Emotional crisis? Call or text 988, any time.Crisis? Call or text 988. In danger right now? Call 911. Call 988Text 988Emergency 911 Pregnant or a new parent? The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 24/7: call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA
Dads & partners

Taking care of yourself as a dad or partner

Roughly one in ten dads experience postpartum depression. You are allowed to struggle, and you are allowed to get help.

4 min readΒ·Written by the Postpartum+ team, checked against public guidanceΒ·Updated

Dads and partners are often told to be the rock. But they experience postpartum depression and anxiety too, especially when the birthing parent is struggling, when sleep is scarce, or when money and work stress pile up. It often looks different: irritability, anger, working more, withdrawing, drinking more, feeling numb.

Signals worth noticing in yourself

  • Short fuse, snapping at people you love.
  • Feeling trapped, useless, or like you are failing at everything.
  • Avoiding home, or avoiding the baby.
  • Physical stuff: headaches, stomach issues, not sleeping even when you can.

What to do

  • Tell one person the truth about how you are doing. A friend, your own doctor, another dad in the Postpartum+ dads & partners community.
  • Protect one small thing that is yours each week: a run, a game, a coffee alone.
  • Postpartum Support International runs free online groups just for dads and partners.
  • A therapist for you is not taking resources away from her. It usually makes you a better support.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988. It is for dads and partners too.

Drawn from public guidance including Postpartum Support International: Help for Dads. Educational only; not medical advice.

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