Postnatal mental health: New fathers encouraged to seek support

Nial Sands said it helped him to know he was not alone in needing support

New fathers, who struggled with mental health issues after the births of their babies, are encouraging other men with symptoms to seek help.

Nial Sands realised "something was not right" after the arrival of his baby boy, 11 months ago.

He now attends Dad's Voice in Ballymena, County Antrim, a group that provides a safe space for fathers, who need support through parenting.

"It's nice to know it's not just you feeling the pressure," he said.

Nial, from Draperstown in County Londonderry, told BBC News NI his wife Danielle suffered a traumatic birth which led to her developing postnatal depression.

"I felt helpless - there was nothing I could do and I wanted to be there for her and help her," he said.

Nial said he only realised he was experiencing problems with his own mental health once Danielle had recovered.

"It didn't come out in me until a wee bit afterwards, I think because I had all the responsibilities," he said.

"My wife was obviously not well, so I thought that I had to be the one to look after her and my wee boy."

Danielle began receiving help from a perinatal mental health team, which involved daily visits.

That then led to Nial addressing his own issues.

Perinatal health

"Whenever I spoke to the perinatal team, it was then that I sort of realised that there was something not right with myself and they pushed me to get help and they told me about Dad's Voice," he explained.

"I did go to see the GP as well. The first thing that the GP did was to give me medication and then we spoke about counselling."

Members of Dad's Voice meet in Ballymena

Dr Judith O'Neill, chair of the Perinatal Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland, said perinatal health services had a "think family" approach.

"We do check in with dads and partners and the wellbeing of the entire family," she added.

"I think it's very important - particularly in a postnatal period that parental mental health is as good as possible because we know that this will affect outcomes for the infant and children."

What is postnatal depression?

According to the NHS, postnatal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby.

Signs include a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood. Some people experience difficulty looking after themselves or their babies.

It affects more than one in 10 women within a year of giving birth and the NHS said it can also affect partners.

Postnatal depression in men is not a term that is officially used in Northern Ireland.

However, the Department of Health told BBC News NI it recognised that the postnatal period could be a time of considerable psychological and social stress for fathers and in some instances, this could contribute to the development of depression or depressive symptoms.

Dr Frances O'Hagan, deputy chair of the Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee said men were more prone to depression after the arrival of a new baby.

"I personally don't feel the name is important - it's the condition that is important," she said.

"And the most important thing is that men get help. They put their hand up and say I'm suffering and I need help - and the help is there.

"It's very much an under-recognised condition. A lot of people tend to focus on the mother and not the father - but the father has an equal ability to become depressed."

Depression diagnosis

Neil Dickson, a father-of-two from Ballymena, also attends Dad's Voice.

He said after the birth of a child, the focus was rightfully on the mother's wellbeing, but his message is for partners to speak up if they are struggling.

Neil Dickson said he was diagnosed with depression after his second child was born

"When my first child was born I probably did have depression but I wasn't quite aware of it," he told BBC News NI.

"It was during the pregnancy of the second child that I knew something wasn't quite right. I talked it through with the health visitors and they recommended talking to the GP.

"In March last year, I was diagnosed with depression by the GP - about a month after we had our second child.

"At the time, I just thought parenting was incredibly tough and I wasn't doing a very good job.

"But it turns out through recent counselling that potentially I've been depressed for years.

"In terms of symptoms, I felt nothing. The stuff I usually would have enjoyed, I just did not care about. I just kind of disconnected in general."

'Your GP can do a lot'

Dr O'Hagan said that while mental health services were stretched in Northern Ireland, GPs could provide support.

"Your GP can do a lot - as well as going to counsellors and having provision of primary mental health services - there is a lot that can be done at the GP level."

Neil said he waited too long to seek help.

"By the time I got help I was too low and it's a constant struggle the last year trying to feel myself again."

Darren Beggs said fathers can feel helpless as their partner gives birth

Darren Beggs is the lead facilitator of Dad's Voice and started the group because he noticed a need for more support for new fathers.

He feels depression in the postnatal period in men is not properly recognised in Northern Ireland.

"It's definitely a big life change," he said.

"Dads don't go through the physical change, but they do go through all the emotions of their partner giving birth and feeling helpless."

He added the support group had been an invaluable resource.

"It's nice to go and know it's not just you that is feeling the pressure of being a dad and going through these things - which you think are normal situations - and they should be easy, but sometimes they are just not."