‘New fathers are at risk of trauma’
HEALTH: Campaigners are warning new fathers could be at risk of increased trauma levels of isolation and anxiety because of the toll the coronavirus pandemic is taking on their mental health.
They say there is an increased need to ensure new fathers are being given support as the focus is often on new mothers.
CAMPAIGNERS ARE warning new fathers could be at risk of increased trauma levels of isolation and anxiety because of the toll the coronavirus pandemic is taking on their mental health.
They say there is an increased need to ensure new fathers are being given support as the focus is often on new mothers.
In a special report yesterday,
The Yorkshire Post highlighted how new mothers who have given birth during lockdown have told how they have suffered because of a lack of “after care”.
But new fathers are already twice as likely as other men to have poor mental health.
And when this worsens, both they and their families suffer – and long-term consequences can be severe, the think-tank, the Fatherhood Institute, has warned.
Dr Jeremy Davies, the head of communications at the Fatherhood Institute, said: “Expectant and new fathers see their role as supporting their partner before, during and after the birth.
“Trauma can follow when they feel they have failed.”
The institute, which says it is the world’s leading independent think-tank on fatherhood, will be producing research next month about fathers’ experiences during the Covid lockdown.
Their next survey will gather data on the ways in which fathers are being shut out from maternity care.
The institute said it expects to find increased trauma when fathers have missed the birth or part of a difficult labour, and also when they have not been at a scan when their partner has been given bad news, or have felt ill-informed or poorly equipped to support their wife or partner when healthcare support has ‘gone missing’.
Dr Davies said: “We expect our upcoming research to reveal high levels of isolation and anxiety among new dads, and their babies’ mothers.”
Chloe Hindmarsh, 36, the partner of Neil Gouldson, 40, gave birth to twins at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, in Sheffield, on May 6.
He was only allowed to be present during the ‘active labour’ and spend two hours after with them before they were separated.
He returned to hospital two days later to take his family home.
He said: “For me, it was a bit strange, not really being able to be there that much.”
Mr Gouldson, a record store owner, said it was difficult not being able to introduce the twins to his parents.
“There is the dark side of family not being able to see them but we’ve got to look positively at it because if we focus on all the negatives then you could just spiral into some form of depression.”
In West Yorkshire, father-oftwo Jack Bruce, 26, said it had been difficult to return to work after the April birth of his daughter Violet, at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield. His partner Jessica Rowlands, 23, is also looking after the couple’s son Ezra, who is 16 months old.
Mr Bruce, who works full-time as a police community officer in Leeds, said: “As soon as I leave the house I think, ‘how is she going to cope?’ Ezra is a handful and Violet still hasn’t settled.”
The Fatherhood Institute welcomed the Government’s £5m award to mental health charities to help people struggling due to the pandemic. They have called for extra funding to be provided for online services and other support.
We expect research to reveal high levels of isolation and anxiety. Dr Jeremy Davies, the Fatherhood Institute.