We often talk about motherhood, and why shouldn't we? There are so many layers to it, but being a parent is not just for mother. The responsibility is equal for a father, if not more. Fatherhood is a deeply personal journey, but being a "girl dad" brings its own unique experiences and lessons. This experience transforms many men in ways they never expected. It makes them understand women more, and takes away the distant they may have built in their lives when it came to understanding women around them. For many fathers, raising daughter opens up a deeper emotional connection and reshapes how they view themselves and the world around them.

Before being a father to a daughter, a man may relate to women in various role - a son to a mother, a brother to a sister, a friend, a spouse or a colleague. While these relationships are meaningful, fatherhood changes the dynamics completely.

For father, the experience of raising a daughter fosters a sense of chivalry and responsibilities. Fathers also live longer when they have daughter, it is because they make safer choices. Numerous studies, including the one published in 2006 titled: Daughters increase longevity of fathers, but daughters and sons equally reduce longevity of mothers, notes of the same phenomena.

They become more aware of the example they set and strive to model kindness, respect, and care in their everyday actions. Others develop a heightened emotional awareness, learning to navigate and support the complex emotional needs of their daughters. From attending tea parties and playing dress-up to engaging in meaningful conversations, the experience reshapes their perception of fatherhood and relationships with women.

If you are new into fatherhood and have a daughter and are looking for a breakdown of what fatherhood should be like for a girl dad, this is how you can support your daughters.

Be Expressive Of Your Love

A father's love is one of the most impactful relationships in a daughter's life and it is essential for the father to express their love openly. The support their daughter needs comes from the love that the father shows, which reflects a safe and secure space. This helps nurture a sense of self-worth and confidence that will shape the daughter's relationship with others.

Confidence Building

Fathers must affirm their daughters daily. Emphasizing their value goes beyond physical appearance. If you are a father to a daughter, recognize her intelligence, creativity and uniqueness. Help your daughter develop a strong self-image.

Encourage Interests and Passions

Supporting daughters in their hobbies and interests strengthens the father-daughter bond. Whether it’s sports, arts, or academics, showing genuine interest in their pursuits helps build confidence and resilience. Even if their choices differ from what a father initially envisioned, embracing and celebrating their passions is key to their development.

Foster Independence

Teach your daughters to be independent and equip them with skills that they need to navigate the world. Encourage them to make decisions while also setting clear boundaries.

Nurture Healthy Relationships

You can become a role model of what healthy relationship and mutual respect looks like. By demonstrating positive interactions, fathers can teach their daughters how to set boundaries and communicate effectively with anyone of opposite gender.

Maternal vaccination with the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy can be effective against severe disease and hospitalization from the SARS-CoV-2 virus in babies, according to a large study.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, revealed that COVID vaccination during pregnancy can protect the children against hospitalization for COVID during the first six months of life.

Also Read: COVID-19 Cicada Variant: Will It Become The Dominant Strain In The US? Know All About The Virus

Amid continuing COVID cases, babies under six months old continue to have one of the highest rates of hospitalization — one in five — due to the COVID virus in the US, as per a 2024 study.

As currently no vaccines against COVID are available for neonates and babies, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends maternal vaccination during pregnancy.

Maternal COVID Vaccination Prevented Other Infections

The retrospective study included 146,031 infants born in Norway between March 2021 and December 2023. Of these, 37, 013 (25 percent) were exposed to COVID-19 vaccination in utero.

The findings showed that babies exposed to the vaccine before birth were no more likely to visit the hospital for overall infections (of any kind) than those whose mothers did not get vaccinated in pregnancy.

However, infants whose mothers were vaccinated were about half as likely to visit the hospital specifically for COVID in their first two months of life compared to babies not exposed to the vaccine in utero.

Also Read: Olivia Munn Opens Up About Detecting No-Symptom Breast Cancer With Lifetime Risk Assessment Test

Among 3 to 5-month-old babies, the risk of a hospital visit for COVID was 24 percent lower in those exposed to the vaccine, but the vaccine's protection against COVID wore off by the time infants were older than 6 months.

Importantly, the mothers' vaccine also prevented the risk of other infections in children.

"There is often an increased risk for a subsequent infection after a viral infection, such as an increased risk of pneumonia after influenza infection, so we wanted to study whether protection against COVID-19 could influence the risk of other infections as well," said lead author Dr. Helena Niemi Eide, from the University of Oslo in Norway, the NPR reported.

"But we found that COVID vaccination in pregnancy protected the infant against COVID and had no apparent effect on other infections," Eide added.

Maternal Vaccine Recommendation in the US

Last week, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reiterated its recommendation for COVID vaccination during pregnancy.

Despite changes in federal vaccine recommendations due to the US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine stance, the ACOG urged COVID vaccination for

• people who are pregnant,
• recently pregnant,
• considering pregnancy,
• lactating.

Also read: Bipolar Disorder: How Early Detection Can Help Prevent Serious Complications

"Accumulated safety data from millions of administered doses show no increased risk of adverse maternal, fetal, or neonatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy,” the ACOG said.