Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a father who inspires and moves us, who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a man and a father. Above all, the Dad of the Month is dedicated to his children. Rich or poor, famous or not, he shines as an example of what fathering is all about.

Our choice for March is Don Younker, a firefighter that delivered his own baby.

As a firefighter, Don Younker of Alberta, Canada risks his life squelching blazes and climbing ladders to save helpless people. By most standards he is in one of the most macho professions of all time. He is also the gentle father of a 7-month-old baby girl, Jessica Heather.

Long before the baby was born he proved he was a sensitive man by rubbing his wife, Tania's, swollen feet and accompanying her to Aquasize classes. But it was during the actual birth that he stood out as a unique man. Because of his medical training as a firefighter, their doctor allowed Younker to deliver their baby girl.

After delivering a baby in the fire hall a few years before, Younker understood the miracle of childbirth and wanted to be the one to bring his new daughter into this world. "I knew it would be a great opportunity to be involved in the whole experience of having a child," Younker says. "It is something my daughter and I will have to share for the rest of our lives." Younker viewed the entire birth process as a miracle. "Watching what my wife went through for nine hours and then delivering this tiny, little being into the world was simply unbelievable."

Deciding to Stay At Home
A new law supporting paternity leave had just been introduced in Alberta as his wife was about to return to work. The law, coupled with his adoration for his daughter, made Younker want to stay home with his child. "My wife and I discussed the issue of her staying home for a full year with the baby and realized being away from her job for a year was not an ideal situation," Younker says. "Considering how the new law could be a benefit to us we decided I would stay home for the second half of the year. I would get six months with my daughter at an important time of her life and she would not need a nanny or get stuck in daycare." Although he had to answer to the playful cry of "Who wears the pants in your family?" by many of his manly co-workers, Younker never wavered in his decision to stay home.

Although Younker jokes about watching soap operas all day, he makes sure his daughter has all of his attention. Although Jessica is still an infant, her schedule is full. Each day she wakes up to breakfast with her daddy, then has playtime with him. After lunch Younker takes her with him to train his hunting dogs, then they take a walk or bike ride before her afternoon nap. On warmer days he takes her hiking in the nearby Rocky Mountains. When her mother arrives home from work around 5:00 p.m. they spend time together as a family until Jessica goes to sleep. On Saturdays, she has a music class which both parents take turns getting her to. And Jessica will begin a toddler swimming class soon.

Don Younker is a father who is focused on the happiness of his child.