Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood - Why Great Fathers are Made, not Born

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.

'Wonderful . . . it tells us why becoming a dad is so incredibly good for you' Independent
‘Compelling . . . terrific ’ New Scientist
'Fascinating . . . lucid' The Times

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.

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

‘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

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.