2 Highlights• Prospective fathers experience a wide range of emotions during childbirth • Prospective fathers wish to be recognized as part of a unit with the mother-to-be • Needs of prospective fathers to be given more recognition during childbirth • The midwife is important for prospective fathers both before and during childbirth • Information and support from the midwife positively affect the experience of childbirth 3 AbstractObjective: To identify and describe first-time fathers' experiences of normal childbirth.Design: A qualitative interview study using a thematic analysis for analysing the transcripts.Participants: Purposeful sampling was used. Eight men were interviewed two to six months after experiencing childbirth. Participants were men who had become fathers for the first time.Setting: A county located in the middle of Sweden covering both urban and rural areas. Findings:The analysis resulted in one major theme -a transformative experience -with four sub-themes: preparing for childbirth, feeling vulnerable in a new situation, being confirmed as part of a unit, and meeting their child for the first time. Key conclusions:The findings indicate that the needs of prospective fathers should be given more recognition during childbirth. The findings also show that the midwife is an important person for prospective fathers, both before and during the birth.