Gay Dad Photo Essays

Pics of the Moment Before and After Gay Men Become Dads

Dig through your phones — what was the last pic taken of you BEFORE you became a dad?

GWK Staff
Sep. 19, 2019

We all have THAT photo: the one taken moments after we become fathers for the first time. For some of us, we're doing "skin to skin" in a delivery room. For others, we're standing proudly alongside our newly adopted child and judge in a courtroom. However or wherever it happens, though, we make sure to snap a picture of it.

But what about that last photo BEFORE you first became a dad? What does that image look like, we wondered? Well, we asked our Instagram community to dig through through phones and find out. Some of us are enjoying a last carefree meal or glass of wine, others of us are captured nervously contemplating our futures. Whatever it is, we've decided these BEFORE pictures are just as meaningful.

Enjoy some of our favorites! Want to play along? Dig through your phones and send us your pics to dads@gayswithkids.com!

Michael's (@mandergramm) last photo before becoming a dad

The first pic of Michael as a proud dad to his daughter through adoption

Brian (@superbrian) snaps an airplane bathroom selfie on his way to meet his daughter for the first time

Adoptive dad Brian holding his daughter for the first time

Dads-to-be Jamie and Kenny (@daddy_papa_twins) relaxing in Santorini

Jamie and Kenny holding their newborn twins born via surrogate

Nick (@onegz) at a museum event for adults - foot loose and fancy free!

New dad Nick holding his daughter for the first time

Elliot and Matthew (@ephemeral.elliot) on route to the hospital 

The new dads lovestruck just moments after welcoming their daughter via surrogacy

Expectant dad Freddie (@str8tennis) enjoying the sunset in St. Kitts and Nevis

Feeding his son for the very first time

The moment when the doctor came into the room and told dad-to-be Michael (@mrmichaelb) "It's time." (Photo captured by his surrogate's husband)

Michael in total disbelief doing skin-to-skin with his baby girl

Joe and Jason (@2_dallas_dads) attend an annual charity event, "Teddy Bear Party" for children's health

The dads hold their twin sons shortly after their birth

Tim (@brisvegasdad) on he and his husband's "babymoon" right before becoming a dad

Tim holding his 10-day-old son, the same day the new family of three flew back to Australia from USA

David (@davidcblacker) awaiting the news of his son being born

Holding his son for the very first time

Ricardo (@ricardo.gattas_sa) enjoying a vacation in Central America, right before becoming a dad through adoption

Ricardo holding his son for the very first time

David (@mr.evanscarlson) and his husband Colin at a Madonna concert, the night before becoming dads through foster care

Evan and his husband's first day as dads to their daughter

Peter (@coopersdaddy) celebrates his husband Brian on his birthday, July 3, 2017

New dads Peter and Brian celebrate their son's BIRTHday on July 21, 2017. "Our look of calm terror is quite something."

Austin (@austindennis) at a charity event for a local children's hospital where his husband works

Austin holding his 3-4 day old adopted son who was born a month premature

Justin and Mo (@daddy_papa_and_me_make3) enjoy the last dudes night out at Michael Jackson's ONE before becoming dads

After 12 hours in the hospital, Mo and Justin were able to meet the "sweetest angel." Here they are doing skin-to-skin right after he was born

Grant (@daddypapaandjasper) and Miguel prepped and ready, moments before becoming dads

Grant and Miguel doing skin-to-skin and seeing their son Jasper for the first time, mere moments after birth

Right before Ben (@papa_to_charlotte) and Aaron welcomed their daughter into this world, the nurse snapped this photo

"Are you ready to meet your parents?" said the nurse said to baby Charlotte as she handed her over to her adoring adoptive dads Ben and Aaron

Petey (@dr.petey) and his husband Tony returning from vacation

Not long after returning, the dads rushed up to Portland to be there for the birth of their daughter via surrogacy

The night before Dominick (@woodwindrow) became a dad, he took his nieces to see The Little Mermaid

The first day Dominick's daughter Emma came home with him and he became her forever dad.

Tyler (fontes_four_pack) and Andrew enjoying their last meal before becoming dads the next day

Holding their twin boys for the very first time

Nick and Shawn (@3men_n_littlelady) attending a friend's wedding the night before their lives changed forever

First photo as dads in their hospital nursery, holding their adopted twins

Joe (@joeaaronreid) on his way to an 80's theme NYE party

Joe doing skin-to-skin with his daughter Daphné with his husband Francois, by their side

Suraj (@suji007) looking thoughtful at a Pokémon event in Las Vegas, wondering when their baby was going to arrive as she was already overdue

Suraj being given water by his husband David during an all-nighter after the birth, whilst feeding his daughter - "she's wondering Daddy's bottle is bigger than hers!"

Matt (@seimatrun) enjoying a mimosa at brunch, unaware that tomorrow he'd become a dad

Matt meeting Atticus for the first time. "I really could have used that mimosa to calm the nerves ;)"

Derek (@mr._derek) heading to his last day of teaching Kindergarten before flying down to be with he and his husband's surrogate

The very first moment holding his son, overcome with emotions, "as usual, LOL!"

Rusty (@rustybakes) and Bryan on their babymoon in Tulum, Mexico

The day after their son was born in June 2017. "We had an amazing surrogate!"

On the day Adam (@gayfamilylife) was about to meet his 3-month-old adopted son for the first time, "I was so nervous how I would feel"

Upon meeting him, Adam's nerves disappeared and it was love at first sight, instantly falling in love. "Most amazing day"

Victor (@victorlarue) and Fabrice at one of their last friends reunion before becoming dads

Photos taken of the proud new dads, thirty minutes after their twins were born

Jordan (@jordanletschert) and husband Robby with their surrogate, right before becoming parents

The new proud dads holding baby Kellan

Dads-in-waiting Clint (@clinthayes86) and Jacob enjoying their last vacation to Honduras during the fall of 2014

First family photo as doting adoptive parents to little Danica, born New Year's Day 2015

Craig and Matt (@matinin78 and @ministerofinterior) with their nieces at Folly Beach just two days before their mom delivered their son

"The moment we met him." Craig doing skin-to-skin with his son for the very first time

Dennis and Jody in 2012, mere months before meeting their son for the very first time

Dennis and Jody as the adoptive loving parents of their newborn born son Sam

Danny (@dvm6031) and husband Justin await the arrival of their twins. The dads-to-be were feeling, "excited, scared, and anxious to what the future might hold!"

The new dads holding their twins for the first time. Still feeling the same emotions, but now with a sense of relief and "pure joy!" Their family was  complete

Adam and Josh (@therealdadsofdallas) about to leave an early family Christmas celebration, completely unaware that they would soon receive a call about a little girl born Christmas Eve...

Baby K about to leave the hospital with her two dads. "Words cannot describe the overwhelming love we felt for her immediately and how excited we were at that very moment to begin the rest of our lives as a family." p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}

Luke and his husband Brad's last photo, celebrating at a friend's wedding, before becoming dads. (Note: their friend Anna in the photo who was visiting from out of town...)

Just two dads later, Luke and Brad got a call to pick up their daughter. Anna, who was still visiting, helped the two during the first few days. "We were shell-shocked - you can see from our faces. We have since adopted her (June 11, 2019) and our son is on deck for adoption in March." Both children came to their dads through foster-adopt.

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