How Dads Can Support Moms During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of excitement, change, and a lot of uncertainty. A new mother will need extra support and help in the weeks and months following delivery. The first few weeks are a time for bonding and healing, so other daily and household tasks fall by the wayside. 

Fortunately, there are a number of different ways a father-to-be can help his partner during pregnancy. Not only will this support help the new mother, but it will also provide time and opportunity for the father to bond with the new baby. 

A new father may not be able to take away the discomfort or physical stress, but he can do a lot to support his partner before and during labor. It can be simple things like being present or doing a little research on baby products and local car seat laws.

During Pregnancy

Nine months of pregnancy can be hard on a woman. Her body is changing daily as she anticipates the new baby and her new life as a mother. As a father-to-be, it can be hard to know how to help and how to make things a little easier for her.

Many fathers resort to running a few errands or picking things off the floor, which are helpful and worthwhile activities, but there are other ways new fathers can help their pregnant partners.

Prenatal Visits and Ultrasounds

A pregnant woman visits the doctor often. At first, visits are monthly, but as the pregnancy winds down she will visit the doctor every week. If a woman has a high-risk pregnancy, those early visits can be even more frequent. 

These visits are a great way for the father to offer his help and support. Simply going to these visits can be a great help to a new mother. Having a friendly face and a comforting hand can make all the difference in the world.

Ultrasounds are also common in the second and third trimesters. Dad should take the time to be at those visits especially. Ultrasounds offer a glimpse of the baby and can be a great moment to share between new parents.

Prepare for Birth 

A new mother is often studying and researching different parts of her pregnancy. It can be a lonely experience if there isn't someone to share that new information with. Dad can show his support by investing his time and energy into preparing for the birth of his child.

He can also take the time to research pregnancy or the early days of a child's life. He can read books and articles or find podcasts to learn from. It may seem like a small thing, but taking that new information back to the mother-to-be can be great for conversation and bonding. 

Just showing interest in the pregnancy and preparation can help make your partner feel more supported and seen. 

Help Plan and Shop

Babies need a lot of gadgets and things. There are cribs to put together, monitors to buy, bottles to wash, and car seats to install. It can be a little overwhelming. A new mother will spend a lot of time planning, researching, and shopping for the right product for every occasion.

Dad can help support her by being involved in the process. Make time to go on those shopping trips or help create the baby registry. Ask questions about what bottle she thinks might be best. Simply be present and engaged in the preparation for this new baby.

Dad and Car Seats

One baby product that dads can really focus on is the car seat. The car seat is one of the most important pieces of baby equipment. Not only will they want the baby to be comfortable, but they will also want the baby to be as safe as possible.

Dad can help support mom by taking over the research and installation of the new car seat. This will accomplish a task on the baby to-do list, and it will take some of the stress off of mom. 

It's a good idea to research local car seat laws and requirements while shopping for the right car seat. Each state sets its own regulations and laws when it comes to car seat safety, so it's important to know the specifics of the state the family lives in.

Encourage Healthy Habits

Dad can also be involved in creating and maintaining healthy habits for the mom-to-be. Mom will need to have a wide range of healthy foods, can benefit from safe exercise, and should get a solid night's sleep. This can be tricky with the other demands and needs in a mom's life.

Dads can show their support by encouraging moms to make healthier choices. If he makes those choices in his own life - apple with his sandwich instead of chips - it will be easier for mom to make healthier choices. 

If rest is difficult to come by, the dad can help create restful and relaxing routines. He can take over a few additional household chores so mom can sit with her feet up. If he can step in and allow mom to sit down, then it will help encourage her to rest. 

Support Mom's Choices

Pregnancy and motherhood bring a lot of choices. How will the baby be fed? Will you use cloth or disposable diapers? Can you get health insurance when pregnant? While these decisions should be discussed in partnership, ultimately the decisions rests with mom. 

Dad can be supportive by engaging in these conversations but supporting mom's choice. If she wants to breastfeed, the dad should be supportive and research ways to make the transition easier for both mom and baby. If she chooses to bottle feed instead, he can take over bottle duty - cleaning, storing, and preparing bottles.

These choices continue in the delivery room as well. Moms often create birth plans that detail how they hope to deliver and what the first few hours will look like - the baby's first bath or skin-to-skin contact. These choices need to be protected by dad as mom will be busy birthing.

Take Pictures

Don't forget to take lots of pictures! This time is fleeting, but it's a time fathers and mothers will want to remember. Dad can take candid pictures of mom as her belly grows and as they both make preparations for the new baby. 

Pregnancy is often all about the mom, but the dad is an important part of the equation too. Mom is carrying life so she isn't able to accomplish everything on her own. Dad has the important job of supporting mom so she and the baby can grow and develop. 

(Photo: Laura Gunn)

Laura Gunn writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. She is the mom of two growing boys and is passionate about new parents being prepared in every way.