All the to-be-Dads out there who have read or gone through “What to expect when you’re expecting” your first baby, we all know nothing can really prepare you for joys and challenges, love and care of fatherhood. Here you can find a list of practical guides for being a responsible dads during pregnancy and when you bring your baby home.
1. Becoming a Father –
Having your first baby changes your priorities. Both men and women face some common problems on becoming new parents. However, father’s tend to focus more on financial responsibilities. Their joy is often mixed with anxiety. Remember that you are not alone in these doubts and fears it’s completely normal to have mixed emotions. Talk to your partner and discuss the life changes that lie ahead so that your new family member will be a great part of your new beginning.
2. Supporting your partner during pregnancy –
Pregnancy can be difficult both physically and emotionally for you and your partner. So you need to support your partner for an easy and calm process. Get more involved with the house work and outdoors so that your partner can get a good amount of rest. So these are the few things you need to keep in mind when you’re taking care of your partner for a healthy and sweet baby. Your partner will have a lot of doubts about pregnancy including emotions, feelings especially for the first-time mum can be a little worried. She would be a bit tensed about things like, Is the baby doing, what will the labour be like or would she have to undergo a C-section. Be the hand she can hold onto and the shoulder she can cry on in this beautiful journey for both of you becoming first time parents.
3. Read up on Fatherhood
Women tend to do a lot of research on various parenting-related topics after they give birth (and sometimes they do it before they become pregnant as well). But this research shouldn’t simply be left up to the child’s mother.One of the things a father should do before their baby arrives is research and learn as much as they can about taking care of infants. Doing research like this can be very helpful, and their partners will be grateful for their in-depth understanding. It’s easier to handle all the stress of pregnancy when you don’t have to explain everything to your partner.
4. Helping your partner to get the Doctor/Midwife appointment Have a safe time ahead –
Make sure you keep aside time for giving an adequate amount of time to your partner for the doctor’s appointments. This will let her feel that you are and will be with her all the way in the pregnancy. You should also know what’s going on in the pregnancy and can help you to be better prepared. Lastly, it will help you connect with your newborn baby.
5. Help her get some sleep –
Sleeping in pregnancy gets difficult and uncomfortable as she is not allowed to move her body fully because the baby is in her bump. A full body pillow that will make side sleeping a bit more comfortable. Also supporting the back as back pain is the one which is seen from a very long time in all the first pregnant ladies to go through and cradling the belly will be a gift she would appreciate.
6. Be patient –
Pregnancy affects hormones. Your partner may feel happy one minute and may be emotional the other minute. Try to be patient, understanding and loving.This is the time when you both need to keep calm and make it go in a smooth way as mood swings are playing a major role in pregnancy so you need to handle that thing very calmly.
7. You’re in it together –
Support her by pleasing some of the habits that she has to stop because of the pregnancy. For example, giving up alcohol and coffee. Exercise is crucial for the mum and baby, go for a walk or hit the gym together.This will help you and your partner to nourish the health of both baby and mum. Also you need to keep in mind that you both are expecting a baby together so you both should equally spare time together to keep your new little member comfortable.
8. Help her through the morning sickness –
Affecting about 75% of pregnant women, morning sickness is the most difficult part of pregnancy. Its symptoms include headache, excessive sleepiness, nausea and vomiting so help her if she is facing any of them. sickness may begin from about a month after conception and go on until a particular time period of pregnancy.
9. Quit Smoking –
If you’re a smoker, stop doing it as it has an adverse effect on your partner as well as the baby. Cigarette smoking can be dangerous for babies. If you do so, make sure you don’t do it near your partner. This can lead to a lot of breathing problems for both your partner and baby too.
10. Be prepared for birth –
Prepare a checklist a few days before the birth of your baby. The few things that can be noted down are as follows:
- Making sure you can always be contacted.
- Deciding how you’ll get to the hospital.
- Packing a bag for yourself and your partner as she might go under labour pain,so all the essentials should be included by you.
- This can help you and your partner to be a bit advanced in a way that you’re all set to welcome your new member of your family.
