Research-backed
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Dad-Baby Bond
007? – Nope!
There may be around 7000+ languages in the world, but an apt word is still unavailable to describe the amazing feeling a dad encounters when he sees his newborn. It is an unspoken truth that babies form their first and foremost bond with their mothers, but that doesn’t mean the bond they share with their dads is insignificant.
Researchers say that the overall well-being of the baby depends also on the father’s involvement, early on in their lives. It can reduce the risk of any ailment in the child. The bond that fathers share with their babies has an impact on the child’s social, emotional, and educational development. All of which indirectly shape their babies to become either responsible or irresponsible kids.
Babies who share a good bond with their fathers grow up healthy and stress-free. This means that it is necessary for a father to spend quality time with his baby right from day one!
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Hormonal Peek-A-Boos
We know about the hormonal changes a mommy-to-be undergoes. However, most people are unaware that a dad-to-be also experiences many hormonal changes to cope with the new demands that fatherhood brings. Many studies were (and are still) conducted to know whether it’s nature’s way of preparing men to become indulgent dads!
A 2010 study conducted by researchers from the department of psychology at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, shows that contact with a newborn induces hormonal changes in fathers (1). The study examined the plasma levels of hormones like prolactin in 43 fathers when they interacted with their infants.
Hormones such as testosterone and estradiol are the ones related to caregiving and bonding. During mom’s prenatal period, first-time dads also experienced a significant fall in testosterone and estradiol hormone levels. In general, fathers have lower testosterone levels than non-fathers (2).
A co-author of the study and an associate professor of psychology at the University of Michigan quotes that lower testosterone levels promote nurturance and makes you less aggressive, which is good, especially if you are around kids!
The study suggests that this hormone shift just happens in men when thinking about becoming a new dad. In addition, it had a notable impact on the bond they had with their newborns – they were more in tune and affectionate with their babies.
Oxytocin, also known as the ‘love hormone’ (the spoiler is in the name!) plays a vital role in paternal engagement. It helps promote bonding with babies and affects both the parents’ behaviour at similar levels after the birth of their little ones.
Another recent study on first-time fathers revealed that the effect of oxytocin in father’s body is the same as that on the mothers. Evaluated right after birth, twice at 6 weeks and 6 months, this study shed a light on the hormone effect on new fathers and their improved bond with their babies (3).
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Usually, a surge in the oxytocin hormone level is found in women during childbirth and breastfeeding. It’s also found that these hormones get a boost in men when they engage in stimulatory parenting like cuddling, kissing, caressing, hugging or smiling at their newborn. It was also shown to increase in activities that didn’t involve them actively touching their baby such as during baby-talking and rocking the crib.
Hence, if you are a dad-to-be who is daunted by his new responsibilities, just set aside your deceptive nightmares and focus on creating that everlasting bond with your little one. This will help mold your newborn to become a happy, healthy and responsible adult one day. So, what are you waiting for? Get ready to cuddle and cherish the wondrous charm your little one can weave on you!
