New research has found that quality time with a newborn can help new dads get their parenting groove on – and paternity leave can be crucial to “building the fathering brain”. The benefits can go beyond father-baby bonding and the baby’s development – it can also strengthen the relationship between parents. And in recent times, more has been said about what it can do to promote gender equality… As the Harvard researchers said, “we need to not just focus on women’s participation in the professional world – we need to encourage more men to participate in the caregiving world.” Here in Australia, partners (including same-sex partners) can take up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave and up to 2 weeks of paid leave.