Paternal Mental Health

  • A white man with cropped yellow hair has one palm on his head in despair or exhaustion whilst holding a screaming baby in the other arm. The baby is wearing a pink babygrow with white spots. Her eyes are closed and she has her head tipped back as she screams. The man is wearing a black t-shirt with a white skull on the front. A red snake is wrapped through the skull and has protruded from the eye socket.
    Mental Health,  Paternal Mental Health

    Why Does Paternal Mental Health Matter?

    Regardless of how excited a man might be, or how wanted a child is, the transition to fatherhood can be a huge challenge, with poor sleep, increased demand, and an intense sense of responsibility for both their child and their partner.  Paternal mental health is frequently overlooked, but is crucial to the wellbeing and development of a child.  Let’s imagine a new father. * Please note: I am aware that this article is unfortunately heteronormative in that it focuses exclusively on “paternal” mental health.  This is because much of the research relates to men as the partners of new mothers.  Parents of all genders can and do suffer mental health…