For Dads and Partners
The transition to parenthood is demanding not only for the birthing parent but for their partners and families too. You may feel an increase in worry, stress, irritability, and anger or experience changes in mood, sleep, appetite, or energy levels. Nearly 1 in 10 fathers experience postpartum depression, increasing to 50% when the mother is also struggling. Fathers, partners, and LGBTQIA+ parents may also find difficulty bonding with their child in the same way the birthing parent does. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are also of increased prevalence for queer and trans parents for a variety of reasons, including discrimination, stigma, and denial of parental rights.
How to Care for Yourself
- Find someone you can talk to, such as family, friends, or a healthcare professional. There are also parent support groups for those experiencing similar feelings.
- Talk to your partner. Open communication will help your partner understand what you are going through and how you can best support each other.
- While sleep deprivation is common during the newborn stage, protected sleep is critical to your overall wellbeing. Work with your partner or family members to create a schedule where everyone can aim for at least a 5-hour block of uninterrupted sleep, in addition to napping when possible.
- Take time for activities that help you recharge (for example, physical activity or coffee with a friend). Self-care is not selfish.
- Spend time with your baby to develop your own confidence.
Tips for Supporting Your Partner
Links to Helpful Resources
- Postpartum Support International has information and resources, including support groups for dads, as well as queer and trans parents.
- Boot Camp for New Dads is a community-based workshop that inspires and equips men of different economic levels, ages, and cultures to become confidently engaged with their infants, support their partners, and personally navigate their transformation into dads. Classes are offered online and in-person throughout North Carolina
- Dad to Dudla focuses on advocating, educating, empowering, and supporting from a dad’s perspective.