Having a baby is a major life change and a big adjustment, not just for moms, but for dads too. Being a postpartum parent puts you at slightly higher risk of depression. We hear a lot about postpartum depression in moms, but dads can have it too.
Jade Elliott sat down with Anna McMillan, LCSW, Intermountain Healthcare, to discuss the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression in dads on this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast.
10.4% of new fathers experience depression compared to 4.8% of the general male population.
If a mother has postpartum depression, it may increase the likelihood the father will have postpartum depression. In the 12 months following a child’s birth, it’s estimated rates of depression range from 24 to 50 percent for fathers whose spouses experience maternal postpartum depression.
Symptoms of postpartum depression in men:
They may not cry but may feel:

Frustrated
Irritable
Detached
Angry
Impulsive

May be more likely to:

Engage in substance use or domestic violence
Feel excluded from mother-baby bonding
Discourage their partner from breastfeeding

Risk factors that can contribute to depression in new or soon-to-be fathers include:

Personal or family history of depression
Unemployment or feeling overwhelmed with expectations of your role as provider or father
Missing attention and/or sex from your partner
Feeling excluded from the bond between mom and baby
Lack of sleep after the baby is born
Stressful birthing experience, baby with special needs
Conflict between how you feel you should be as a man and how you are
Lack of social or emotional support

Where can you go for help if you need urgent mental health treatment for PPD or other behavioral health issues?
Intermountain LDS Hospital in Salt Lake, McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden and Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George offer walk in behavioral health access centers that are open 24 hours. Behavioral Health Access Centers provide psychiatric and crisis care for individuals 18 years and older.
Click here for locations.
You can also call the CrisisLine at (801) 587-3000.
Other resources for about dads and postpartum depression include:
http://postpartumdads.org/
http://postpartum.org/services/dads/signs-of-ppd-anxiety-in-men/
The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.