Fatherhood

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) developed advice for new dads in the early days of becoming a parent. You can read the full article here. The advice is as follows:

• Try to manage your sleep as best you can: A lot of new parents can feel overwhelmed by the lack of sleep soon after having a baby. It is beneficial to get sleep whenever you can. You may have heard the phrase. "When the baby is sleeping, you should be sleeping." Well the old phrase rings true, try to get some shut eye when your baby does!
• Connect through touch: Newborns appear very fragile, and many new dads feel worried about picking up their new child. However, holding your new child is an important part of the bonding experience, you can find more information from the NCT on bonding with your baby here.
• Help your baby's mother to recover after the birth: Giving birth is a challenging time for a mother both physically and emotionally. Providing support with day-today tasks like feeding the baby, can be of great help to your child's mother. Research suggests that spending quality time interacting with and soothing your baby can help you to feel more comfortable together and bond.
• Accept help from others and look after yourself too: During this time it can be beneficial to reach out to people who can support you, like your family and friends. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. You can find more information on services which can support you on this webpage.

Many of us are aware that women can experience mental health difficulties after birth. However, the peri-natal period (the first 12 months after childbirth) is also a time when men are at increased risk of mental health difficulties. Over one-in-ten men experience mental health difficulties when becoming a dad, and this number is higher for when the child's mother is experiencing mental health issues or experiences a traumatic birth.

Below are some of the more common mental health difficulties experienced amongst fathers, however, this is not an exhaustive list:

• Anxiety - Every one experiences worries from time to time. Most dads will have some worries, for example about taking on their new role as a father and worrying about their new baby and it's mother. Visit our self-help page on anxiety to access free resources. 
• Depression - Everyone feels ‘down’ occasionally but if feelings of being sad, moody, angry or unable to sleep or concentrate persist for more than a couple of weeks, it could be a sign of depression. It is important to speak to somebody if these feelings persist. Visit our self-help page on low mood and depression to access free resources. 
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - PTSD is an anxiety disorder which is caused by experiencing or witnessing a distressing or frightening event. Men whose partners experience a traumatic birth may develop symptoms of PTSD. They may have flashbacks, feel out of control of their mood, or have worries about their partner becoming pregnant or giving birth again. Visit our self-help page on trauma to access free resources.

If you are experiencing mental health difficulties after becoming a father, You don't have to suffer alone or in silence. Looking after yourself by eating a healthy, balanced diet, keeping fit and active and maintaining contact with family and friends can help to elevate your mood and enable you to cope better. 

• How are you, dad?: This websites raises awareness of father's mental health and provides signposting to appropriate supports. 
• Dad's Matter UK: This service provides support and advice to father's experiencing mental health difficulties. 
• Working Dads: Working Dad's is a sister site to Working Mums, and arose due to the increased need to support fathers balancing parenting and employment. 
• NHS Start4Life: This website from the NHS offers help and advice during pregnancy, birth and parenthood. They offer a range of supports, as well as signposting to appropriate resources and services.