(01 of31)
Open Image Modal"I was told to wait in the hallway when my wife was brought in for an emergency cesarean. Four minutes later, I was called in and they handed me our beautiful baby girl. I fell in love with her the minute I saw her and wouldn't trade her for the world!" (credit:Mike Sapian)
(02 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband held our son for the first time and said, 'Hi I'm your dad. I don't have all the answers your mom does. Just know I love you. I will always love you.'" (credit:Lindsey E. Althaus)
(03 of31)
Open Image Modal"I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have such an angel. My boy is my superman and my buddy." (credit:Simran Singh)
(04 of31)
Open Image Modal"The doctor who delivered my wife's daughter had to give me step-by-step instructions on what to do and where to go (he literally told me to give him my phone so he could take pictures!)." (credit:Andrew Coffill)
(05 of31)
Open Image Modal"The doctors took this photo of my fiancé holding our son for the first time (don't mind me in the background!). My fiancé is adopted and has never tracked down his birth parents, so he was very emotional at meeting his first blood relative." (credit:Jennifer Guldenzopf)
(06 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband, Jeff Fisher says that because he was told that he was infertile for twenty years before our daughter came along that he was thinking, 'This little girl is an absolute miracle and I hope that I have what it takes to be the dad she needs.'" (credit:Logan Fisher)
(07 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband at the hospital with our two girls. He was so happy. Unfortunately we lost him four months after this moment." (credit:Chandra Sly)
(08 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband holding our third child right after we had him. He immediately became overwhelmed with joy and love, like he did with our first two. I feel very blessed to have him as the father of my children." (credit:Elisa Campos Hopkins)
(09 of31)
Open Image Modal"I got out of the shower after giving birth and found my husband holding our brand new baby girl skin-to-skin and singing Cat Stevens." (credit:Lia Griffith)
(10 of31)
Open Image Modal"The greatest day of my life: The birth of Abrianna. I can't even put into words how I felt or how I feel still to this day. The day my whole life changed." (credit:Pablo Can'tu)
(11 of31)
Open Image Modal"I'm not sure what to do with my hands?" (credit:Caitlin Dodd)
(12 of31)
Open Image Modal"I was 21, she was 19. We were newlyweds, we were brand new to the Air Force, it was our first time living on our own and we were 2,000 miles away from home with no family. We were both scared and super excited. That day was one of the greatest days of my life." (credit:Gil El-Gato Hernandez)
(13 of31)
Open Image Modal"Never get tired of looking at this picture my friend took of my husband and son. Such a perfect moment!" (credit:Sarah Woodbury)
(14 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband holding our son. He said at that exact moment, his thought was 'This. This right here is what I've always wanted.'" (credit:Lindsey Deming)
(15 of31)
Open Image Modal"Meeting his firstborn son." (credit:Liz Knabe)
(16 of31)
Open Image Modal"This is real. I am now responsible for this little life." (credit:Jessica Jeanis Marshall)
(17 of31)
Open Image Modal"He falls more in love with her every day." (credit:Danina Avery)
(18 of31)
Open Image Modal"I couldn't believe we had really made something so beautiful. That she was amazing and perfect and that I was in love. I couldn't believe I was really someone's dad. And I couldn't believe I wasn't scared to hold her like I thought I would be.'" (credit:Katie Fields)
(19 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband Cory said he felt tiny in the universe in this photo. This is him with our first daughter, Beatrix." (credit:Angela Taylor Harris)
(20 of31)
Open Image Modal"I immediately felt different. Like I wasn't living for me anymore. I was third now. Fourth, actually if you include my dog. When the Dr. was done doing whatever it is she was doing, she said, 'Everything looks good. You can take him to mom now.' Only problem was, I had never held a baby before. 'How do I, um, grab him?' I asked. She showed me how to scoop him up and I carried him over to my wife, or 'mom' as she was now referred to, when our doula snapped this picture. I put him on mom's chest and said the only words appropriate for the situation: "I am your father." His name being Luke and me being a huge Star Wars fan, it just seemed appropriate." (credit:Chris Perillo)
(21 of31)
Open Image Modal"He was scared for me (c-sections can look quite violent) but he saw her tiny face and she hushed right down in his arms. Love at first sight." (credit:Steffany Hosmer)
(22 of31)
Open Image Modal"My fiance and baby boy. He loved hearing his daddy's voice before he was even born, and when he said 'hi,' he knew exactly who it was. Still loves listening to his dad." (credit:Alexis Carver)
(23 of31)
Open Image Modal"She was in the NICU and he was the first to hold her. I was still recovering from an emergency c-section. I actually didn't get to hold her until 22 hours after she was born. He told me his first thoughts were 'Omg, Omg, Omg.' Then he fell in love. She is our whole world." (credit:Jennifer Ralston Baldwin)
(24 of31)
Open Image Modal"First thought: Holy crap things just got real and I have no idea what I'm doing." (credit:Michael Marcinko)
(25 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband was stationed in Illinois and they were sending him photos of our son as he was born and he was crying in the airport, overwhelmed that he was now a father. He didn't arrive till six hours after baby's birth, but this photo is the best one of them meeting." (credit:Crystal Scott Tenorio)
(26 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband after our son was placed in his arms. His first thoughts: 'thank goodness he's clean and his head is perfectly round.'" (credit:Kristina Gargano)
(27 of31)
Open Image Modal"My husband, Jamie, holding our daughter Mackenzie for the first time." (credit:Emily Bond Cox)
(28 of31)
Open Image Modal"Sheer joy. Life does not get sweeter than this." (credit:Vicki Duthie Stone)
(29 of31)
Open Image Modal"My boyfriend wasn't able to hold our daughter for almost a month. His first time was Father's Day last year he said it was the greatest gift he ever had gotten. The entire 124 days she was in the NICU we held her every moment we could." (credit:Rachel Beranich)
(30 of31)
Open Image Modal"Falling in love." (credit:Gabrielle Rystedt)
(31 of31)
Open Image Modal"Daddy holding his son for the first time." (credit:Cassie Botka)