In this center, fathers also become ‘pregnant’.

In Adana, at the Çukurova Healthy Life Center, fathers are attending the Pregnancy Information Class alongside mothers, wearing “pregnancy suits” to understand their partners better, and following commands such as bending and standing up.

The Çukurova Healthy Life Center, opened by the Ministry of Health in 2017 in the Yurt neighborhood of the Çukurova district, employs specialists from various fields. Individuals who apply to the center are referred to relevant outpatient clinics after comprehensive assessments and tests. In the ‘Pregnancy Information Class’ at the center, pregnant women receive 9 hours of training. During the training, expectant mothers are encouraged for normal delivery and are provided with information on pre-delivery, delivery, and post-delivery topics. Additionally, expectant fathers are dressed in pregnancy suits and given commands such as bending, standing up, sitting, and tying shoes to help them understand their partners.

“Our training does not end after delivery”

The Midwife responsible for the Pregnancy Information Class at the Çukurova Healthy Life Center, Midwife Türkan Şeker, spoke to İhlas News Agency. Şeker stated, “Our training consists of 3 sessions. Each pregnant woman receives 9 hours of training in 3-hour sessions. We give participation certificates to those who complete this training, and it remains a nice memory for them. After the training, we call the pregnant women, and they can request support from us after delivery. In the future, we continue our trainings on transitioning to solid food and weaning for our clients.”

“Participation as a couple is important”

Midwife Şeker explained that they recommend expectant mothers to attend the training together with their partners, saying, “This way, they have a healthier process. We ensure that they have a healthy start here. We dress the fathers in a costume made of a sandbag so they can empathize with their partner’s difficulties during pregnancy. We ask them to tie their shoes. We also explain to fathers what they need to do during the delivery process.”

“I got pregnant through IVF and had a normal delivery”

Meltem Kayagil, who became pregnant through IVF and had a normal delivery after receiving training at the center, said, “I wanted to get informed after becoming pregnant. I thought I could only have a cesarean delivery because I got pregnant through IVF, but I learned through the training that I could have a normal delivery. I had a normal delivery and didn’t experience any problems. I easily adapted to life right after birth and breastfed my baby. I’m glad I had a normal delivery. The training I received here had a significant impact.” Another mother named Masal Özgümüş, who had a normal delivery after receiving training at the center, said that it is a wonderful implementation for such a service to be free and accessible to everyone.