Paternal bond 1055085 225552249 2008-07-14T07:45:04Z Cgingold 2013997 Removed category "Parenting"; Quick-adding category "Fatherhood" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]]) {{Refimprove|date=August 2007}} The '''paternal bond''' is typically the [[personal relationship|relationship]] between a [[father]] and his child.<ref>Early Childhood Longitudinal Study 2006. "Measuring Father Involvement in Young Children's Lives." National Center for Education Statistics. ''Fathers of U.S. children born in 2001''.</ref> In the U.S., legal [[paternity]] is presumed for the husband of the mother unless a separate action is taken; an unmarried man may establish paternity by signing a voluntary recognition of paternity or by taking court action.<ref>U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement. "Handbook on Child Support Enforcement." (Washington, DC: Author) [http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse]</ref> Paternity may also be established between a man and a younger person, commonly in [[adoption]], without the two being related to each other. ==Fatherhood== The father of a child can develop the bond during the [[pregnancy]] of his [[significant other|partner]], feeling [[attachment]] to the developing child. Research indicates that this may have some biological basis.<ref>Linda F. Palmer. "Bonding Matters: The Chemistry of Attachment." Attachment Parenting International News: Vol. 5, No. 2, 2002.</ref> Statistics show that fathers' levels of [[testosterone]] tend to decline several months before the birth of the child (due, perhaps, to an inverse [[pheromone|pheromonal]] chemical produced by the mother during pregnancy). Since high testosterone levels seem to encourage more aggressive behaviour, low levels may enhance the ability to develop a new relationship bond (for example, with the child).<ref>Douglas Carlton Abrams, "The Making of a Modern Dad." Psychology Today, Mar/Apr 2002.</ref> Fathers find many ways to bond with their children, such as soothing, consoling, feeding (expressed [[breast milk]], [[infant formula]] or [[baby food]]), changing diapers, bathing, dressing, playing, and cuddling. [[Babywearing|Carrying the infant]] in a sling or backpack or pushing them in a [[baby transport]] can build the bond, as can participating in the baby's bedtime routine. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==See also== *[[Responsible Fatherhood]] *[[Fathers' rights]] *[[Human bonding]] *[[Maternal bond]] *[[Parental leave]] [[Category:Paternity]] [[Category:Fatherhood]] {{socio-stub}}