211: Support for Men's Mental Health in Fatherhood

We are talking about how partners are affected and transformed in their journey into parenthood. Fathers need support and education just like mothers do. Join us to learn more!

Scott Mair lives with his wife and seven sons in the UK. He’s here to share how he started supporting new fathers through their journey to new parenthood. Scott is on a mission to set up parental mental health support for parents and promote awareness of paternal mental health. He’s a member of the Paternal Mental Health Alliance, mental health campaigner, trained peer-to-peer leader, team member of the perinatal training CIC, and qualified Beyond Birth mental wellbeing practitioner. In today’s episode, you’ll hear key informative points from Scott about how we can support fathers in the transition to parenthood, as well as how our outdated views of fathers negatively impact men in their transition into fatherhood.

Show Highlights:

• How Scott got started in the field of paternal mental health through the traumatic birth of his seventh son just over two years ago
• How anxiety began building during his wife’s pregnancy with the seventh son, after almost losing her and his son in the previous birth
• How Scott was getting his mental health wrong for years, culminating in the circumstances around the difficult two births
• How approached his local hospital about the need for education for dads about mental health and the realities of parenting
• How the UK is ahead of the US in its long-term plan for perinatal mental health
• How Scott offers support for fathers through charities supported by the NHS
• How mothers and fathers can need support differently, even with the same birth of the same baby
• How Scott convinces men of the need to talk about their mental health and parenting issues
• The myth of masculinity and why we need to work to create a world where men can freely show emotions and vulnerability
• The pressure on moms and dads in pregnancy and parenting
• How Scott learned to assist his wife and support her as a breastfeeding mom
• How to model compassion and authenticity in allowing children to feel emotions and express their feelings
• Scott’s best tips for new parents:
  • Be the parent YOU want to be--not the one society tells you to be.
  • Drown out the noise and opinions of others; try your hardest and find what works best for YOU.
  • Find time for each other as a couple. Make time each day for a brief check-in with each other and enjoy the small moments together.

Resources:

Connect with Scott:

Twitter: @scottmair9

Instagram: @pmh_support