Parenthood changes men, of course it does. But in this engaging tour of the recent science professor and clinical psychologist Darby Saxbe reveals parenthood fundamentally changes men''s brains and biology. Dad brains shrink (to become more efficient), testosterone levels drop (in a good way); men can even experience a form of postpartum depression, and of course their whole sense of meaning and identity can be challenged and transformed. Based on two decades of research and one of the world''s only longitudinal studies of men''s brains as they become fathers, Dad Brain takes us from the author''s lab in Los Angeles, to a beachfront neuroimaging centre in Barcelona and a midwife''s office in Stockholm. It explores the different ways that men parent in different societies, how trends in men''s involvement with birth and parenting have shifted over the decades, class-based and racist assumptions about absent fathers, the rise of parenting outside the gender binary, old dads versus young dads, and much, much more. Dad Brain explores all the ways in which becoming a father changes men, from their brain to their bodies, from their relationships to their role in society. It shows a good parent is not something you are, it is something you become, whatever your gender.

Autorentext
Darby Saxbe is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Southern California who has conducted one of the world's only longitudinal studies on men's brains as they become fathers. A former Fulbright fellow, she has published over eighty scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, written for the New York Times and Scientific American and has earned awards from the American Psychological Association and the Society for Research in Child Development.

Klappentext

A groundbreaking exploration of how fatherhood transforms men's brains, bodies, health, skills and relationships - showing that men are wired to participate in care, just as women are.

'Saxbe's deeply researched and entertaining book fills a crucial gap in our understanding' Financial Times

'Wonderful . . . it tells us why becoming a dad is so incredibly good for you' Independent

In recent years men's attitudes to fatherhood have changed dramatically. But only now are we learning how profoundly fatherhood changes men's brains and biology - and the effects these changes have on their health, skills, relationships and sense of purpose. In Dad Brain, one of the world's leading researchers of fatherhood, Darby Saxbe, provides a captivating account of this new science, revealing that:

Fathers' brains shrink and their testosterone drops
Fathers undergo a host of hormonal changes once thought only to affect women
Fathers can suffer post-partum depression but enjoy better long-term health
Fathers' style of play makes their kids more resilient
Dads who do more housework are generally happier

Above all, Dad Brain shows that these are all crucial adaptations that enable better parenting but they only come online when fathers invest time into parenthood: the more they do, the more they change for the better. Ultimately it shows a good father is not something you are, it is something you become.

'A terrific addition to the increasing number of fatherhood books' New Scientist

'Fascinating . . . lucid' The Times

'[An] accessible account of the latest science of fatherhood . . . fun . . . interesting . . . valuable' Literary Review

'Saxbe wants to debunk the stereotype that parenting does not come naturally to men and . . . takes particular aim at the myth that they "lack the biology for it"' Sunday Times