We’re very lucky to have some great writers willing to share their hints and tips with us. Today, we welcome ABCZone, these are suppliers of educational toys that understand children better than you or I! We asked them to give us some tips on this often overlooked subject and we’re very glad we did.
It’s a term we often hear bandied about, postnatal depression, and one that is primarily aimed at women after giving birth. Any woman will know that it can seriously affect those precious first few weeks with your new-born baby, yet it’s also quite a taboo subject. No woman wants to admit that they don’t feel completely overjoyed with the role of being a new parent and this is why it can often escalate, women not seeking help until it is nearly too late.
As pride comes before a fall for many women, imagine how much more difficult it is to diagnose for men? It does exist although some will scoff at the idea as men don’t have the hormone crash that giving birth inflicts on women.
However, if divorce, moving house, financial troubles and grief can bring about depression in any sex then why not such a life altering event as a new completely dependent addition to the family?
We all know that women go through so much, with sleepless nights, a battered body, if breastfeeding then the constant demands can make a woman feel as if she is in baby prison. Not to mention the confidence issues when a woman’s body no longer resembles the fine taught bikini model of her early twenties, yet men do have a lot to deal with too.
Factors that can contribute to postnatal depression for dads are:
1) Sharing their partner – For so long they have had their partner to themselves, they have enjoyed being the most important person to them, yet here is another person that their partner is putting in front of their needs. Although they will loathe admitting it, a little jealousy will creep in.
2) Social life– No matter how good or bad their social life was before it will change for the worse.
3) Responsibility – Before the baby all men had to worry about was themselves and maybe their partner. Now with a bundle of joy any responsibility is tenfold.
4) Sex – The release that most men enjoy with their partner will be off limits for a while. Although they will understand, tensions can mount up without the daily or weekly letting off steam that sex allows.
5) Relationships – Relationships with their own mother, and more importantly their mother in law will change. No longer will he be a husband to her daughter, he’ll also now be the father of her grandchildren and that is bound to cause a little conflict.
The best thing is to notice these signs and don’t dismiss them as selfish. Women may bear the brunt of the yucky side of baby producing but our men are important too.
Tip from Sunday Woman
We’ve found that the more a dad becomes involved in the baby’s life the more happier they are. They can feel quite redundant at the beginning as mum seems to have everything a baby needs. As baby grows though it’s a good idea to find special activities for father and child to do together, real daddy son and daughter bonding time. This can be story time at bedtime, learning to walk, playing outside or just having thirty minutes a day to play.
Of course, if you need inspiration, we give ABCZone our seal of Approval for educational toys and arts and crafts.