From utter joy and love, to frustration and anxiety – becoming a new father can bring forth a range of emotions. Having a baby is possibly one of the biggest life decisions and changes one goes through. No matter how much you prepare for it, it’s sure to take you by surprise.

Your identity, sleep schedule, sex life, and social life may undergo several changes when the baby arrives. Yet, there’s unmeasurable joy that creeps into your life too.

On this Father’s Day, we’ll walk you through some of the common ones that many across the globe have talked about feeling. 

1. The Pride and Joy of Becoming a New Dad 

The arrival of the newborn is marked with joy and celebration in most cases. The baby seems tiny, fragile and sometimes helpless. You’d feel like spending all your time around them and providing them with affection and care. Helping out with caring for the newborn is also likely to help dads bond with the baby, and also connect with their partners better. 

Also read: 8 Celebrities Who Will Celebrate Their First Father's Day This Year

2. Whole New Role, Whole New Responsibilities

Fatherhood brings on a whole different role for you at home, with a set of new responsibilities. You’ll have to brave ungodly hours when the newborn cries in the middle of the night. You’ll have to get used to changing stinky diapers, cleaning up, and trying to soothe the baby. You’ll also have to help your partner out, in not only childcare duties, but also for taking care of her own health. The new role brings forth a new identity, and sometimes, a whole new purpose to live for too. 

3. Fatigue from Juggling Home and Work

Meeting work deadlines, managing endless calls and trying to manage work as a new dad can be very hectic. It may seem like too many aspects of life is demanding too much for you, and 24 hours don’t seem enough to do it all. Limiting what you’re aiming for at work in this phase may help you juggle both ends better. In this phase, prioritizing parenting duties will help you connect with the baby better too. 

4. Feeling Powerless With An Overhaul of All Aspects of Life

The arrival of the baby means your parenting duties suddenly overshadow all aspects of life. You’re likely to see your friends lesser, have lesser night outs, and it may seem like your social life has gone for a toss. Feeling powerless in these new circumstances is a common phenomenon. Hiring some help externally to help with chores at home, or look after the baby for a few hours while you get some relaxation in can help with these feelings. There will be a loss of independence, but you’ll find a balance again soon. 

5. Tired of Being Tired

Newborns sleep a lot, but with breaks in between, which means continuos deep sleep will seem unlikely for the first few months. Added to this, chores, work and other tasks will likely leave you much more tired than you used to be earlier. However, as your baby starts experiencing their “firsts”, all of the tiredness will begin to fade.