In order for a father to mentally prepare themselves, they need to be involved from the very beginning, during the pregnancy stages. When the baby kicks, have them feel. Have him help make decisions. This will help him prepare himself for the baby's coming and form an attachment to the baby.
In an article about fathers in this process it says that fathers can go through three different phases. The confirming phase in the first trimester where the father will either experience joy or conflict in the coming of a child. The second phase is the moratorium phase where the father becomes adjusted to the reality of the pregnancy during the second trimester. In the third trimester, the father will experience the focusing phase where the father will redefine himself with the idea of becoming a father (Callister, 2003). These stages will come naturally to a mother who's body is changing, accommodating the child, but fathers have no way of feeling different. All they see is their wife getting bigger. It is important for the wife to help her husband through each of these stages.
Elder L. Tom Perry said that the father has three roles in the family, these are to be leaders, teachers, and providers. If a father had a strong attachment with his children, I think the desire to fulfill these roles is greater.
There have been studies that show the importance of fathers in the home. However, I think a father would do no good in the home if he wasn't portraying any of these roles to begin with.
Callister, L. C., Matsumura, G., & Vehvilainnen-Julkunen,
K. (2003). He’s Having a Baby: The Paternal Childbirth Experience. Marriage and Families. Retrieved from http://marriageandfamilies.byu.edu/issues/2003/January/baby.aspx
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