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Prince William admits men can feel 'left out' after the birth of their child

William meets new fathers and fathers-to-be at the Future Dads group [Photo: PA]
William meets new fathers and fathers-to-be at the Future Dads group [Photo: PA]

The Duke of Cambridge has spoken about the fears he had before he became a father for the first time in 2013 and how men can feel ‘left out’ following the birth of their child.

William, 36, joined a session run by the charity Future Men, which aims to prepare adults for fatherhood, as he discussed fathers’ mental health on Thursday.

The dad-of-three spoke candidly about how “guys can feel left out sometimes” after the birth of their children.

He also told the new fathers to expect “sleepless nights.”

He said: “Once the lack of sleep starts setting in, the stress levels go up.

“From a young age you’re taught to have a vision, have a plan, have a career and all of a sudden babies come along and you have to start thinking about a lot more.

“I think ladies are a lot more giving, a lot more generous but guys, to make a success of whatever we’re going to do, we get into a rhythm.

“It’s such a change, your whole life goes one way and suddenly you’re told to stop in your tracks.”

William observes a nappy-changing session [Photo: PA]
William observes a nappy-changing session [Photo: PA]

He was shown a nappy-changing tutorial when he joked about his personal troubles getting to grips with the process.

The duke, who is father to Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and nine-month-old Prince Louis, revealed his worries about first time parenthood.

He told the group: “It’s very daunting how tiny they are when they first arrive.

“They are so fragile, tiny little fingers and toes. You do feel like if you move them around too much they are going to break but they don’t.

“Wait until they’re nine months, and they’ll be off.”

Kate and William with their children George, Charlotte and baby Louis at Louis’ christening last July [Photo: PA]
Kate and William with their children George, Charlotte and baby Louis at Louis’ christening last July [Photo: PA]

The ‘Future Dads’ programme runs in locations across London and aims to build stronger families by providing practical guidance, advice and support, especially for young and hard to reach fathers, and to develop their confidence in their role as dads.

Paul McDaniel, 53, who is a coordinator for the scheme, said: “We spoke about the practical skills of looking after a baby so being able to do those confidently but competently.

“He spoke quite a lot about his personal experiences of raising his children, so that was really positive to hear and also providing some tips to the dads.

“He told them to be more aware of their feelings and that new dads can struggle with the basics of fatherhood.”

William’s comments come after his wife Kate addressed the struggles of motherhood, admitting how naive she was as a parent, at the Mental Health in Education conference on Wednesday.

William speaks to Dean Hamilton (right) and Paul Richardson during a visit to Pall Mall Barbers [Photo: PA]
William speaks to Dean Hamilton (right) and Paul Richardson during a visit to Pall Mall Barbers [Photo: PA]

Earlier in the day, the duke also visited Pall Mall Barbers, who are members of the Lions Barber Collective.

The collective is an international group of top barbers who have come together to raise awareness for the prevention of suicide.

They provide training for barbers to recognise the signs of depression and mental health issues, listen to clients and advise them on the best places to go for support.

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