'Felt No Joy': China Stay-At-Home Dad Talks About Male Postpartum Depression

In Sichuan, China, a 32-year-old man made a life-changing decision, one that challenged both traditional gender roles and his mental health. Once a successful sales manager earning over 20,000 yuan (around ₹2.3 lakh) a month, he gave it all up to become a stay-at-home dad to his infant daughter, Jasmine. With both grandparents unavailable and his wife holding a demanding government job, he took on full-time parenting duties after Jasmine's birth in May 2023. What followed was a daily grind that started at 6 a.m. and stretched into sleepless nights, feedings, diaper changes, playtime, hospital visits, and more, that too, all alone.

Known online as Jasmine’s Dad, he documented his fatherhood journey on Chinese social media, eventually gaining over 11,000 followers, according to the South China Morning Post. But behind the likes and views was a harsh reality—loneliness, relentless exhaustion, and growing resentment.

Isolation, Criticism, and Divorce

Despite his dedication, he was met with criticism, even when Jasmine was critically ill with pneumonia, and he spent five days by her hospital bed without sleep or a shower. “Both families blamed me,” he said.

His wife, who only returned home on weekends, offered little support. “She often got upset when I did not change Jasmine’s clothes,” he shared. “But I was just too overwhelmed to manage it.”

The strain eventually led to their divorce. And in a recent video, he also revealed that he had been diagnosed with postpartum depression.

Dads Break Down Too

Though often associated with new mothers, postpartum depression can affect fathers too, often manifesting as anxiety, irritability, sleep issues, and physical symptoms like joint pain or headaches. His fatherhood story has sparked intense debate across Chinese social media, amassing over 4 million views.

Some were unsympathetic. One user wrote, “You are a father, not the one who had morning sickness, a C-section, sore nipples, or hormone changes. What do you have to be depressed about?”

Others offered empathy: “People forget that fathers are new to parenting, too. It’s not a solo job.” One father even commented, “I’m a full-time dad of two. I’ve sacrificed my social life, but I’m proud of the parent I’ve become.”

Now earning just 4,000 yuan (₹46,000) a month through livestreams and baby product sales, Jasmine’s Dad says he can still feel the emotional weight of parenting on himself. He urges the society to recognize that fathers, too, need support, saying “I felt no joy — only exhaustion. It felt like my life had been wasted.”