Hi, this is Dan from Dad Psych.

New or expectant dad?

Freaking out?

Say no more. 

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

Here’s what we’ll be covering today:

• 🤷‍♂️ Is this ‘New Dad’ research a reason to stress?

• ⚽ Dads tackle depression with footie

• 🤦‍♂️ Dad joke of the week

• 😂 Dad moment of the week

Is this ‘New Dad’ research a reason to stress? 🤷‍♂️

Seasoned Dad Psych readers may recall our report on grey matter changes in the brains of new and expectant fathers.

A new study from April this year added a few more interesting details. At first glance, they might seem a bit daunting, but once you break it down, it all starts to make sense.

Allow Dad Psych to do just that:

What happened?

Researchers scanned the brains of 38 first-time dads while their partners were pregnant, and then again six months after their babies were born. They wanted to see if becoming a dad changed anything in the brain, especially in areas linked to emotions and decision-making. The dads also filled out surveys about how they were feeling during this whole journey.

What were the results?

The results showed that new dads had less gray matter (brain tissue) in certain areas. But don’t freak out—it’s not as bad as it sounds. These changes actually help you adapt to being a dad. For example, dads who felt more connected to their baby and had less stress showed bigger brain changes.

However, these same dads were also more likely to experience sleep problems, anxiety, and even some depression. But as the months rolled on, these brain changes seemed to level out, so things balanced over time.

So, why the mental health backlash?

Well, those brain changes that help you focus on your baby might also make you more sensitive to stress. Your brain is rewiring itself to be a better parent, but that can take a toll, especially when you're not sleeping or are overwhelmed with the new responsibilities. It’s like your brain is going through a growth spurt—but for dads—and that can leave you feeling a bit off-balance sometimes.

Is this a problem for me?

Honestly, no need to stress about this. At Dad Psych, we're not here to scare you with science-y stuff. This is just part of the whole fatherhood adjustment.

You’re still you, but with new things on your plate.

It’s all part of the shift, and your brain is just adjusting to these new priorities.

Are there any tips I can follow?

You can’t stop your brain from changing, but you can definitely do some things to help your mental health along the way. Now, you don't need me to tell you what's best for your mental health. It's your mental health and you know what works best for you.

Perhaps stay away from self-medicating with the wrong things and focus a little bit more on being a better friend to yourself.

The dad stuff will fall into place naturally as it has been doing for millennia.

You got this.

Read the full, fascinating report here

Just a quick one…

It seems Outlook are waging war against Dad Psych for some unknown reason. Last week, the newsletter wasn’t delivered to any address with the ‘Hotmail’ or ‘Outlook’ handle.

Booo. Hiss. Boo.

Please do me a huge favor and mark any previous editions of Dad Psych with ‘not spam’ by doing the following:

1. Open your Junk Email folder and select the messages you want to keep.

2. From the top toolbar, select Not junk > Not junk (or Not spam > Not spam).

3. You can also open the message and select ‘It's not junk’ link at the top (next to Dad Psych's name).

Sorry for the interruption, here’s a random meme to make up for it:

Dads tackle depression with footie ⚽

East London dads are hitting the pitch for weekly football sessions to tackle paternal depression and adjust to life as new parents. Held at Becontree Health Leisure Centre, these sessions offer a mix of fitness and mental health support, providing a safe space for dads to talk about their feelings.

Perinatal depression, which can affect dads too, often involves feelings of anxiety and sadness during or after a partner’s pregnancy. Through football, these dads connect, release stress, and leave with tools to support themselves and their families.

Good on you, chaps.

If you're in the London area, contact them on Facebook to get involved.

Not local? What’s stopping you from setting up something like this in your own area? It only takes a few social media posts to get the ball rolling, literally.

If football/soccer isn’t your thing, why not chess boxing. Lol.

If you want to learn more about perinatal depression, be sure to check out our blog which goes in-depth on the subject.

Dad joke of the week 🤦‍♂️

Don’t even try to deny the 'dad joke gene'. Sooner or later, it’s going to come out. It’s just inevitable.

Dad moment of the week

Hahahaha, are we buying this? 😂

(Side note; he’s a politician…)

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

- Dan from Dad Psych

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