A Glenrothes dad is campaigning for better UK paternity leave following the premature birth of his son.
Ryan Connolly and wife Claire welcomed baby Lewis in April last year.
He was almost four weeks early and there were complications which saw Claire need emergency surgery.
She remained in hospital for several days.
Yet, despite the seriousness of the situation, Ryan was only entitled to two weeks leave from his job as an IT project co-ordinator.
The 30-year-old said: “In one of the most important and vulnerable moments of our lives, I don’t think it’s too much to ask that families are given the time and support to actually be a family.”
According to MPs, the UK’s paternity leave system is among the worst in the developed world.
However, Ryan is supporting the Dad Shift campaign, which aims to change that.
He has now spoken of Lewis’s traumatic birth, and the days following, as part of that campaign.
Blood loss and emergency surgery
Ryan said: “Lewis arrived unexpectedly early—at 36 weeks and 3 days.
“He was born a petite, albeit healthy, 5lb 10oz with a big cry and passed all his checks.
“But Claire’s placenta didn’t detach as it should have.
“After several failed attempts to remove it, she had to undergo emergency surgery.
“I was left, quite literally, holding the baby while she was taken to theatre.
“Although the operation went well, Claire suffered significant blood loss and needed a transfusion.
“She later had to have a second procedure before the bleeding was finally brought under control.”
The new dad added: “I’ll never forget sitting there holding our day-old son, watching monitors as his mum’s blood pressure dropped and her skin turned grey from blood loss.”
Days of Glenrothes dad’s paternity leave passed in hospital
Claire, 31, spent three full days in hospital with Ryan and Lewis at her side.
Meanwhile, at night Ryan would go home and try to ready the house for their new baby.
“The whole time, I was painfully aware I was already on day three of my two-week paternity leave,” the Glenrothes dad said.
“We hadn’t even made it home yet to adjust, to heal, to simply be together – and I can’t help but think how many other dads are in the same position?”
Eight European countries, including France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands, offer a minimum of four weeks paternity leave.
And Glenrothes and Mid Fife MP Richard Baker has joined forces with Ryan and other local dads to push for improvement.
Dads should not have to choose
The Labour MP said: “Dads shouldn’t have to choose between being present for their newborn and keeping their household afloat.
“Even taking those two weeks off comes at a financial cost.”
According to a recent survey by Dad Shift, 70% of 1,911 respondents said they did not feel psychologically ready to return to work when they did.
An additional survey saw 86% of 1,565 respondents say current paternity leave limitations also negatively affected their partner’s health and wellbeing.
The UK Government says it is carrying out a review to see how it can best support working families.
Conversation