“The most important thing that a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” – T.M. Hesburgh
The pregnancy will have more meaning for both you and your partner if you stay involved throughout it. If you stay tuned, you can ensure that your partner has the best pregnancy she can.
Make sure that your partner gets good and regular prenatal care. You should make every effort to attend her appointments with her. She will really appreciate it and you don’t want to miss the sound of your baby’s heartbeat! It will also help you to stay informed about her pregnancy and what she is going through as it progresses.
Support your partner by helping plan and prepare healthy meals. It will be easier for her to stick to a balanced diet and regular exercise (according to doctor’s guidelines) when you share these things with her. Walking together gives you the perfect opportunity to talk about the future and will help you both to relax and get a better night’s sleep. You will also show your support when you quit cigarettes and alcohol during her pregnancy.
She won’t comfortably be able to do housework and probably won’t feel like cooking. When you help around the house it gives her more time off her feet.
Don’t forget you are in this together for the long haul and plan to share the work and the fun; decide who will do what when the baby arrives.
Try to be understanding of your partner and the emotional changes she is going through, which will probably exhibit themselves as mood swings. You should both try to listen and help each other by talking through things as they present themselves.
Remember that being a parent is something that you learn. Read about things that you need to know. Lots of information is available at your local library.
You should participate in childbirth classes and after the baby comes you should take an emergency first aid course with a focus on children. Other courses you could take with your partner include baby sign language.
In the end, it’s important that you can keep your sense of humour!
