Pregnancy can often feel like a one person job. Mom is the only one growing, changing, experiencing hormones, feeling aches and pains, and experiencing those first joyous moments. But dad doesn’t have to feel left out. In fact, he can be involved in more ways than you think. Here are some ways to encourage your husband or partner to get more involved with your pregnancy and your baby-to-be.
Prenatal education
Plan and schedule all of your prenatal appointments with your husband so that you can attend them together. You can also read pregnancy books and attend pregnancy, birth and baby prep classes together to further both of your knowledge and life altering bond. Your husband will feel more involved just by knowing what is going on with not only your baby, but with your growth, changes and challenges as well.
Tip: Discussing your pregnancy and health concerns with your husband and your doctor at your visits will clue your husband into what you are going through and what is normal. Plus, he might even learn ways to help you while at home.
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Decorate the baby’s room together
Involving your husband in the planning and design of your baby’s room — even if he’s not the interior designer of the house — is another way to make him feel involved, important and needed. Decide on a theme, the colors and the decorations together for your baby’s nursery and cherish the bond that you and your husband form as you make one of the first decisions for your baby, together.
Exercise together
Fitness — provided you are not banned from it per your doctor’s orders — is an important part of your mental and physical well-being during pregnancy. By exercising with your husband, you automatically have someone invested in you and your baby’s health to keep you accountable and you can squeeze in some much-needed couples time before baby arrives.
Exercising while pregnant >>
Cook together
Nutrition, like fitness, is equally important for you, your baby and your husband. By making meals together, you keep each other on track and you can take these focused opportunities to talk about your baby and what you are currently feeling.
Keep a journal for baby
Start a journal or online blog and take turns writing letters and notes to and about your unborn baby. You can use this outlet as your pregnancy book — to document cravings, physical changes, emotional changes, name ideas and stats — and have your husband chime in with his comments, opinions and sweet letters to his baby-to-be.
Plan a couples shower
The number one thing I hear from expecting dads is whining. Whining about why they don’t get a baby shower. I tend to think that more than half these men are trying to tell us something — they really are jealous. They may not ooh and ahh over baby clothes but they might enjoy a mingle session, good food and fun if other dads are in attendance.
More on dads and pregnancy
“Pregnant” dads?
Dad to dad: Helping her through pregnancy
Pregnancy guide for expecting dads
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