Background: Theory about fathers' involvement and coping during the period of pregnancy and childbirth is underdeveloped, and few studies have been undertaken in the Arab world. Due to financial need and societal pressure, Qatari’s report the importance of both parents working to support the family. Therefore, fathers’ role as traditional breadwinners has changed to some extent to dual-earner couples. Research has shown that parents struggle with work-life balance after the transition to parenthood in Qatar. This presentation will concentrate on a subsection of findings from a qualitative exploratory and descriptive study about first-time fathers' involvement in pregnancy and childbirth in Qatar. The research question included: What are participants' views about and recommendations for paternity and maternity leave in Qatar? Methods: Purposive and snowball sampling were employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Qatari and 13 non-Qatari Arab fathers, and 12 Qatari and 13 non-Qatari Arab mothers, and 10 Maternal Health Professionals (n=60). Participants' views, experiences, and recommendations for maternity and paternity leave in Qatar were explored. Content and thematic analysis were undertaken. Key Findings: Qatari and non-Qatari Arab husbands' roles and potential ways of supporting their wives during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum are changing towards more involvement in areas such as emotional/psychological, health, household, and social support. The main themes emerging from the interviews entailed: 1. Maternal leave is critical and should be extended; 2. Employers threaten and discriminate against pregnant and nursing mothers; 3. Parents advocate for enhanced parental leave to protect families; 4. Paternity leave is important and should be a legal option for all fathers, and 5) Family journey--husband and wife adjust together to the new routine and live the family experience. Almost all of the interviewees considered the approximately 2-month maternity leave granted to women insufficient, and most said that there should be an option for men to take paternity leave. Specific reasons for these recommendations will be presented. Furthermore, the recommendations will focus on how social policies can be more inclusive of citizens and residents in a Muslim country where family is considered the foundation of society. This research adds to the growing body of evidence in Qatar pointing to the work-life conflict families face (Blaydes, Gengler, & Lari, 2021; DIFI, 2019; Naguib & Madeeha, 2023) and the need to reassess current policy through a family-sensitive lens (Gilbert & Brik, 2020).