Bapak Life

Can Dads Get Postpartum Depression? Signs, Causes and Where to Get Help

Yes, dads can get postpartum depression. How common it is, how it shows up in men, what raises the risk, and where to get help, for you and for your partner.

By Dad of Two kids and Beautiful Wife
Published 8 min read
A tired-looking dad sitting on the back steps of his house at dawn, holding a mug of coffee in both hands and staring out at the yard
In this guide
  1. The short answer
  2. How common is postpartum depression in dads?
  3. Signs of postpartum depression in men
  4. What raises the risk
  5. Why it matters for the whole family
  6. Where to get help
  7. If your partner has postpartum depression too
  8. FAQ
  9. Sources

Can dads get postpartum depression? Yes. Nobody hands you a leaflet about it at the hospital, but researchers have been measuring it in fathers since the 1980s. Depression in the months around a birth affects roughly one in ten new dads. Postpartum Support International puts it plainly: one in ten dads experiences postpartum depression.

If you’re reading this at 3 a.m. because something feels off, that’s a good sign: you noticed. This guide covers how common it is, what it looks like in men, why it happens, and where to get help.

The short answer

  • Can dads get postpartum depression? Yes, roughly 1 in 10, and more in the months after the birth.
  • What does it look like? In men, often anger, irritability, feeling flat or drinking more, rather than sadness.
  • Is it treatable? Yes. Therapy, medication or both.
  • Where to start: your own doctor, or call or text the PSI HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773. In a crisis, call or text 988.

How common is postpartum depression in dads?

The best numbers come from reviews that pool many studies:

  • About 8%. A 2016 review of 74 studies with 41,480 participants found depression in 8.4% of fathers between the first trimester and one year after the birth.
  • About 10%, and up to a quarter at 3 to 6 months. An earlier review in JAMA of 43 studies found depression in about 10% of fathers, and in about 25.6% when the baby was 3 to 6 months old.
  • Anxiety too. A 2021 review of 23 studies found anxiety in about 11% of fathers around the birth.
  • Sometimes both parents. A 2022 review of 29,286 couples found that in up to 3.18% of couples, both parents had perinatal depression at the same time.

Those numbers are averages across countries and study designs, so they vary. The point stands: this is common, and you’re not the only one.

Signs of postpartum depression in men

Depression in men often doesn’t look like the sad, tearful picture most people expect. The National Institute of Mental Health lists these among the common signs of mental health problems in men:

  • Anger, irritability or aggressiveness
  • Noticeable changes in mood, energy or appetite
  • Sleeping badly, or sleeping too much
  • Feeling restless or on edge, or finding it hard to concentrate
  • Feeling flat, or having trouble feeling positive emotions
  • Misusing alcohol, drugs or both
  • Persistent sadness or hopelessness
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Every new dad is tired and short-tempered sometimes. What makes it depression is how long and how much. The NIMH’s threshold for diagnosing depression is symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.

The NIMH also notes that men may be less likely to recognize, talk about and seek help for their feelings, which puts them at greater risk of going undiagnosed. If you’re not sure, that’s reason enough to ask.

Feeling distant from your baby can be part of this too. If that’s what you’re noticing most, see our guide on not feeling bonded to your baby yet.

What raises the risk

No single thing causes it. A 2021 review of 25 studies with nearly 14,000 fathers found these linked to postpartum depression in dads:

  • A history of depression or another mental health problem, the strongest link in that review
  • A partner who is depressed
  • Money worries or losing a job
  • Trouble in the relationship
  • Little support, and feeling unsure of yourself as a parent

These are links, not causes, and having one doesn’t mean you’ll get depressed. But if several apply to you, it’s worth keeping an eye on yourself and telling someone early.

Why it matters for the whole family

This isn’t only about you. A large UK study of about 8,400 fathers found that depression in dads after the birth was linked to more emotional and behavior problems in their children at age three and a half, even after accounting for the mother’s depression. A 2025 review of 48 studies found small but consistent links between fathers’ mental distress around the birth and how children develop.

The review’s authors also made the hopeful point: a father’s mental health is something that can be changed. Getting help is one of the best things you can do for your kid.

Where to get help

  • Your own doctor. Say it plainly: “Since the baby came, I’ve felt like this for weeks.” Your doctor may use a short questionnaire such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, which has been tested in fathers.
  • Postpartum Support International. Call or text the HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773 (for Spanish, text 971-203-7773). PSI also runs free online support groups, including one just for dads, and has volunteers who have been through it as fathers.
  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262), free and 24/7. It’s aimed at moms, but HRSA, which runs it, says partners are encouraged to contact it too.
  • In a crisis: if you’re thinking about harming yourself or someone else, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.

What treatment looks like. According to the NIMH, depression is usually treated with talk therapy, medication, or both. Antidepressants usually take 4 to 8 weeks to work, so the earlier you start, the sooner you feel the difference.

If your partner has postpartum depression too

Depression in one parent is linked to depression in the other, so look out for each other. The NIMH says partners are often the first to notice the signs in a new mother.

Baby blues or something more? Mood swings and tears in the first days after birth are common. The NIMH says mood changes, anxiety or unhappiness that are severe or last longer than two weeks after childbirth may be signs of postpartum depression. Most episodes start within 4 to 8 weeks after the birth.

How you can help, based on NIMH and ACOG advice:

  1. Say what you see, gently, and encourage her to talk to her doctor. ACOG says not to wait for the postpartum checkup: call the ob-gyn right away.
  2. Make the call yourself if she wants you to.
  3. Go with her to appointments, and take the baby so she can talk.
  4. Take over practical things: night feeds, the house, visitors.
  5. Listen without trying to fix it in the same conversation.

When it’s urgent: confusion, paranoia, or seeing or hearing things that aren’t there can be signs of postpartum psychosis, which the NIMH calls a psychiatric emergency: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The CDC also lists thoughts of harming herself or the baby as an urgent warning sign that needs medical care right away.

Looking after your own health helps too: see workouts for busy dads. More on the first months: everything in Dad Life.

FAQ

Can dads get postpartum depression?

Yes. Reviews of dozens of studies put depression in fathers around the birth at roughly 8% to 10%, and higher when the baby is 3 to 6 months old. It’s treatable, so talk to a doctor or call or text the PSI HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773.

When does postpartum depression start in dads?

It can start during the pregnancy or any time in the first year. One large review found it most common when the baby was 3 to 6 months old.

What are the signs of postpartum depression in men?

Often anger, irritability, feeling flat or numb, sleeping badly, drinking more, and pulling away from family, as well as sadness or hopelessness. If it lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or more, talk to a doctor.

Is there a test for postpartum depression in fathers?

Doctors often use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, a short questionnaire that has been tested in fathers. Studies suggest a lower score may be the right cut-off for dads than for moms, so it’s a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a diagnosis on its own.

How can I help my wife with postpartum depression?

Encourage her to call her doctor now rather than waiting for a checkup, offer to make the call or go with her, take on night feeds and housework, and listen. If she has thoughts of harming herself or the baby, get medical care right away; if she seems confused or out of touch with reality, call 911.

Sources