For Father's Day, we collected dads' first photos with their newborns accompanied by quotes of how each of them felt at the time. "Happy," "excited" and "nervous" were common themes among the fifty-three lovely responses.


Dads didn't tell us that having a child made them feel ... hot. But a new study says that is what most new dads feel right after their baby is born.


Researchers collected data from 182 couples at three milestones -- the beginning of their marriages, their one year anniversaries and again at their second. Forty-eight of the couples became parents after two years of marriage.


Moms and dads were asked to rate their own attractiveness on a scale of 1 (very ugly) to 100 (perfect beauty or ultimate handsomeness) and also to give themselves a score between 1 and 5 to indicate how they perceive themselves on a continuum.


Men without children scored themselves similarly at each point of the study. But men who had become fathers ranked themselves more attractive than they did before their wives had given birth.


The dads' newfound confidence was only temporary though. Their perceptions of their attractiveness generally dropped by the next year.


In comparison, women who became moms during the study period felt less attractive than before they gave birth. (We're working on those pesky self-confidence issues over here.)


The researchers speculated as to why new babies make dads feel good about their appearance while the opposite is true for moms. "There may be actual physical changes in the body that negatively affect how a person feels about his or her physical attractiveness; this may be especially true for women," the study concludes.


Lead author Alicia Cast, associate professor the University of California-Santa Barbara explained to the Calgary Herald:


“I was talking about this paper with my husband and he commented on the attention he got when he was seen in public holding our son after he was born. Like, ‘Aren’t you a good dad,’ ‘Look at that new dad with his baby,’ ... Women get that feedback, too, because everybody loves a new baby. But that (benefit) may be countered by other things she’s experiencing that he’s not, in terms of how her body has changed and being more physically tired.”


Of course, Jezebel's Tracy Moore offered a more obvious suggestion. "Why do men feel more attractive after childbirth? Uh, maybe because they don't actually have to give birth?" she wrote.




Related on HuffPost:






  • Pete & Eva


    "What was I thinking at this moment? Everything from the super emotional 'I'll stand in front of a speeding train for you yet I only just met you' to the pragmatic 'So this is what a combination of me and my wife looks like.' I felt more pure happiness than I can describe."




  • Simon & Gwyneth


    "Gwyneth's due date was 9/11/01. Thankfully, she waited another six days until she made her appearance in the world. She'd had to be resuscitated due to the cord being wrapped around her neck, so at this point we were just thrilled and ready for a nap."




  • Damon & Sebastian


    "What is this thing and why do I love it so much?!"




  • Scott & Zadie


    "I'm gonna eat you up."




  • Steve & Lydia


    "She's a redhead! She's a redhead!"




  • Peter & Leo


    "This was the first nap I had with our boy, Leo, after we got him home from the hospital. I was thinking how delighted I was that he was here, in our lives; that my wife was safe and healthy, and that our baby was so lovely and sweet and perfect, and that maybe neither one of would ever sleep again, so better grab it while it was available."




  • Ron & Emmy


    "To preface, I am a nervous wreck most of the time so I was totally 'freaked out' about the baby. But the first time I held Emmy, the first time she opened her eyes and gave me the once-over, the first time she grabbed my finger as if to say 'hey, Daddy,' all that worrying and freaking out ... it's all so worth it. Five and a half years later, the worrying never ends but is far surpassed by the fun, the joy, the pride, the unconditional love (well, at least most of the time)."




  • Ron & Zoe


    "Since the day my oldest daughter was born, I had been totally obsessed with her. So much so, that I worried I could never love another child as much as her. And then Zoe was born; she gave me that same initial stare; and then that first smile (maybe it was gas?); and we bonded in an instant. A friend once described to me that it's as if your heart just opens up to make room for another. And that is a pretty good description. Now I am obsessed times two (and still in a constant state of worry)."




  • Joel & Peyton, Joel & Logan


    "I'm going to give this kid the best life ... Don't think this coffee is going to be strong enough ... Never thought I could love someone this much."




  • Jamie & Nicholas, Natalie, Noelle and Nicole


    #1: Nicholas. "Holy sh**."<br>
    #2: Natalie. "Wait a second, I've been here before."<br>
    #3: Noelle. "I think I got this down."<br>
    #4: Nicole. "I'm a pro."<br>




  • Mickey & Ella


    "When I first met my daughter, I was overwhelmed with happiness. Usually love is an emotion that takes time to develop and grow, but when I laid my eyes on Ella for the first time, I was hooked immediately. I knew life would never be the same, in the best of ways."




  • Steve & Sam


    "I really don't remember what I was thinking in that moment only vividly what I was feeling ... complete joy."




  • Jeffrey & Logan


    "Wow, I'm a dad. Too bad he looks so much like me; hope he grows out of it. I can't wait to take him to his first Texas Longhorn football game in a few months!"




  • Larry & Carlos


    I had left my wife and my first child, Carlos Miles, at the hospital and was wandering home. I was in a daze, a swirl of emotions. Suddenly a thought occurred to me: "I am man. I make son." For a moment, I was in the grip of something primal. It was heavy: as though I was experiencing something that men of all cultures and all epochs had experienced: I created a son. I felt like a caveman --dumb and in awe. Ok, it was silly and slightly overwrought, but the feeling was undeniable. Now my son is 8, and I still sometimes feel the same way.




  • Ezra and pop!


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/digamama"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/1551856.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/digamama">digamama</a>:<br />This is the very first picture I have of my son and pop. Three years later, they still cuddle in like this.




  • Eric and Violet


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/thekaogirl"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/thekaogirl">thekaogirl</a>:<br />Sheer amazement and unconditional love. I remember thinking that she was the most beautiful person I've ever seen. And then I thought of my wife, Erika, and I was in total astonishment.




  • Adam & Evan


    "You run through a flood of emotions when you see your child for the first time. It's a surreal feeling knowing that you've created a life."




  • Daddy Joe and Baby Will


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Melissa_Mulvaney"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1359294293/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Melissa_Mulvaney">Melissa Mulvaney</a>:<br />No words. Just amazing love.




  • Kaya Hannah and Kingsley


    "My pride and joy. I was speechless, basically and in awe."




  • Adam & Lily


    "Ten toes- thank goodness!"




  • Sammy and Samantha


    "My life just started."




  • Daddy and little Layla


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Miriam_Alkazzaz"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1384823621/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Miriam_Alkazzaz">Miriam Alkazzaz</a>:<br />I cherish the photos I have with my late husband and our twins. I am blessed that he was alive to see the birth of our twins. We miss you Daddy!




  • Daddy and Little Jennah


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Miriam_Alkazzaz"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1384823621/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Miriam_Alkazzaz">Miriam Alkazzaz</a>:<br />Happy Father's Day Daddy! RIP We miss you. We know you are watching your twin girls up in heaven!




  • Jason & Ava Marie


    "It was love at first sight!"




  • Nap time in the hospital


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Angela_Reynolds"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/685755820/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Angela_Reynolds">Angela Reynolds</a>:<br />First thought was that I loved him so much and I couldn't wait to take him to a Red Wings game!




  • Bonding in the man cave


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/la_renard"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/2317680.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/la_renard">la renard</a>:<br />To free up Mom on weekends, we retreat to the man cave together.




  • All I will be thinking about this weekend...


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/hp_blogger_Charlie Capen"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/contributors/charlie-capen/headshot.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/hp_blogger_Charlie Capen">HuffPost Blogger Charlie Capen</a>:<br />"I wonder if I could keep my hand here on his head, like a helmet, for the rest of his life." -charlie, howtobeadad.com




  • Dan & Lizzie


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Katybeth_McClelland"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/google_profile_img/3432643.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Katybeth_McClelland">Katybeth McClelland</a>:<br />Lizzie is about to celebrate her birthday, right after her Daddy celebrates his first Father's Day. We love you Daddy!!




  • Justin & Jax


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/shoelvr32"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/shoelvr32">shoelvr32</a>:<br />submitted by Mommy: I remember my hubby's first thought seeing our girl 2 years ago "Wow she's really here" She slept on Daddy's chest nearly every night from the hospital until she was 2 months old




  • Matthew & Papa


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/keiffer30"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/keiffer30">keiffer30</a>:<br />Our first child Matthew was born in fall of 2007 & my wife & I were so excited. I am a big Goo Goo Dolls fan and to this day every time I hear "Better Days" lyric, "Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again", I think of all the potential & love Matthew brings us.




  • Doug and Bella


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/bananabean12"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1419593568/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/bananabean12">bananabean12</a>:<br />Real love at first sight is when a daddy meets his baby girl.




  • She's here, at last!


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Rose_May_Tubo"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1510974494/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Rose_May_Tubo">Rose May Tubo</a>:<br />Smiling together for the first time :)




  • James & Kya


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Myra_York"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1268304149/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Myra_York">Myra York</a>:<br />James, Bri & Kya...Kya is a Christmas baby!




  • Day one of being Dad of 2 Boys : )


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Sheryl_Kaufman"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/722295150/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Sheryl_Kaufman">Sheryl Kaufman</a>:<br />Griffin was born the day before and Travis was 2 1/2 and the adventure was just getting started .They are 8 and almost 6 now and get cuter and smarter every day. Dada Tim is a very proud Dada !




  • Jeremy And River Isabelle


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Jeremy_Gast"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Jeremy_Gast">Jeremy Gast</a>:<br />I couldnt believe how pretty she was. Amazingly beautiful even with her swollen eyes and cone head. I asked her why she gave her mother such a hard time coming out. It finally dawned on me that that huge belly my wife had and all those kicks and bumps actually was a real baby. And now she was here. And my life changed forever




  • Amar meets Beatrix


    singing to his newborn baby daughter




  • I have the Best Daddy


    Craig and Ty un-seperable




  • Emma and Daddy


    Father's first picture with his newborn baby girl!




  • Dad with Leonora


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Janet2379"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Janet2379">Janet2379</a>:<br />




  • Marcelo & Gabriel


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marcelomelo"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marcelomelo">marcelomelo</a>:<br />"Hey, he's looking at me!" Gabriel was in this world for about 40 minutes when my sister-in-law took this picture last September. I was also thinking of the challenges we'd face together as a family: Gabriel, his mom, and me: "It will be great be on this journey with you, guys!"




  • In Admiration


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/kderush"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/kderush">kderush</a>:<br />It's hard to imagine what to say about this photo.




  • Hospital Picture


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/astrumluminarium"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/571008863/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/astrumluminarium">astrumluminarium</a>:<br />She came a day before Daddy got home from Iraq. It was nearly midnight, I was exhausted, and he walked in from the airport, carrying his gear, pale faced and shaking so hard he couldn't pull his jacket off. He was still shaking when I snapped this first picture, and he's been wrapped around her finger ever since.




  • Omar and Adrian


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Yesenia_Betance"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1163053619/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Yesenia_Betance">Yesenia Betance</a>:<br />




  • Dad & Melissa, December 1987


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/TradeGreetings"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/3835613.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/TradeGreetings">TradeGreetings</a>:<br />The moment she was born, I was overwhelmed by how much I loved her.




  • First kiss! Mommy and Daddy and Emmaleith


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Julie_SandersMartinez"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/719804914/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Julie_SandersMartinez">Julie SandersMartinez</a>:<br />I had My baby girl C-sec, but due to complications I was immediately rushed on to 4 hours of emergency surgery. Emma was 6 hours old before I got to see or hold her. Only thing I can remember about the first meeting of my now soon to be 4 year old and her daddy was when he whispered to her "Im going to be worthy of having you call me Daddy.-I promise" I spent a month in the hospital and daddy would come from work to the hospital so I could have her in room with me and every night they would fall asleep in those awful daddy chair beds and snooze in almost identical positions. It was a tough time but Id never change because I got to learn a lot about my husband as a father, a partner in the new adventure,And I loved him even more deeply and completely every time our eyes met over our precious little gift.




  • Justin and baby Julian


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/philli1102"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1010657063/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/philli1102">philli1102</a>:<br />He was the happiest man alive! I never had anyone support me more =) When he held him for the first time he cried tears of joy.




  • First Time Dad


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/cunnitr"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/781783319/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/cunnitr">cunnitr</a>:<br />This is my favorite picture. He's seeing her for the first time in amazement. She's just born minutes earlier and looking like she needs her dad already!




  • UT's newest fan!


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/kellymac1019"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/kellymac1019">kellymac1019</a>:<br />UT's newest fan!




  • shhh, jrs sleeping


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Karen_Torres_N"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/100000270547433/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Karen_Torres_N">Karen Torres N</a>:<br />




  • Pulachito and I


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Penny_Leal_Ffrench"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/631465649/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Penny_Leal_Ffrench">Penny Leal Ffrench</a>:<br />This is the first picture taken of my husband and our first born baby boy. It was wonderful to see him carry our baby for the first time, he was so proud of him.




  • Emerson and Daddy =)


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/ruca333"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/ruca333">ruca333</a>:<br />Happy Birthday buddy!!!