Fathers: Taking care of the baby protects against depression

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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If fathers take care of their child intensively in the first few months of life, this has a positive effect: It is beneficial for the child and relieves the mother. But the fathers themselves benefit too: They not only develop a closer bond with their child - the paternal commitment may also protect them from depression.

It is well known that many mothers develop what is known as postpartum depression after giving birth. But depression in the child’s first year of life is not uncommon for fathers. Studies show that around eight to ten percent are affected.

More engagement, less depression?

US scientists have investigated the influence of the father's early involvement in infant care on the father's risk of depression. To this end, they questioned 881 fathers in detail about the intensity with which they looked after their child.

Time with the child: One factor was the time the fathers spent with the child, especially when the child was awake. A distinction was made between weekdays and weekends. The fathers also stated how much time they spent looking after the child alone.

Confidence in their own parental abilities: A second important point was how much self-efficacy the fathers felt when dealing with the child. This means how convinced the fathers were that they were able to handle the child well. For example, the researchers asked how confident and comfortable the fathers felt when they swaddled, carried, fed, or soothed their children when they were crying.

Material care: The material care of the child was also examined. The researchers asked, among other things, how often the fathers bought clothes, toys, food, diapers for the child.

15 percent depression after six months

Three, six and twelve months after the birth, the researchers identified possible depressive symptoms in the fathers. It was based on a questionnaire that had originally been developed to determine postpartum depression in mothers, but was adapted to the situation of fathers (Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale).

In fact, a not inconsiderable number of fathers showed signs of depression. In the first survey three months after the birth, it was 10 percent. This value rose to 15 percent in the three following months. At the end of the study, after twelve months, 12 percent of fathers were still suffering from depression.

What brings more time for the child?

Fathers who spent more time with their children were less likely to develop depression, the analysis showed. The researchers suspect that the more time spent together, the bond with the child increased - and with it the satisfaction with the parenting role.

Influence of the supplier role

Fathers who were able to provide their children with more material support also fell ill less often.

The researchers think that the role of provider is still crucial to paternal identity. As a result, fathers who are less able to support their child materially may have a poor self-image of themselves, which favors a depressed mood.In addition, studies have shown that giving something to others has a positive effect not only on the mood of the recipient, but also that of the giver.

A feeling of parental competence makes you satisfied

However, the researchers found the strongest connection between childcare and depression with regard to the feeling of self-efficacy in dealing with the child. Every point that the fathers scored in the corresponding survey was associated with significantly lower values ​​on the depression scale. “Fathers who feel competent as parents may be more satisfied in their roles and therefore have fewer depressive symptoms,” the researchers speculate.

The researchers conclude that it could be an advantage, especially men who are becoming fathers, to be trained in caring for babies.

Weaknesses of the study

The reasons for these relationships would have to be researched in more detail, the researchers write, and point out various factors that weaken the informative value of the study.

For example, it was not recorded whether the men suffered from depression before birth or had suffered from depression at some point in the past. An existing depression could weaken childcare commitments and raise doubts in fathers that they can look after their child well.

The relationship with the mother was also not taken into account, although this can be decisive in this context. It was also not recorded whether the mothers suffered from postpartum depression. According to studies, this fact significantly increases the likelihood that the fathers will also become depressed in the year after the birth.

Nor has the quality of the fathers' commitment to their child been recorded. For this, more detailed surveys or complex observational studies would have been necessary.

Parental happiness can make you unhappy

Whether man or woman: The birth of a child means a major turning point in life. Routines are broken. Suddenly there is no time for many things that were important to you, such as hobbies and friendships. There is also often a lack of time to take care of yourself, to eat healthily, to do sports - not to mention getting enough sleep.

With the first child, one's own identity is also subjected to a rigorous change due to the new role as mother or father. The great responsibility that one carries can be stressful. All of this can help destabilize parents emotionally and psychologically in the early days.

Positive stress also promotes depression

In any case, it has long been known that it is not only heavy stresses in life such as job loss or separation that promote the outbreak of mental illness. But positive phases of stress also increase the risk of depression and the like. In addition to things like job promotion or a wedding, this also includes, of course, the birth of a child.

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