How to support an expectant partner

So you found out your partner is expecting, and boy are you excited! Your life is about to change, but first, you have to go through the nine months of pregnancy with your partner. The period of pregnancy is always most successful when it involves both partners. This means that you can be an active participant in supporting your pregnant partner. Trust us when we say, it’s more fun this way too! If you can demonstrate during the pregnancy that you can be a reliable partner, this will give her confidence that you will also be a reliable partner after your child is born.

Here are some ways in which you can support your expectant partner:

Research on what she is going through

You will never be able to understand what she is going through. The cramps, the cravings and the mood swings. But what you can do is to research what she is going through on sites like BabyTalk so that you can be better prepared to support her throughout this nine month journey.

Be the “heavy lifter”

Carrying a baby in your womb takes a heavy toil on the body. As the baby gets bigger and heavier, the physical strain on the woman’s body also increase. What you can do as a supportive partner is to do the “heavy lifting” for her and that includes doing the housework or even carrying things when needed. If she has something in the house that she wants to move, you should be the one doing it. Ensure that all she focuses on during this period is to ensure she carries a healthy baby.

Help her with her emotions

During her pregnancy, her hormones will fluctuate. This means that she will experience extreme mood swings, from moments of extreme happiness to extreme sadness. This is normal and is to be expected, so ensure that you are patient with her during this time. Support her when she needs support, hold her when she needs holding, and listen to her when she needs a listening ear.

Be there for prenatal visits

When your partner visits her practitioner to check on the baby, ensure that you are there with her. Be involved, ask questions during the visit if there is anything you are unsure about. There are some things that your partner may not have thought of to ask, so show your presence by being there.

Get ready for the baby

There are many things to consider before the arrival of the baby. For one, you will need to do up your baby nursery. This means you will need to buy the baby crib, diapers, car seats, pram, pillow, baby clothes etc. There are literally a thousand things to consider before the arrival of the baby. Go shopping with your partner to prepare for the arrival. Also, do talk with your partner the expectations that each of you expect and strive to fulfil them.

It’s a fun time to be in this journey together. This is the start of your beautiful family journey and the pregnancy journey will only make your relationship stronger. This will bode well especially when the baby arrives, for both of you will grow your family together in happy times!

*******

Peaceful Parenting on Facebook

Peaceful Parenting Community (group)