Darby Saxbe
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
It's our interpretation.
So the cortisol literature also a bit of a mixed bag.
Some studies find higher cortisol in new dads.
Some studies find lower cortisol.
It's very situational.
But we do know, and I found this in my lab, that hormones like cortisol, prolactin, and testosterone track within couples.
So it may be that dads are kind of in training with a pregnant partner or with a new mom to sort of help jumpstart their own process.
of whether it's neurobiological remodeling or behavioral repertoire.
It's like there's something about proximity to the partner.
So there's like a synchrony within cohabiting couples.
And actually, I've found that when cortisol patterns get too strongly linked, that's a risk factor that makes couples report more...
Dissatisfaction.
Yeah, you need to be balancing.
I often say to people, like, if you think that having a baby will save your relationship, bad idea, right?
If anything, it's going to make it harder.