We hear a lot about maternal post-natal depression but there is little awareness and recognition of paternal stress and depression. Paediatrician Dr. Harry Zehnwirth joins us in the studio to talk about post-natal depression in dads.
Survey results have highlighted the anguish and pain fathers experience and the situation can become even more serious when both a new mum and dad are experiencing post-natal depression at the same time.
Dr. Harry Zehnwirth says:
- Fathers are suffering a lot from crying babies but it is being ignored
- Many fathers also have post-natal depression, up to eight per cent and they also suffer when mother's have post-natal depression
- Men typically try to fix things but when they try to fix issues of post-natal depression they find they can't
- The crying baby causes sleep deprivation. This interplays with depression. The more sleep deprived, the more likely to be depressed
- They suffer in many ways: they get depressed, they lose their sense of joy in life, babies and their partner and they go to work and they suffer there too
- The key is awareness. This means talking about it freely and openly. Dropping the stigma
We need to support parents more and not isolate them so much. The old village life was more supportive
- Screening for depression - we do this sometimes for mother but it needs to be extended to fathers
Dads with post-natal depression statistics
So far just about all of us have heard of maternal postnatal depression (PND) however we have little awareness and recognition of paternal stress and depression. Survey results have highlighted the anguish and pain for fathers (as well as the delight, joy and love).
- The incidence of maternal PND is around 14%
- The incidence of paternal PND is around 8%
- We also know that in families in which mum has PND, fathers have about a 1/3rd likelihood of being depressed as well. Not a good combination!
- PND can be serious. Even life threatening
- Dad's generally don't understand maternal PND (nor do mothers if it remains undiagnosed)
- Therefore difficult for dads to be appropriately supportive. Even the best fathers/husbands can become critical and judgemental of their depressed wives
- Dads like fixing things. They don't get that PND can't be fixed. Dads feel powerless and helpless
- Crying, colicky, irritable babies feed in to this cycle, causing frustration, loss of self confidence, and sleep deprivation
- Dads don't know how to deal with the unsettled, crying baby. If the baby is breast fed, what can the dad do to help? There are a number of tools out there!
What are the solutions according to Dr Harry Zehnwirth?
- For us all to be aware of the problem
- The Australian Government has shown awareness of maternal PND with a $55 million 5 year program, including routine and universal screening
- Better family and community supports with higher recognition of the issue of PND
- Less stigma associated with negative parental-baby experience/depression
- Even better training of and awareness by Obstetricians, Midwives, Paediatricians, GP's, Child Health Nurses
- Strategies and tools (dads love tools!) to settle a crying baby - www.soundsforsilence.com
- Good non-judgemental individual or group counselling
- Medication
For more information visit the Paediatric Clinic at 1101 Howitt St, Wendouree 3355 or phone (03) 5339 5200.
