Dad’s moods affect baby’s crying habits
Jul 22, 2009
<b>Grain of science</b><br>Science has established that pregnant mothers, who are moody or stressed, deliver crying or colicky babies. But the Dutch researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam have studied fathers for over a year now and have
Grain of science
Science has established that pregnant mothers, who are moody or stressed, deliver crying or colicky babies. But the Dutch researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam have studied fathers for over a year now and have added onto the discovery.
Early this month, their research revealed that moody dads can also contribute to excessive crying by infants.
For years, the focus has been on blue moms, especially those suffering from postpartum depression.
However, the new study turns its attention to fathers and their state of well-being during the mother’s pregnancy.
The researchers looked at infants of about two months of age and discovered that 2.5% of them cried excessively, meaning more than three extended crying incidents a week lasting over three hours daily.
Generally, parents with excessive criers had a 30% greater risk for depression and dads who displayed symptoms of depression were twice as likely as non-depressed fathers to have babies who wailed for hours on end.
The study concludes that fathers do matter. So take care for the mental well-being of fathers during pregnancy.
Science has established that pregnant mothers, who are moody or stressed, deliver crying or colicky babies. But the Dutch researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam have studied fathers for over a year now and have added onto the discovery.
Early this month, their research revealed that moody dads can also contribute to excessive crying by infants.
For years, the focus has been on blue moms, especially those suffering from postpartum depression.
However, the new study turns its attention to fathers and their state of well-being during the mother’s pregnancy.
The researchers looked at infants of about two months of age and discovered that 2.5% of them cried excessively, meaning more than three extended crying incidents a week lasting over three hours daily.
Generally, parents with excessive criers had a 30% greater risk for depression and dads who displayed symptoms of depression were twice as likely as non-depressed fathers to have babies who wailed for hours on end.
The study concludes that fathers do matter. So take care for the mental well-being of fathers during pregnancy.