Volume Two: How Gender Roles Impact a Father's Involvement in Postpartum Care
Postpartum care shouldn’t rest solely on mothers’ shoulders—fathers are essential in closing the gap.
When I became a mother, I was overjoyed to welcome my baby into the world. But just two weeks later, I was navigating single motherhood, left to care for a newborn entirely on my own. The physical pain of childbirth hadn’t subsided, postpartum depression showed up, and the isolation of doing it all alone was overwhelming. My experience revealed how much society expects mothers to shoulder postpartum alone—and how little attention is given to fathers' roles in this critical period.
Mothers disproportionately bear the burden of recovery and caregiving because gender roles position mothers as primary caregivers while sidelining fathers.
The statistics tell the story:
Mothers spend 15 hours per day on caregiving and household tasks postpartum, compared to fathers’ 10 hours.
Only 5% of fathers take two or more weeks of leave, though studies show their involvement improves maternal health outcomes.
Mothers with supportive partners are 20% less likely to develop postpartum depression.
This gap in shared care places immense physical, emotional, and financial strain on mothers.
Looking back, I realize that systemic issues—including a lack of focus on fathers’ roles—worsened my experience. Society rarely equips men to be active partners in postpartum care, reinforcing outdated traditions of caregiving.
However, Father’s active involvement benefits everyone:
Mothers recover faster and experience lower rates of postpartum depression.
Infants experience stronger emotional and cognitive development.
Families are strengthened as caregiving becomes a shared responsibility.
My journey through postpartum showed me how crucial fathers are in closing the maternal health gap. Fathers are not secondary players—they’re essential.