I found this article from BabyCenter.com, one of the web sites I frequently visit for tips on parenting and child care. Basically the seven fears listed in the article were:

1. Security fears
2. Performance fears
3. Paternity fears
4. Mortality fears
5. Fear for your spouse’s or child’s health
6. Relationship fears — Quote: “Men often fear that their wife will love the baby more than anyone on earth — and exclude them from that intimate relationship.”
7. Fears of “women’s medicine”

I find that relationship fears are especially true and no less an uncommon occurrence that fathers faced. I personally think that more often than not, the wives may exclude their husbands on purpose from getting close with the babies, as a way of “punishing” the husband.

During the earlier years when I had Eric, I would look at my husband and feel remorse that he can still get away with doing what he had always been doing before we got married, such as going out for badminton games in the evening, or spending time with his friends and cousins during the weekends (even spending the nights there), while I was stuck, always at home having to bear my son’s wailing and having more than the usual house work to do after a tiring day at work. So yeah, there were times when my husband would want to play with our son and I simply stopped him and say, “Stop disturbing him, or he’ll get cranky and I’ll have to deal with him crying again.” The good thing is that I have learned to let go of my bitterness over those time, and accept the fact that things aren’t the same for me as a wife and mother, that there are things that I simply can’t do anymore. It’s a matter of accepting the changes in my life, however frustrating it may be, and focus more on the positive and how I can benefit on what’s good around me.