The purpose of this thesis was to study how fathers’ drinking habits have been taken up in discussions in maternity and child health clinics and how the fathers have experienced the alcohol use -related guidance.

The research was qualitative and the material was analysed using content analysis. The informants were three fathers with 1.5 months to 1.5 -year- old children. The research material was gathered by an open interview.

According to the results, fathers’ alcohol usage was enquired by the public health nurse with a questionnaire. The questionnaire was then looked through during the first visit in the maternity clinic. If the alcohol usage was moderate, the subject wasn’t particularly raised. The matter wasn’t later brought up again.

The outcome of the research was that the fathers considered the guidance valuable from the perspective of the newborn. The birth of the first child was seen to be a good time to think about ones drinking habits. The maternity clinic was considered a natural place for the alcohol use –related guidance. According to the fathers, the matter wasn’t paid enough attention to.

The results of this thesis can be utilised in practise in the maternity and child health clinics, which work with fathers is continuously developed. The fathers are willing to discuss their drinking. The role of the public health nurse is also considered important in the preventative work.