Mutual benefits for dad and baby
As well as changes in hormone levels, when you become a dad, your brain physically changes too.
“We see changes in those areas which we need to be able to parent well”, says Anna. “So, for example, in the outer brain we see increases in areas needed for skills such as planning, focussing without distraction and problem solving. In the unconscious brain, we see activity in areas related to nurturing and risk detection, which are needed to know your baby is safe”.
The latter is something that Tom has definitely experienced first-hand. “You’re just worrying all the time. Definitely more than before. If I’m walking down the road, I’ll look behind me when cars are coming to see if they’re randomly going to veer off the road towards me whenever I’ve got the baby!”.
As well as being more risk-aware, dads often become more sensitive, particularly when it comes to children. “You become much more empathetic to others’ pain”, says Anna. “Many dads I speak to will say ‘I can’t watch news reports about children any more, I just become this heap of tears and blubber’”. Tom’s been feeling this too, particularly when watching the BBC’s Life and Birth series. “It brings me to tears. It wouldn’t have affected me before, but now it really does”.
We see increases in areas needed for skills such as planning, focussing without distraction and problem solving.
