New dads suffer too

UP TO 10 per cent of new fathers are affected by postnatal depression.

The condition is thought to be caused by a combination of lack of sleep, increased pressures of fatherhood and the emotional stress of the birth.

The National Childbirth Trust charity says certain men are more prone to the condition. They include those in already-strained relationships and those whose partner also has postnatal depression.

The best treatment is counselling, support groups and, if necessary, antidepressants.