I Wanted to Be a Different Kind of Dad

Becoming a dad can bring up a surprising thought:

“What if I become my father?”

Dr. Becky talks with writer Aymann Ismail about the emotional reality of early fatherhood — the parts men are rarely encouraged to say out loud. Aymann opens up about wanting to be a different kind of dad than the one he grew up with, the panic and shame he felt during those first exhausting weeks with a newborn, and how quickly parenthood forced him to confront old patterns, identity shifts, and fears he didn’t expect.

Together, they explore partnership strain, emotional inheritance, and the complicated grief of losing parts of your old life while trying to build a new one.

Aymann Ismail is a staff writer at Slate and the author of Becoming Baba.

Dr. Becky put together a list of resources for non-birthing parents who want to feel helpful in the days and weeks following baby's arrival. You can read those on the Good Inside blog.

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Looking for more support navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and life with a new baby? Good Inside Baby gives you practical tools, scripts, and expert guidance for the moments that can feel most overwhelming in early parenthood.

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