Are men, like women, wired for parenthood?

Even the most manly of men, always have a soft fatherly side.

We’ve all heard of motherly instincts, but Dads too are biologically programmed to care for their children.

According to an article in The Straits Times, research conducted in the USA reveals that the levels of testosterone present in a male, drop when he becomes a father. This, contrary to what most men believe is not a sign that their masculinity is decreasing, but is a move towards parenthood.

This means Dad’s are built to take on a more caring approach towards their kids, in comparison to how they would have reacted towards children prior to fathering their own.

This is good news to Mums around the world. Studies show that men with higher levels of testosterone are more likely to become fathers and there is a substantial drop in the levels of the hormone for at least a short period after.

Lots of mums claim their husbands are more caring and good-natured after they have had a baby. Juliana Lim claims that her husband “became softer” after their baby girl was born. Even extremely masculine men surprise their wives with a side they haven’t revealed before. Linda Ariffin, who has a little boy, says her husband is a man most people fear. “My husband walks and talks like a gangster, but when it comes to our son, he talks in the sweetest manner and has never raised his voice”, she says.

To add to the benefits of being a great Dad, decreased amounts of testosterone are also meant to reduce the risk of cancer. Similar to the way high levels of oestrogen can lead to a greater risk in breast cancer, prolonged exposure to testosterone can result in a greater risk of prostate cancer. It is also proven that the way men behave can often affect hormonal signals instead of it being the other way around.

So when fathers bond with their babies this could automatically signal a decrease in their testosterone levels, making them more committed to their families.

So the best thing for Mums to do, is cherish and encourage good fatherly behavior and enjoy watching their masculine husbands go ga-ga over their kids.

Elizabeth Wong claims that her husband started singing lullabies to their baby when he wasn’t much of a singer at all. “Those moments were priceless”, she says.

Do you believe men reveal a softer side when they have a child?

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Written by

Miss Vanda

Dadsfatherparenting