Marquise Dogan is not sure what will happen before his first child arrives in September last year. But he knew he wanted to prepare for his father as much as possible.

A few weeks before his daughter Mylan was born, Dorgan called the city to find resources for his new parents.He was directed to a website There he discovered DadLab, a support group designed to help the new father thrive in one of the biggest changes in his life.

Facts have proved that the group provided by the Einstein Healthcare Network is invaluable to Dorgen. Every Thursday, the new dads gather to discuss everything from how to soothe a crying baby to how to communicate effectively with their mutual parents.

Dogan, a 23-year-old from Philadelphia, said: “We are all there to help each other, support each other, and help each other guide each other through their new life as parents.” “This is definitely a diverse group. We have a purpose. That is to be a better parent.”

Dad Lab Founded a few years ago by psychologist Jay Cherney, he has spent decades running a clinical practice focused on family relations. Before moving to Einstein about two years ago, he initially ran DadLab at Abingdon Hospital. He tried to create a safe space for new fathers to discuss their fears of parenthood and the challenges they faced.

“The transition to the father is actually another level of adulthood. This is a level of maturity,” Cerny said. “Dads can learn a lot about themselves and learn to be patient. I think the biggest core difference between being an adult and being a dad is no longer just about you. The first priority is this baby. This is a huge change in identity. , Actually.”

Although the new mother has many resources, the father does not have that many resources. Cherny said, however, research points out that the existence of a stable father can bring huge benefits. Fathers play an important role in helping children’s social and language development, promoting academic success, and reducing the possibility of addiction.

DadLab is open to prospective fathers, new fathers and their partners until their children reach 2 years old. The image of father is also welcome. Anyone who meets these standards can use it for free-even if they don’t receive medical services in Einstein. And encourage parents to take their children.

• How to join
• Dad Lab The support group meets at 6 pm every Thursday and is open to prospective fathers, new fathers and their partners, and father figures.
• Parents who are interested in joining can sign up Here.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, DadLab met at the Einstein Medical Center in North Philadelphia. Cherney hopes to restore some form of face-to-face presence in the future, but the group continues to meet through Zoom.

Every week, Cherney and co-coordinator Clarence Iszard will introduce a topic for discussion. It may involve child development, the importance of self-care, or the physical and emotional needs of being a parent. For the next hour, they asked their parents to share their experiences.

“It’s called DadLab because I see parenting as a series of experiments throughout my life,” Cherney said. “You try different things. There are many very good ways to be a parent, many styles, many methods. In a group, people tell stories about what they are doing and how they work hard to learn how to be a parent. By listening to others who are experiencing similar People who are challenged and happy, people will gradually understand what is best for them to be parents. This is really a peer learning community.”

Iszard said that many new fathers who benefited from the program did not expect to become parents so soon. The pregnancy was unplanned and they were not prepared. Many people do not live with their children’s mothers and must learn to raise them together.

DadLab counselors emphasized that new parents have the opportunity to pass on the wealth of generations-the knowledge they have acquired, their family history, and the things their children did when they were toddlers. Iszard said that this gives the children a sense of foundation and connection.

Courtesy/Marquise Dogan

Marquise Dogan started attending DadLab a few weeks before his daughter Mylan was born in September 2020. He found that the support group was a safe space to discuss parenting challenges.

“Look at some of our fathers and their children-if you only look at their faces and children’s faces, you will find that there is a connection between them,” a health educator who has worked for Einstein for 20 years Iszard said. “I’m not saying that connectivity wouldn’t happen without us, but we want to believe that we will play a role in it.”

For Dogan, DadLab provided a place for him to easily open up and talk about his role as a new father. He attended almost every meeting, as did Mylan’s mother. He said that the encouragement and advice he received strengthened Dogan’s confidence as a parent.

“Every time I go, I can say what I think, my thoughts,” Dorgan said. “I am also able to speak as a father in this group and get father and mother opinions on what I have been doing and what I have been trying to accomplish with our daughter. And how I have tried to raise her up. This is just encouragement. And comfort.”

About 10 months have passed since Dogan started DadLab. During that time, he watched Mylan grow into a 9-month-old child, eager to crawl and try to form words.

“I actually recorded a video-she said’dad’ when I was recording,” Dorgan said. “Just before Father’s Day. That is a blessing.”