your life and the changes
“‘Dad in Progress’ speaks to men who are fresh to fatherhood about the challenges and life-changes of new-dad life.” By Movember.
your mind
building your ability to cope
Mindfulness meditation can help with “dealing with stress, regulating emotions, making decisions, creating positive relationships and showing resilience in the face of adverse conditions. ” Beyond Blue
This video by Headspace contains a short taster. However, if you are experiencing serious mental illness, its best to discuss this with your mental health professional before trying.
Find out more about Headspace here.
your body
exercise for body and mind
Staying active can be difficult when you are trying to manage the competing demands of being a dad! But it can have so many benefits for staying physically and mentally healthy in the long run.
BeyondBlue has a free downloadable planner to help you achieve your goals. Read more.
more support
Having a baby can bring a number of different emotions and everyone’s experience is different.
“Along with an increased pressure of having to provide financial support, new fathers often feel guilt about returning to work, while also suffering from a lack of sleep, a loss of leisure time and insufficient emotional support from friends.” Dr Bronwyn Leigh in The Journal
PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) states that 1 in 20 fathers to be and 1 in 10 new fathers experience anxiety or depression. It is also common in mums. While they are temporary and treatable, it is important to know the signs and symptoms and when to seek help.
PANDA has a free, confidential national helpline if you are struggling with becoming a parent (Australia). They also provide online information specific to dads at howisdadgoing.org.au, as well as information on supporting a partner who may be experiencing anxiety or depression.
Parents explain how they got help for postnatal depression in this video by The Raising Children Network.