By Sara Jackson, CSW
Safe and Healthy Families

Paternal postpartum depression (PPD) is much less recognized and discussed than is maternal postpartum depression. However, estimates of the prevalence of paternal postpartum depression range between 4 to 25 percent of new fathers. A study published in 2010 by the American Medical Association found that 14 percent of US men feel depressed in the months following the birth of their child (Muldoon, 2013).

Like new mothers, new fathers experience significant changes in life after a child’s birth. There are new demands and roles to fill and the responsibility for a new life can feel overwhelming at times. Researchers state “Fathers who have ecological risk factors, such as excessive stress from becoming a parent, lack of social supports for parenting, and feeling excluded from mother-infant bonding, may be more likely to develop paternal PPD” (Kim & Swain, 2007).

Although there is not a single set of criteria for diagnosing paternal PPD, PPD in general is defined as a major depressive episode occurring within four weeks of the delivery of a child. These depressive episodes can include a depressed or sad mood, a loss of interest in activities one used to enjoy, significant weight gain or loss, insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping too much), fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, a diminished ability to think or concentrate and recurrent thoughts of death (Kim & Swain, 2007).

Hormones can also play a role in postpartum depression in men as they do in women. After the birth of a child, a male partner’s testosterone level drops sharply which can increase the possibility of paternal postpartum depression (Kim & Swain, 2007; Muldoon, 2013). However, unlike with new mothers, paternal postpartum depression decreases shortly after birth but increases over the course of the year. For example, 4.8 percent of first-time fathers met criteria for depression at three months after the birth of a child whereas 23.8 percent of fathers were depressed at 12 months following the birth of a child (Kim & Swain, 2007).

If you have been feeling depressed and hopeless after the recent birth of a child, there is no shame in seeking help. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. He or she may recommend seeing someone for therapy and possibly starting medication that could help you during this difficult time. As Doug Marchant mentioned in his video on tips for new fathers, asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. The sooner you talk to someone about what you have been going through, the sooner you can get back to being yourself and enjoying time with your family.

Learn more about paternal postpartum depression.

Additional resources:

Sad Dads by P. Kim & J.E. Swain.

Post-partum depression among new dads inspires support groups, helplines and more by K. Muldoon.

Sara graduated with her Master’s in Social Work from Portland State University, and is a Certified Social Worker. She is currently working towards becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She moved to Salt Lake City and has been enjoying getting to know the Southwest. In her free time, she loves hiking, biking, running, taking her dogs to the park, speaking Spanish, learning about other cultures, cooking, and creating self-serve frozen yogurt creations.