How to Prepare for the Phases of Pregnancy as a New Dad

How Pregnancy Affects the New Dad

When you and your partner are expecting a baby, she will obviously be doing most of the heavy lifting. However, this doesn’t mean the pregnancy won’t have an impact on you. It’s a very exciting time, the start of a new adventure, and it is important for dads to prepare for each phase of pregnancy, even as moms do. When you know what to expect, you can embrace the experience together and enjoy the journey together.

The First Trimester: A Brand New Beginning

You probably know that a pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. There are 40 weeks in a pregnancy, the first two trimesters lasting about 14 weeks and the last one about 12. In the first two weeks, though, your partner isn’t actually pregnant. These are the weeks during which conception happens, and it’s a good time to start making some plans. Stop smoking and drinking, check your insurance benefits, and gather as much information about pregnancy as you can. Your partner will likely have a preconception checkup, and you may want to do this, too. By week four, you will probably know that you have conceived a child, and it will start to feel real. For your partner, morning sickness and fatigue may begin to be a factor. You can help by supporting her, helping her eat a nutritious diet and get enough rest, and reducing odors around the house. Go with her to her first prenatal appointment, where you will get to hear the baby’s heartbeat and maybe even see your new little life on an ultrasound. This is when the doctor will perform genetic testing, to check for conditions like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia A, polycystic kidney disease, Down syndrome, and sickle cell disease. By the end of the first trimester, your baby has officially graduated from embryo to fetus.

The Second Trimester: The Honeymoon Phase

During this phase, nausea and fatigue let up, and the pregnancy begins to show. Your partner may begin to feel the baby move, and you can see this movement on ultrasounds and sometimes even feel it by putting your hand on the belly. In the second trimester, you will have the chance to learn the baby’s sex, if you choose, and the doctor will do more tests to make sure everything is going smoothly. Your partner will probably feel sore, and you can help by offering massages and picking up some extra household chores. For some women, the increased blood flow of pregnancy leads to increased libido during the second trimester, and this can be a wonderful time for both of you to feel close and bond. Practically speaking, this is a good time to check on your benefits, to see if you can take parental leave once the baby is born. Many couples choose to prepare the nursery during this time, and it’s a good time to take a babymoon, just the two of you, enjoying being a couple before you become parents.

The Third Trimester: It’s All About to Happen!

Now is the time to kick baby prep into high gear. Take a birthing class, make sure you have the gear you need, and check that you know how to properly install your baby’s car seat. This is also a very physically demanding part of pregnancy for your partner, and she may feel like it will never end. Take time to talk to each other about your feelings, hopes, and fears, and make a real effort to step up your game around the house, to allow her time to rest. Plan for the birth, stocking the freezer, making arrangements for pets, and deciding on things like who you will call when labor begins and who should be at the hospital. Be proactive, showing your partner that you are in it together from the very start.

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