A free text message service is being rolled out for the Murrumbidgee's new and expectant fathers.
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The 'Focus on New Fathers' trial, which is being run in four local health districts across NSW, sends "down to earth" health advice and other information to participants via SMS.
Riverina farmer Nick Atkinson signed up for the program and has been receiving the text messages for about six months.
He and his wife recently welcomed their first baby Henry into the world.
"My friend who's training to be a midwife signed me up ... a month or two before [Henry] was born," Mr Atkinson said.
"I'm not one to read books or listen to podcasts too much about parenthood, but just getting a text message at any time of the day that's only one or two sentences long, it's pretty direct and very easy to follow.
"It's a really good way of getting information because I probably wouldn't go out and find it myself."
Mr Atkinson said the experience of being a new parent was "life changing, very different and very hard to prepare for".
"You've got friends and you've got other people but you never really know until you've got one yourself and experience it all," he said.
"Ultimately I didn't really know what to expect, so everything is new to me."
Murrumbidgee Local Health District program coordinator Melissa Smead said co-parents who signed up for the pilot program would receive three text messages each week.
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"I think the father wants to be included in what's happening in the before birth and after birth process," Mrs Smead said.
"This SMS program is a great alternative so they can receive information via their phone."
The 'Focus on Fathers' pilot program is being run by the University of Newcastle in partnership with NSW Health and support service SMS4dads.
Men living in the MLHD can sign up if they are over the age of 18 and their partner is at least 16 weeks pregnant or their baby is younger than 24 weeks.
They need to have a mobile phone capable of receiving and sending text messages.
Anyone interested in signing up for the service should visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public/Pages/focus-on-fathers.aspx for more information.
Catie McLeod
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
