From Dave Holtum, Bath, UK
Isabel Woodford’s article on postnatal depression (PND) in fathers struck a chord with me. When my children were born in the early 1980s, PND wasn’t recognised as a paternal issue. I don’t recall feeling depressed myself, merely always tired, yet I was expected back at work the next day. Today, fathers are far more involved and benefit from statutory paternity leave, which has been shown to reduce maternal PND (21 February, p 38).
However, this deeper involvement exposes fathers to the same sleep deprivation and financial pressures as mothers. These shared triggers, combined with evolving social expectations and improved clinical detection, mean PND is rightly becoming more recognised as a problem for men.
