Dads get baby blues

 Fathers are nearly as likely to experience anxiety around the arrival of a new baby as mothers, according to research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Men, too, are prone to anxiety and depression around the birth of a baby.

Results from previous studies vary, but some suggest that over 20% of parents suffer from anxiety or depression.
The causes of anxiety and depression around the arrival of a new baby are poorly understood.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the risk is greater for those who have had difficulty becoming pregnant or problems during pregnancy or birth, for those who have lost a baby through miscarriage or stillbirth, among teenage mothers, in cases of multiple births or if the child has a health problem.
However, depression can occur even with a healthy pregnancy and healthy birth.
According to the CDC, postnatal depression includes the usual depression symptoms but may feature:

• Inability to sleep even when the baby does
• Feeling numb or disconnected from the baby
• Having fearful or negative thoughts about the baby, such as that someone will hurt him or her, or take them away
• Worrying about hurting the baby or about not being a good parent.

Mental health researcher Dr. Liana Leach, from ANU Centre for Aging, Health and Wellbeing, and colleagues collected and reviewed 43 separate studies published prior to April 2015.