The Importance Of Postpartum Distress

To parents, childbirth can be some of the best or worst times of their lives. A mother and father, together, bring their child into the world, but many fathers' intimate time in the beginning of their child's life is lost due to work. Worldwide, the government supports women through the birth of their child by giving them a period of maternity leave from work. However, many fathers are missing out on getting a similar period of time to care for their child and wife. Many times after childbirth, women possibly need as much support and care as their newborn. They may come to face hemorrhoids or postpartum depression as a result of childbirth. This is a depression of a mother following childbirth which approximately 10-15% of women experience. Two studies in 2013 found one in ten moms may get postpartum OCD, and that postpartum anxiety may be more common than PPD ("How Many Women Really Get PPD?"). Even if they don't experience any of these obstacles after birth, they still need time to heal. It is believed women are healed from child birth after six weeks but according to recent studies, it can take up to a year to fully heal (Paxman). This will be one of the times where the father's support is needed most not only for the newborn, but …show more content…
A dad who takes two or more weeks off after the birth of his child ends up more involved in his child’s direct care nine months later — changing diapers, feeding, bathing — than a father who doesn’t take leave. Men who can take paternity leave also end up being more competent and committed fathers later in their children’s lives