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New dads can experience depression, too

1 in 10 dads experience anxiety or depression in their child's first year.

Illustration of a man in black and white looking at his reflection in water

The dads who throw themselves into fatherhood may also be the ones most at risk for depression, says clinical psychologist and &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Dad Brain" data-vars-click-url="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250387523/dadbrain/" data-vars-content-id="517e169a-0e72-41e9-bac7-b94f1a590715" data-vars-headline="New dads can experience depression, too" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250387523/dadbrain/" target="_blank">Dad Brain</a>&quot; author Darby Saxbe.Why it matters: New dads are often treated as the support system, not someone who might need support — yet when one parent struggles, so does the other.

Wellness Brief

Doulas don't just help welcome new life — there's a growing field of end-of-life doulas.

Why it matters: Although birth often comes with celebration, typically "we don't do that with death, even though it's just as impactful, it's just as dramatic, it's just as important," says Patricia Harmon, an end-of-life doula in Twin Cities.

State of play: As discussion of death has gotten less taboo, more people are calling upon death doulas to help them thoughtfully plan their final days.

Even public figures including Nicole Kidman and filmmaker Chloé Zhao have talked in interviews this year about training to become death doulas.

How it works: Harmon says she can help death doula clients with:

Sorting legal matters like health care directives and wills.

Making burial plans, which can include post-death bathing and/or shrouding and celebrations of life (now often before death).

Reflecting on their life and considering a "legacy project," like an art piece made with grandkids.

Planning for an end-of-life vigil, including pain medication preferences, who they want in the room and whether they want people to tell funny stories.

Zoom in: Harmon is a board chair of the Minnesota Death Collaborative, which was launched in 2018 and has a statewide conference Sept. 27 with 125 attendees expected.

The MDC's first conference was two years ago with 75 attendees.

The field is growing "slower than some people would like," Harmon says. One factor is that death doulas aren't currently covered by insurance.

The bottom line: Frankly discussing and planning for death gives people more agency over how they die, instead of treating it as something that just happens to them, Harmon says.

"I don't talk about transitioning and passing; I talk about dying and death," Harmon says. "Personally, I feel like those euphemisms are part of an old way of thinking, pretending that's not what it is."

More Minnesotans are calling in death doulas

As talking about death has gotten less taboo, more people are calling upon death doulas to help them thoughtfully plan their final days.

Illustration of a collage of hands holding and a bouquet of flowers behind a curtain. 


Doulas don&#x27;t just help <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="welcome new life" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/21/doula-care-medicaid-insurance" data-vars-content-id="78b7cacd-ff4d-4fd6-a13b-e466078283fa" data-vars-headline="More Minnesotans are calling in death doulas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/21/doula-care-medicaid-insurance" target="_self">welcome new life</a> — there&#x27;s a growing field of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="end-of-life doulas" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/04/21/death-doulas-chicago-collective" data-vars-content-id="78b7cacd-ff4d-4fd6-a13b-e466078283fa" data-vars-headline="More Minnesotans are calling in death doulas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/04/21/death-doulas-chicago-collective" target="_self">end-of-life doulas</a>.Why it matters: Although birth often comes with celebration, typically &quot;we don&#x27;t do that with death, even though it&#x27;s just as impactful, it&#x27;s just as dramatic, it&#x27;s just as important,&quot; says Patricia Harmon, an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="end-of-life doula" data-vars-click-url="https://liminamn.com/" data-vars-content-id="78b7cacd-ff4d-4fd6-a13b-e466078283fa" data-vars-headline="More Minnesotans are calling in death doulas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://liminamn.com/" target="_blank">end-of-life doula</a> in Twin Cities.

Doula care is now more mainstream — embraced by major insurers and increasingly seen as a standard part of pregnancy rather than a niche choice.

Why it matters: Earlier research from the Minnesota School of Public health linked doula support to lower cesarean rates and fewer preterm births, while a newer review of clinical and pilot trials found the strongest evidence around anxiety, breastfeeding initiation and postpartum follow-up.

The latest: UnitedHealthcare recently announced it would allow coverage of doula care in employer-sponsored plans nationwide — a significant move into the private insurance space.

Improving outcomes for birthing people and infants also reduces the total cost of giving birth on the health care system, UHC tells Axios.

Midwives perform medical tasks like cervical checks and delivering babies.

Doulas offer continuous nonmedical support — affirmations, position changes, advocacy in the hospital — before, during and after birth, says Nicole Sessions, an experienced doula and maternal mental health researcher.

What they're saying: As awareness of doulas has increased, now "many people expect us to be in the room" for a delivery, Sessions tells Axios. "There's a lot more camaraderie" among hospital staff.

Zoom out: Doula care has become a key tool for addressing the disproportionately high rate of maternal death among Black women.

Sessions argues that “culturally competent,” community-based doulas — people who share a patient’s race, neighborhood or life experience — can better build trust and advocate in the room, especially when Black doulas are supporting Black pregnant people.

Doulas go mainstream

Research links doula support to lower cesarean rates and fewer preterm births.

Melina Laverde, left, performs cranial sacral therapy on Sanaai Lynae, two weeks old, during a postpartum checkup on Destyni McClain in Houston.

A practitioner performs craniosacral therapy on a 2-week-old infant during a postpartum checkup in 2025. Photo: Ashleigh Lucas/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Doula care is now more mainstream — embraced by major insurers and increasingly seen as a standard part of pregnancy rather than a niche choice.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Earlier research" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sph.umn.edu/news/study-shows-doula-care-is-cost-effective-associated-with-reduction-in-preterm-and-cesarean-births/" data-vars-content-id="83b7ed11-c2c1-484c-9697-9864ee1665c9" data-vars-headline="Doulas go mainstream" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sph.umn.edu/news/study-shows-doula-care-is-cost-effective-associated-with-reduction-in-preterm-and-cesarean-births/" target="_blank">Earlier research</a> from the Minnesota School of Public health linked doula support to lower cesarean rates and fewer preterm births, while a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="newer review" data-vars-click-url="https://jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.8416&amp;utm_campaign=articlePDF%26utm_medium=articlePDFlink%26utm_source=articlePDF%26utm_content=jamanetworkopen.2026.8416" data-vars-content-id="83b7ed11-c2c1-484c-9697-9864ee1665c9" data-vars-headline="Doulas go mainstream" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.8416&amp;utm_campaign=articlePDF%26utm_medium=articlePDFlink%26utm_source=articlePDF%26utm_content=jamanetworkopen.2026.8416" target="_blank">newer review</a> of clinical and pilot trials found the strongest evidence around anxiety, breastfeeding initiation and postpartum follow-up.

Adapted from National Health Law Program; Map: Axios Visuals

More than half of U.S. states now reimburse for doula care under Medicaid — a dramatic shift from just a few years ago.

State of play: Minnesota was the first state to cover doula services for pregnant and postpartum patients through Medicaid, in 2014.

A decade later, the state more than doubled its number of doula sessions without prior authorization (to 18), and raised the cost of doula services (from $411 to $3,200).

By the numbers: 28 states and D.C. are actively reimbursing as of June 1, according to the National Health Law Program. Before 2020, only Minnesota and Oregon did.

That's "a lot of progress" in a few years, says Amy Chen, senior attorney at NHeLP.

Between the lines: "In process" states have a defined path toward coverage but aren't reimbursing yet. "Adjacent action" states have taken related steps without a concrete plan to cover doula services through Medicaid, Chen says.

What we're watching: Whether "in process" states follow through — or quietly stall, as Montana already has amid President Trump's cuts to Medicaid.

Minnesota was first: Where doulas are covered by Medicaid

More than half of U.S. states now reimburse for doula care under Medicaid.

A U.S. map shows state efforts to expand Medicaid coverage of doulas, as of June 1,  2026. 28 states and D.C. are actively reimbursing doula care. 13 states have taken adjacent actions. 6 states have implementations in process and 3 have either failed to pass legislation or have not taken action.

More than half of U.S. states now reimburse for doula care under Medicaid — a dramatic shift from just a few years ago.

Picture this: A concert venue filled with glow sticks, dance beats — and tiny hands in the air.

That's a "Toddler Rave," Australian DJ Lenny Pearce's show that's making a stop in St. Paul this month.

The big picture: Pearce has built a following by turning songs like "The Wheels on the Bus" into EDM bangers, and those tracks into an interactive show that caters both to little ones and to their raver parents.

Catch up quick: His first viral hit was a "Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes" techno remix in 2023. Last year, he toured internationally and sold out U.S. dates.

"I must have just been in like a silly head space, maybe a toddler head space" when remixing his first nursery rhyme songs, Pearce tells Axios.

But the kids' music genre is familiar to the producer: He's the twin brother of a Wiggle and the father of two young kids.

By the numbers: Family-friendly raves are taking off.

The event category grew 93% from 2024 to 2025 nationally, according to Eventbrite data shared with Axios.

Yes, but: Entertaining the world's most brutally honest audience isn't easy.

"Kids can stare at you and I'm like, 'Oh my God, is he bored of me?'" Pearce says. He's learned that toddlers do better with action and cues than music alone.

What to expect: "I try not to make it all about 'put your hands up and jump,' so I have props that come out, I introduce characters," including Kuma the monkey, Bubbles the DJ duck and Mr. Glow the glowstick maker.

If you go: Pearce's Toddler Rave is Oct. 18 at the Palace Theatre.

Tickets range from about $40 to $140 for VIP. Babies under 1 year old don't require a ticket.

Doors open at 11am for the 12:30pm show, which is an hour long.

A "toddler rave" is coming to St. Paul

DJ on a raised stage with a gold-on-black banner reading "5 LITTLE DUCKS"; front row features large yellow ducks with headphones and a rainbow stack, crowd visible.

DJ Lenny Pearce has appropriate props for the song "Five Little Ducks." Photo: Courtesy of Trey Karson

Picture this: A concert venue filled with glow sticks, dance beats — and tiny hands in the air.<ul><li>That&#x27;s a &quot;Toddler Rave,&quot; Australian DJ Lenny Pearce&#x27;s show that&#x27;s making a stop in St. Paul this month.</li></ul>The big picture: Pearce has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="built a following" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tiktok.com/@lenjpearce?lang=en" data-vars-content-id="d5ebd50a-298f-4a13-9495-37099e75e58a" data-vars-headline="A &quot;toddler rave&quot; is coming to St. Paul" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lenjpearce?lang=en" target="_blank">built a following</a> by turning songs like &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Wheels on the Bus" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na_2m_FQV9c&amp;list=RDNa_2m_FQV9c&amp;start_radio=1" data-vars-content-id="d5ebd50a-298f-4a13-9495-37099e75e58a" data-vars-headline="A &quot;toddler rave&quot; is coming to St. Paul" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na_2m_FQV9c&amp;list=RDNa_2m_FQV9c&amp;start_radio=1" target="_blank">The Wheels on the Bus</a>&quot; into EDM bangers, and those tracks into an interactive show that caters both to little ones and to their raver parents.

Carly Mallenbaum

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