Pregnancy is hard on us women for sure! But what about for dad’s, support partners, mums and anyone supporting you, here are top tips for dads during pregnancy.
What are some things that they may need to know? Top tips for dads during pregnancy is going to help with that!
Super clear super easy ways for you to feel a bit more apart of what truly is yours and your partners pregnancy.
I am going to split this post into top tips for dads, and top tips for mums to support dads!
Things to remember for anyone:
- It is ok to feel nervous!
- Not loving being pregnant won’t affect how much you love your baby
- Pregnancy isn’t easy and it is totally normal to have a range of feelings throughout your journey
- Pregnancy will pass. Even though right now it may feel like you will be pregnant forever, it won’t be long before your baby is in your arms.
- Whatever you feel during pregnancy will not change how you parent. Only you can decide what sort of parent you are going to be.
Pregnancy is for sure a long hard journey. But it is rewarding. Personally throughout my pregnancy I have kept the end in mind a lot.
That was the easiest way to get through the sickness. Now at 35 weeks I am starting to realise this is going to be over really soon!
Now instead of wanting the feeling of not being pregnant, I am nervous to not be pregnant!
Tip 1: Be understanding…
Okay, I know this is totally generic and I promise no more; “be supportive”, “hold her hair back if she is sick.”
Being understanding is actually important. It doesn’t always come naturally especially when you may not really know a lot about pregnancy or what’s going on in her body.
She might not either! Sometimes finding out can help us to understand better.
Pregnancy is a time of super BIG changes. What can be tricky is at the start you can see pretty much NONE, I repeat none of those changes.
The early days of my pregnancy from about 3weeks onwards , bought extreme exhaustion. Like I have never needed so much sleep… EVER.
I would put money on it my poor fiancé was thinking what the heck is this lazy egg doing! (I was thinking that to lol…)
I would do nothing and could still sleep solidly for 15-20hours a day…
What neither of us knew was that although we couldn’t see anything. Well other than me sleeping through all 15 alarms I set.
Was that the first trimester is when your body is completing most of the hard work pumping out new hormones, turning a ball of cells into a baby, and changing everything about you to prepare you for it to feel like your carrying a watermelon IN YOUR TUMMY!
So remember the pregnant body is doing so much, so little things like letting her go to bed early, maybe cooking some dinners, and seeing if she needs to talk about the changes she’s feeling are all amazing things for to be dads to do.
So top tips for dads during pregnancy… do your research!
Tip 2: Research
Pregnancy like I have said probably 10 times already, is a time full of big changes, sometimes stress, and sometimes sickness.
“Knowledge Is Power”
Preparing yourself is going to make this process so much easier for you, plus ties in to being understanding.
I am so lucky to have had my fiancé supporting me like he has. Although I know it probably hasn’t been easy for him, as I wasn’t very kind at the start.
If we had any concerns on what I could or couldn’t eat he would be the first one to google “is it ok for pregnant women to eat tinned salmon?” (wild salmon is great btw)
Simple little things like that can really win your brownie points with your pregnant partner. Also if you know she isn’t meant to eat something high risk. You can tell her.
Don’t be surprised if she is super grumpy about it at the time, she will thankyou later I promise.
Don’t be afraid to get books out, to google things, to ask your midwife plenty of questions and I can’t stress enough how cool it is when a dad is super into knowing what is going on!
Tip 3: Antenatal classes
Another part of this section is antenatal classes! Antenatal classes are a great opportunity to meet other parents and to learn from knowledgeable people what you need to be doing to prepare.
For us I was really unwell when I was due to book my classes and I didn’t get in in time. This actually worked out better as my partner has a job where he works some big changing hours.
So the chances he may have missed some were huge. We are doing online antenatal classes that we can do in the comfort of our own home at our own pace and it is great!
Click the link below to have a look at the Hatched Antenatal classes if you think they may work for you! I am not sponsored in any way I am just totally in love with these classes.
https://www.hatchedantenatal.co.nz/
Tip 4: Spend time with baby while she’s still inside!
This may sound a bit funny but I am serious it is so important. Spending time with your pregnant partner and your bubs while she is still ‘in the oven’.
This is definitely a top tips for dads during pregnancy. Do you know why?
At 18 weeks your babies ears begin to work, they will notice mums heartbeat a lot. At about 27 weeks onwards they will notice your voice very easily.
Now at 35 weeks the minute my fiancé gets home at night as soon as he starts talking baby’s moving round! It is a see it to believe it thing and totally magical.
Spending time at night holding mums belly while baby moves around and maybe even kicks you will increase the connection you feel with your baby. This will help when it comes time to being born.
Chatting to your baby is another great way to help her learn your voice, when she comes out having things she knows will be a big security for her.
Making an active choice and effort to bond with your baby even while she is still inside. Is a great way to begin feeling that connection before she is born.
Tip 5: Make it too as many midwife appointments and scans as possible
We all have super busy lives, and not everyone is lucky enough to have understanding bosses.
Midwife appointments from about 12 weeks onwards will check your baby’s heartbeat and this is an incredible connecting time.
Hearing bubs and being there to understand progress and plans being put in place is such a wonderful process and something you will enjoy being a part of.
Another tip for dads during pregnancy is make the scans a priority. Although hearing the heartbeat on the doppler is magic. There is nothing quite like seeing your baby.
Seeing their heartbeat and seeing them shift around really builds a connection that will serve you in the time to come.
Scans are where you find out good news and find out bad news and seeing your baby is always wonderful.
If I could stress anything it is make it to those scans, and midwife appointments within reason!
That wraps up the main advice I have for dads during pregnancy! Go easy on yourself and on your pregnant lady!
!Playing with baby gadgets can help dad feel helpful!)
Bonus tip 1: Make dad feel loved and important
As soon as you are pregnant a whole lot of fuss goes on to the pregnant mum and baby.
It is totally normal during this time for dads to feel a bit envious or left out.
For me I made it my job to ensure I was asking my partner how he was feeling during the early days.
No one else was….
So although I was really grumpy sometimes I always tried to make sure he felt included. This was half of him and half of me.
Bonus tip 2: Be kind
It is so simple to be kind.
Although I know pregnancy can make you feel a range of ways towards your partner.
Try to be kind, this isn’t his fault. Remember your hormones are making you feel odd things and this isn’t anyone’s fault!
Being kind in general or at least trying to will make you feel better in the long run I can guarantee.
Bonus tip 3: Make him feel heard and include him as much as possible
Although you are the one carrying the baby, making dad a part of it is so important.
In the end this baby is half yours and half his. It is really important to make him feel heard and to include him in decision making throughout your pregnancy.
Practicing making decisions together during your pregnancy will stand you in good stead for parenting your baby in the years to come.
He deserves to feel heard and whatever you do don’t diminish him for being excited. Don’t ever make him feel like cause you are carrying the baby he is less of a parent.
You will know this isn’t the truth! What a blessing to be able to do this together don’t forget that!
So to both mums and dads! Go easy on each other pregnancy especially the first one is unknown territory.
Just always remember you can’t see what is going on inside but there is so much taking place.
So without a doubt that was Top Tips For Dads During Pregnancy!
RELATED POSTS:
See you in the next post!
Share this with your friends!
Leave me a comment what tip is the best?
Follow me below…
Leave a Reply