Breaking the Silence

Dad's have our own form of postpartum:

There has been talk about how having a child can be very isolating and there's also a ton of information on postpartum depression for moms, but I have never heard dad's talk about what it's like for them. It's time we break the silence. My own personal experience has been interesting. My wife and I are both out of work. In some ways it's been a fortunate thing, since we get to spend time with our baby, in these first few years of life. Yet as a new dad, I have experienced some fear and longing. I am currently taking a strong look at my dreams and considering changing my plans in order to create a safe environment for my family. Also, if your wife is breast feeding, which mine is, there's a really cool bond that takes place between her and this new spirit hanging out at my house. At first I felt really left out. And I am a real present father. I know how to create other ways to bond. I was a big fan of skin on skin hanging out. Changing diapers. I take baths with my baby so that we can have "our" time. We take walks, we play. It's awesome. I feel it's important to be conscious of the fact that we as Dad's are dealing with the transition as well, in our own way. Some dad's go crazy with making MONEY in order to compensate for their fear, other dad's get extremely protective, and I have heard couples have a real hard time regaining their former relationships. Regardless of what your position is on this, Dad's have feelings too. I am a "new dad", I have never been a dad before, I have never been at this place, with these people, in this situation right now, before. So sometimes there are emotions that are hard to define, reactions that come out of nowhere, and times where we feel overwhelmed for whatever reason too. Granted, the mom's experience is unique, it's amazing, but we do have something to do with it. It took us together, and currently you aren't parenting alone. I feel very fortunate that my wife is who she is, and that she does her best, and there's a new found sexy watching your wife become a mom, and witnessing this very cool part of her emerge, I respect her more than I ever could have imagined. No book prepared me, and my feelings change by the hour, they have this beginning middle and end, and they pass. But I am having feelings. Maybe postpartum is not the right term, but dad's have feelings too.