The birth of a child is one of the most exciting yet nerve-wrecking experiences a person can go through — especially for females. There is a mental and physical toll on their body like never before. They go through hormonal changes which affects their mood and is very challenging especially when it’s the first child.
With proper care, pregnancy makes the couple’s bond stronger. Most of the advice doesn’t only focus on comforting your wife during pregnancy but also comforting her after the delivery.
Human experiences are strongly associated with the emotions attached to certain memories, and this article helps you make sure that you make the most of this beautiful cycle of life.
1. Preparation
There is a vast amount of information available on how to prepare for pregnancy – especially for first time expecting fathers! Reading will help you learn more about what your wife is going through at what stage, how to be a help hand, and how best you can empathize with her.
Such books as ‘The Expectant Father’, ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ and ‘The Birth Partner’ are great insights and guides on how to start off on the right foot. There is a lot of information about how to handle situations before and after pregnancy — just because your wife delivered the baby doesn’t mean it’s over, there’s more to do after! The books educate you to be the best partner.
2. Look After Her Needs
As the pregnancy progresses, your wife’s needs not only multiply, but the requirements intensify as well, for example, sleep. As months go by and the child inside grows, it becomes uncomfortable for her to sleep. If she is used to sleeping on her back, the child’s weight starts to put a lot of pressure on her joints and back, leading to unbearable pain, to a point when she wants nothing more than to sleep.
These are times when you must step forward and care for her without having her say so. Draw her, a nice warm bath, give her a massage — do anything which helps her relax. It is a tough street to walk down, and she should not be alone. The more present you are for your partner, the more you can help.
3. Listen, Really Listen!
Delivering a baby is not an easy thing to do, especially the first time. Your wife may be going through several changes in her body, which she may not be aware of, so if she tells you, make sure you listen.
At these times it is important for you to wholeheartedly listen to her because therein lies her deepest fears and you can find out what might be explicitly gnawing at her brain.
4. Be Present
It is crucial to not only be there for your partner at home but at all times, even when she goes for doctor appointments. Your presence at the doctor’s office will make her feel comfortable and safe.
It is also necessary to make sure your home’s environment is welcoming and comforting for her. Take her out for walks and help her with tasks which she may be unable to do, such as pick heavy objects. She will definitely appreciate and fall in love with you even more after seeing how much you care about her!
5. Be Mindful
Due to the sudden flux in hormones, pregnant women tend to experience heightened emotions that make it harder for them to control. During this time, a woman is very susceptible to mood swings, which lead to a lot of overwhelming feelings.
Their appetite may alter depending on the day. She might not like the smell of her favorite food or the taste of her comfort food. This is very normal and almost all women experience changes in their appetite and food choices.
But this doesn’t mean that she will be put off from them for the entire pregnancy. Mood swings and altered tastes settle down after the first trimester. It is important to remember that her mood may fluctuate due to the hormones and what she doesn’t want for dinner today could be what she may crave tomorrow morning!
Never try to forcefully feed her anything she would usually avoid — she may not like the smell. Be sure you avoid potent smelling ingredients in your food and around the house. (Keep that odor in check, gentleman!)
6. Tell her, remind her, make sure she knows
That she is beautiful. This is probably the most painstaking, emotionally draining and exhausting time for a woman. She is tired, in pain, nauseated and on the verge of tears at any given point – she is very sensitive and vulnerable.
She is not herself during this time, and she likely has no idea what she wants when she wants it and why. So it is wise not to take anything she says or does to the heart. But you must treat her, the way you would treat her.
She might want to shop and get frustrated in deciding which maternity tops she should buy, it might be helpful to think a couple of steps ahead and put her at ease. Pick out the clothes which you would want to see her in. This will save her time from searching through the entire store.
In this intensely transformative time, a lot of women will find it very difficult to cope with these changes in their body. She will be obsessing over the numbers on the scale, stretch marks — tell her that she looks lovely; compliment her on the glow and the baby bump. She deserves to hear it several times a day. Soon enough, a couple of weeks after the delivery she will finally begin to feel like “herself” again, and all of this will have gone a long way in the recovery of her confidence and self-esteem.
7. Recovery Time
After the delivery, your significant other will need some time to recover. Pushing out a whole human after carrying the baby for nine months takes an immense amount of energy out of your system. Your partner will be drained from all her strength and still be riding on the hormone express, and she will need you for support and to take a back seat. You must look after the baby and cover all the needs and basics. Change those dirty diapers, make sure your wife gets to rest, and give your child attention as well.
Pregnancy is a wonderful experience — especially if it’s your first baby. You may find yourself in difficult situations, but you must figure out ways to resolve these issues. Be patient and everything will go smooth!
