5 Ways Becoming a Dad Changes You For The Better

It's common to hear that women change when they have babies. It shouldn't come as a surprise that men change as well.

Just for a minute- Kenyan's, keep your mind away from the likes of guys who’ve been rumored to be deadbeat dads according to a Nairobi Times article published recently.

Even on the international scene, being a father of the year doesn’t seem to favor the most famous male figures in modern society.

As a man, the presence of a baby brings a bundle of joy in your life, along with a few changes that most people tend to be unaware of. If you are wondering how, this article is for you. Let us take a look at some ways becoming a dad might change you.

5 Ways Becoming a Dad Changes You

1. You Naturally Become More Responsible

Nobody is born programmed or hard-wired in such a way that they will know how to take care of their kids. This is something that you learn once you become a dad. When it's just you and your partner, life is a bit simple.

You and your partner can take care of yourselves, especially when you are both working. You often have something extra to get out and have fun.

When a baby comes into your life, however, you reflexively become more responsible. The level of responsibility may vary from one person to the other, but you get the drill. You know you have someone who depends entirely on you.

Considering their innocence, you can’t afford to let them down. Your free time activities are no longer yours alone. It is at that moment that you start learning and becoming that father figure that you ought to be.

2. You Have to Work More

Now that you have extra mouths to feed, and it's not like the bills have become any lesser, you will need to push yourself beyond the comfort zone.

Animals tend to hunt extra to make sure the young ones are well fed. For us humans, especially dads – since mothers will have to be with the baby - like all the time – we are expected to be more productive.

Once you have pushed yourself for a year or so, it becomes the new norm and you become a changed man.

3. Testosterone Variation

It's natural and common to see women change both physically and emotionally once they start eating for two, let alone mothers. This is a natural response that prepares them for the responsibilities ahead.

Furthermore, they have had the baby in them for nine months. As for men, people rarely expect that being a dad will affect them in any way.

While it isn't that evident in males, dads undergo hormonal changes as well. Research has shown that coming into contact with the mother and the child reduces the levels of testosterone, making them less aggressive and bringing them closer to the child.

However, some dads might experience heightened testosterone levels that make them overly protective.

4. Increased Oxytocin

According to a publication on how fatherhood changes a man’s brain, men who take part in childcare have increased levels of oxytocin in their bodies.

The dad’s brain becomes more like mom’s, and changing diapers or feeding the baby becomes a normal chore.

This is because the oxytocin hormone is elevated in the first few months of birth. The increase in this reproductive hormone automatically impacts childcare and behavior around young-lings.

Like all primates, humans as well have a primitive instinct to create a bond and care for their young ones. The increase in the level of oxytocin in their bodies is meant to facilitate this. They become more engaged in playing with their children, and the kids are responsive as well.

5. New Neurons in Dad's Brain

Primates have a unique feature that enables them to recognize the voice of their children even among many. What enables this is the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and olfactory regions of the brain.

The new neurons enable the father to recognize anything that pertains to their child. For mothers, it's more of maternal instinct but as for dads, it takes multiplication of cells in the brain.

Having a kid will for sure change you as a man. This is not to mention the level of joy it brings to some people, especially first-time dads. Most importantly, being a dad tends to add purpose into the life of a man, whether or not he’s the biological father.

As it gives you one more reason to live and hustle harder, it gives you more reasons to appreciate life. The above five pointers highlight just a few of the many changes that come with being a dad (or father figure).