Joey’s needs. You observe that Sam does not initiate contact with the baby but when Gretta insists that he hold Joey, he picks him up slowly and awkwardly and stares at his face for a long period of time. When Joey cries, he immediately returns him to Gretta’s arms. (Learning Objective 4)
A. Based on your observations of Sam’s interactions with Joey, relate where Sam is developmentally in the process of paternal attachment and bonding.
B. What nursing interventions could you implement that would assist Sam in the transition to fatherhood?