Hi, this is Dan from Dad Psych.

New dad? Freaking out? Say no more.

Every Wednesday, we break it down so you don’t have a breakdown.

Here’s what’s on the menu today:

• 🧠 Is ‘Dad Brain’ a real thing?

• 🩺 Expectant father? Buy a stethoscope

• 🎶 Dad song of the week  

• 📹 Dad moment of the week

Is ‘Dad Brain’ a real thing? 🧠

I know a guy who was totally anti-kids, but when his wife got accidentally pregnant, everything changed. He went from being uninterested to being a model dad; emotionally present, consistent, and always putting his child first.

Not gonna lie it kind of reminds me of this meme

So, what happened? (not with the old guy, with my friend)

Ever heard of 'Dad Brain'? 

You must have heard of stories like:

Well, maybe not that dramatic, but it turns out, that Dad Brain is real. 

Studies show new dads experience brain changes, like reduced grey matter, which helps them bond with their babies.

Now this might sound a little unsettling, you know, the whole ‘losing part of your brain’ thing, but it's actually part of how the brain adjusts to fatherhood. 

What’s the point of ‘Dad Brain’?

When a baby is born, dads experience brain changes similar to what happens in mums, though on a smaller scale. The grey matter reduction in areas linked to social and emotional processing helps dads get more in tune with their kids, sharpening their parenting instincts.

This shift helps dads bond with their babies and makes them more engaged. So while "shrinking brain" might seem concerning, it’s really the brain adapting to its new role.

Are there any downsides to ‘Dad Brain’?

Apart from the obvious (enjoying dad jokes and golfing wear) there may be other downsides. We say may because the same researchers found in their preliminary tests that fathers who lost more gray matter volume had worse sleep and more symptoms of depression and anxiety in the first year after birth. 

More studies with larger samples of men are needed, but their preliminary takeaway was that the same brain adaptations that seemed to track engagement in fatherhood also signalled risk to men’s well-being.

So, you’re trying to intentionally worry me about ‘Dad Brain’?

Absolutely not.

Sometimes, knowing that another person is going through the same thing as you are helps make sense of these bizarre changes we go through as dads.

Hold it down, brother.

Expectant father? Buy a stethoscope 🩺

Hear me out on this one.

So, sometime around the 1st trimester, I started cupping my ear around my wife’s stomach to see if I could hear the baby.

We’re men, at the end of the day. If we can’t see something that’s there, we go investigating.

Lo and behold, after distinguishing between the sound of her food digesting and the baby actually making some kind of noise, I was able to hear my little boy for the first time.

While it was the coolest thing I’ve ever heard, she wasn’t 100% happy to be the all-important 2nd team member of a high 5. Why? She couldn’t hear him and she wanted in on it.

Fair enough I suppose.

So, I got myself on Amazon and bought a £5 stethoscope.

Not only do I feel like the coolest f**kin doctor in the land, I also created a pathway for my wife to hear our baby.

Now, heartbeats don’t kick in on a stethoscope till around the 18th week, but in the meantime, you can hear a lot of cool stuff.

Don’t sleep on it!

We want to hear from you! 🧏‍♂️

• Veteran Dad?

• Newbie but have some fantastic stories to share?

We’re just getting started here at Dad Psych, so we’d love to hear your new Dad stories. No matter what the topic is, we want to hear it!

Reply to this email with your chance to be featured in our next newsletter!

🎶 Dad song of the week

With the return of Oasis, it’s only right to pay homage to this little belter of a track.

Any suggestions for the next track? Drop a reply to the email!

📹 Dad moment of the week

This video/gif might be a touch old but it certainly had me laughing.

Have to rate the little man’s commitment in attempting to understand the situation 😂

That’s about it for now, have a great week.

- Dan from Dad Psych

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