Postpartum depression in men.

[Chimera]

This is really shocking!! Why would it affect a father? The baby was never in his womb to begin with. Does depression in the mother rub off on the dad, like an anchor he is simply dragged along?

 

Postpartum depression hits as many dads as moms

 

Postpartum depression affects just as many new fathers as mothers, with about one in 10 parents affected, a new study says.

 

Both women and their doctors have become more aware in recent years of the risks of postpartum depression, as well as the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment.

 

There has been much less research on the how men cope with the stress of fatherhood, even though the mental health of both parents is critical to the well-being of their children, says study author James Paulson, a child psychologist at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.

 

Children of depressed fathers have more emotional and behavioral problems than other kids at age 3 and more psychiatric disorders by age 7, Paulson says.

 

Overall, 14% of American men develop depression, either during their partner's pregnancies or in the first year after delivery, according to the study, published today in

The Journal of the

American Medical Association

.

About 8% of fathers in other countries develop the problem, according to the analysis, which included 43 studies of 28,000 people.

 

The problem seems to peak when babies are 3 to 6 months old, a time when 25% of new fathers and 42% of mothers report depression, the study says. "It's quite shocking," says neuropsychiatrist

Louann Brizendine

, a professor at the University of California-San Francisco and author of

The Male Brain,

who wasn't involved in the new study. "What doctors need to be alerted to is that they're treating a family unit."

 

Mothers and fathers share many of the same stresses. Research shows that any healthy adult who goes without good sleep for a month is liable to become depressed, says psychotherapist Will Courtenay of Berkeley, Calif., who specializes in men's health.

 

The hormonal changes that follow childbirth can trigger depression in both men and women, Brizendine says. After delivery, estrogen and progesterone levels fall sharply in women, while testosterone levels plummet in men. Both changes are associated with depression, she says.

 

About half of husbands of women with postpartum depression also suffer from the condition, says Courtenay, who wasn't involved in the study.

 

Yet fathers with postpartum depression are less likely than women to get help, partly because men tend to avoid mental health care, Paulson says. Unlike women, who see their obstetricians frequently during pregnancy and again six weeks after delivery, men may go years without seeing a doctor.

 

Fathers are also less likely than mothers to take children to their pediatricians, some of whom now screen new parents for depression, Paulson says. But men face unique pressures, Courtenay says. Although fathers today are more involved in childrearing than ever, they often lack the broad social networks enjoyed by mothers, who are more likely to find consolation by sharing stories and strategies with friends.

 

Men typically turn to their wives for support, Courtenay says. But women who are wrung out by the demands of their babies may have little left to give their husbands.

Symptoms of depression in men also may not be obvious, Courtenay says. Instead of crying, men may become irritable or withdraw from others, burying themselves in work.

 

Doctors need to do a better job of reaching out to both parents, Paulson says. Depression in one spouse should be seen as a red flag, alerting doctors that the other parent is at high risk. He recommends that ask how women how their husband are coping. And he encourages both men and women to get help.

 

"You should think about your kids and your family," Paulson says. "They are going to suffer, even if you are willing to tough it out or deny it in yourself." --

Link

[bilan]

It does not really matter who carried, birth of a child is life changing event, especially for the first time parents, when you get used to sleep 8+ hours uninterrupted then all of a sudden you have to wake up every 2 hours it will have huge affect on both parents especially in the west where there is no support and you have to figure out everything on your own.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Toban toban baa naloo dhali jiray, depression iyo murugo midkoodna waalidkeena kuma soo arag. Sheeko baraleeydaan goormee ka dhamaanee dadkaan.

[Chimera]

Bilan, I agree. A baby wakes up atleast four times in the middle of the night. A rotary system where one parent reponds to the first two cries and the other parent to the last two cries would ease the pressure significantly(unless the baby wants that specific milk, then the fathers are out of their element). A baby's internal clock is probably the most punctual human clock on the planet, always waking up at that exact same time around 5 to 6 0'clock in the morning. Since its usually mothers who stay at home to care for the kids, sleeping in the afternoon when the baby sleeps is very much advised. Other duties such as cooking could be relegated to the father, or relatives.

 

MMA, you shouldn't underestimate the dilemma parents face with a newborn, I have relatives who became different individuals in those difficult times and only returned to normal when the whole family came together to help them out, whether its through babysitting, sending the parents on a two-week vacation, being there for them when they need someone to talk to etc. All of this is very important, because negativity and stress from the parents will rub off on the children and this can have devastating consequences for their development.

 

You have to make sure you got everything figured out!

[Valenteenah.]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;702019 wrote:

Toban toban baa naloo dhali jiray, depression iyo murugo midkoodna waalidkeena kuma soo arag. Sheeko baraleeydaan goormee ka dhamaanee dadkaan.

That's what I thought too until I heard my grandmother left my mother and her siblings after the birth of her 4th child (including the baby) and spent 4 months in another city. My mum and the other children were looked after by their grandmother. Same thing happened with my eedo. She abandoned her family after the birth of her 7th child and came to stay with my dad for a year (she subsequently had another 2). What would you put this down to if not post-natal depression?

 

I think just because they weren't diagnosed doesn't mean lots of women didn't suffer from PND/PPD.