Becoming a father is often characterized as an emotionally intense and psychologically powerful phenomenon. According to Evan Bass Men’s Clinic, testosterone, along with other hormones such as oxytocin, prolactin, and cortisol, can all serve as the basis for a father’s feelings and experience. The biological transitions direct how a man responds to becoming a father, and also influence how well they will nurture, bond, and support their child throughout fatherhood.
The Hormonal Shift in New Fathers
Testosterone- The role player
People often link testosterone to aggressive behavior, competitiveness, and a need to dominate. But in reality, as men become fathers, they experience their testosterone levels go down. Scientific research indicates this drop isn’t a flaw in being manly, but a biological change that helps with caring for children.
New dads with less testosterone tend to show more empathy, control their emotions better, and crave to be involved in hands-on parenting. This makes fathers more patient, respond better to their babies, and show more affection. This change in hormones helps dads move from competitive urges to nurturing actions—a key shift for a child’s growth.
How Oxytocin Helps Builds Bonds: Oxytocin, also called the ‘love hormone,’ plays a big part in creating bonds between parents and their kids. While people often talk about it with mothers and giving birth, dads also get rushes of oxytocin when they hold, touch, or play with their babies.
According to Evan Bass Men’s Clinic, this surge in hormones doesn’t just foster bonding; it also strengthens a dad’s emotional tie to his kid. Research shows that when fathers have more oxytocin, they tend to make more eye contact, speak more, and act more protective. In essence, this hormone reshapes the male mind, making dads more open and alert, key factors in helping a child feel safe and secure.
Prolactin and Responsiveness
Another hormone that has received less exposure regarding its significance as a hormone of fatherhood is prolactin. While prolactin has typically been associated with lactation in mothers, prolactin also increases in men during their spouse’s pregnancy and postpartum. In fathers, elevated prolactin has been associated with increased responsiveness to a baby’s signals, including crying or discomfort.
Interestingly, research has shown men with higher prolactin levels are more inclined to wake up during the night to meet their infant’s needs, and this is how prolactin strengthens the father-child bond.
Cortisol Motivates to Connect
Cortisol, often called the stress hormone, changes in dads-to-be and new fathers. While high cortisol often seems bad, a slight increase in this hormone can sharpen a dad’s focus and emotional sensitivity to his child. A healthy cortisol response can boost a father’s skill to spot emotional signs and act, helping him care for a newborn with constant, unpredictable needs.
Benefits of Hormone Changes in Fatherhood
The hormone shifts men experience during fatherhood have many upsides:
- Closer emotional ties with kids
- More involvement in parenting
- Higher emotional fulfillment in family life
- Improved support for partners after childbirth
- Better growth outcomes for kids due to engaged fathering
These changes prove that nature prepares men to take on fatherhood duties, not just as providers, but as caretakers and emotional supports.
Fatherhood is not only a social or psychological identity; it is a biological change. By identifying these biological changes, society can better support men as they are becoming active, emotionally engaged fathers, which has implications for families over generations.
