Even Men Get Baby Fever

Men may joke (and groan) about women getting the baby itch, but it seems that they also get the urge as they age.

Although a large part of catching the fever may have something to do with social pressures, “both sexes may have an instinctive internal reaction which makes them yearn for parenthood,” according to a recent study.

While it’s easy to assume that men only want to “spread their seed,” it seems that they want to plant it and watch it grow. Paternal longing does exist.

With the help of his wife, Professor Brase interviewed 1,200 people and came to the conclusion that although men “more frequently desired sex than parenthood,” they can also experience a sudden change of heart (typically when they reach the age of 30) and want to have children.

And the feeling may not be entirely different from women. Maybe when you go to visit your friend’s baby with your husband you find you’re the one cooing and cawing over the cute little babe, but your husband may be secretly melting inside.  “Seeing a baby, hearing a baby, smelling a baby led some people to want to have a baby,” wrote Professor Brase in the journal Emotion.

Then again, it could just be a fleeting feeling. Perhaps we’re biologically designed to have this response when we see babies, but when we go home we realize that having a baby is a huge commitment and responsibility. There are dirty diapers to be changed and, even if they’re cute for awhile, they grow up into hormonal teenagers who want to rebel.

So what’s so valuable about this research?

Studies like this reinforce that it’s not always women who get the itch. There’s no “automatic brain signal” telling us to have babies. This means that not all women are dying to have babies when they’re in their 30s and some men are indeed eager to have kids. No kidding.

Contact the author here: tinybart@morningquickie.com