Okay, this may be a little long. I have a baby who is 4 months old. I wanted a baby for several years, but my husband didn’t. As soon as he said we can start trying, I was pregnant within two months.

He had just come around to the idea of having a baby, and so it was a huge shock to him that it happened so quick. Another piece of back story, is he has raised my daughter, but did not come into her life until she was almost 2. So, he was not a part of the baby stage with her.

He has been so wonderful, supportive, caring. He takes the baby so I can take a long bubble bath. He tries to help around the house. He helps with laundry. He is wonderful with our daughter, and he’s really giving it his best shot with our son, but he is struggling.

He gets so overwhelmed. We both work from home, and due to COVID, we have chosen to keep the baby at home for a while instead of a daycare. Neither of us really have a “break”. We’ve had one date night since he was born, and that was just going to a friends house for a few hours.

Whenever the baby starts crying, he can never seem to get him to stop. So, the baby gets louder. He’ll change a diaper, try to feed him, rock him, walk around with him, etc.

This has led my husband to really struggle with bonding with our son. He feels defeated and in over his head. I’ve tried to tell him to go out and do something for a day to get a break, but he doesn’t want to.

I know PPD is usually in women, and is caused by hormonal changes.... but, is it possible for a man to have a male version of PPD?

What can I do to help? We have talked about hiring one of our friends to keep him once or twice a week while we work. She doesn’t work, and she’s in nursing school (online right now). We trust her. She keeps two little boys after school, but i get off at 2:30, so I can pick my son up before those little boys get to her house.

I’d love some advice on how to help my husband.