Introduction
The birth of a child in a family is usually a happy event and a joyous occasion for the parents who may have wanted to have a child for a while. The joyous occasion can, however, also have its challenges as the parents wake up to their new responsibilities and start planning for the future. For the father, it is a time of looking after the mother who has just given birth and also the child who may cry, weep, keep the parents awake at nights, suffer from ailments etc. The whole future of the family and matters of financial security and planning for the future will come to the forefront with the birth of the child and the father will be reflecting on these additional challenges (4women.gov, 2002).
For the mother it will also be a joyous occasion and life with the child can also be thrilling but she will also realize that a new chapter in her life has opened up and she too has to loose the careless and joyous life of her youth and become committed to the care and bringing up of the child. Additionally, she will be tired from her labor and the physical changes that the birth will have brought along. In the present day and age, it also has to be mentioned with regret that some mothers will be single mothers and for them the birth of a child can bring about huge responsibilities and challenges. Some women my also not be lucky enough to give birth in a normal and supportive situation with the usual supporting role of their immediate and extended family. There can also be problems related to the birth of a child such as complications or birth as a result of surgical procedures instead of the normal birth (E-medicine, 2004).....
