Up to one in ten fathers will experience symptoms of depression after their partner has a baby, according to a charity, as an initiative is launched aiming to give Scotland's new dads more support.
Fathers Network Scotland is running four pilot schemes in Greater Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Lothian and Fife and, to urge health visitors and midwives to look out for the signs of "paternal postnatal depression".
The How Are You Dad initiative is a response to the fact that between seven and ten per cent of fathers experience depressive symptoms post-birth but a survey last year found that only 16 per cent were ever asked about their mental health during routine antenatal appointments.
In fact, many are not even seen by health visitors, and they can be sidelined by midwives according to Dr Gary Clapton of Edinburgh University's School of Social and Political Science.
"Men traditionally might not even be called in by midwives and a lot of government publicity materials are still all about mum and baby. For generations health visitors have regarded the whole process as primarily between the mother and child."
This phenomenon of 'can you put mum on the phone' could mean NHS staff are missing a trick, Dr Clapton added. "Having a baby is two pronged. Even if the focus is on mum in terms of quitting drinking or smoking during pregnancy or deciding to breast feed, their main support in that is likely to be the father.
"For men, becoming a father can mean a significant change, from thinking in terms of themselves alone to thinking about their wider responsibility. But apart from the challenge of readjusting their life there is fairly robust research now showing that having a first or later child upsets men's hormones and biology in similar ways to a woman's.
"They can also find that there is a flatness, after the initial adrenaline and endorphins, an empty moment perhaps when they return to to work.
"While most men will adjust and come through it many for all sorts societal reasons some may need some form of help to work it out," he said.
A spokeswoman for Fathers' Network Scotland said health visitors and midwives would be encouraged to do more to look out for the wellbeing of fathers at a series of How Are You Dad? events supported by Health Boards. The first will take place in Glasgow in mid February.
David Devenney, director of Fathers Network Scotland, added: “Primarily midwives and health workers are concerned about mums and our recent research with fathers shows most of the time they are pushed out of the picture. It’s time to create a culture change.
"Frontline staff can be scared to ask dads about mental health or they are not even on their radar. This pilot will help shift attitudes so that asking fathers as well as mothers becomes the norm.”
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