When we talk about the transformative experience of birth and child-rearing, we almost always focus on mothers. While biomedical research oversamples men, the opposite is true when it comes to research on birth and parenting. In the past few decades, studies have proliferated on how women’s bodies and brains change as they begin their families. Headlines and movie plotlines revolve around overworked moms—often accompanied by the image of inept dads muddling through a diaper change. The antiquated, but persistent, implication is that moms are “natural” parents, instinctive and nurturing, and dads are better left to the boardroom and golf course. With DAD BRAIN: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives (Flatiron; June 9, 2026), psychologist and researcher Darby Saxbe leverages 15 years of studying fathers to do a deep dive into the science behind fatherhood—and what she finds will upend the way we think about men as parents.

Inspired in part by her own hands-on, solo father, Saxbe started asking important questions: What if men are natural parents, too? Does having a baby change men’s bodies and minds? What happens when fathers engage in child-rearing tasks? Saxbe shares hot-off-the-presses findings from her own laboratory studies, from neuroimaging scans and hormone samples to father-child interactions. In writing DAD BRAIN, she interviewed dozens of first-time fathers and traveled the world to connect with other scientists doing groundbreaking work. Full of fascinating stories and insights, DAD BRAIN showcases the science and culture of fatherhood and celebrates dads who are leaning into parenting.