Thanks to Brooke Shields’ book, Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through postpartum Depression -- and the storm of publicity brought on by Tom Cruise’s comments about it, postpartum depression is an affliction more widely known than ever before. Even prior to having kids, men should consider reading Shields’ book to get an idea of what many women go through.
I've seen aspects of it with my wife and, I must say, I often felt helpless to pull her out of moments when she felt distraught and trapped. If I didn’t know that it was possible for her to get depressed months after giving birth, I would have gone nuts.
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But women aren’t the only ones who suffer from postpartum depression. A new study out of Great Britain finds that males can experience symptoms similar to the ‘baby blues.’ Paternal postpartum depression can sometimes be so severe that it can affect the social and behavioral development of the children, particularly the sons of the fathers who are affected.
The study points out that, when it comes to postpartum depression, it’s important to look into the progress of the father as well as the mother and children. Men still tend to hide or be ashamed of depressed feelings, especially when they endeavor to be the strong, macho type who can hold the family together when the mom is upset.
Whether men endure the deep drop of postpartum depression or something less harsh, we need to address our feelings and seek help wherever we can. If nothing else, do it for your kids and put ego aside.
Gregory Keer is a syndicated columnist, educator, and on-air expert on fatherhood. His Family ManTM column appears in publications across the country, including L.A. Parent, Boston Parents' Paper, Metro Augusta Parent, and Sydney's Child in Australia. Keer's parenting advice is found at his online magazine, www.familymanonline.com, which is the #1 ranked site for fathers, according to Amazon’s Alexa ratings. In addition to writing for Parenting magazine and the Parents' Choice Foundation, Keer contributes to USA Today, Pregnancy magazine, DrLaura.com, ParentingBookmark.com, Pregnancy.org, and CanadianParents.com. Keer is also a featured guest expert on television and radio and advisor to the Cartoon Network. He and his wife are the proud parents of three sons. Keer can be reached at his Web site, www.familymanonline.com.
Thefunkystork.com is a pregnancy resource and parenting guide for expectant fathers and new dads. It provides only general information designed for educational purposes, and does not offer pregnancy or pediatric advice. You should always consult a physician about concerns you have with your pregnancy or your child's health.
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