As dads, there are simply some things about pregnancy that we will never experience first hand. No matter how involved and supportive we are, there are certain aspects only our wife deals with and we can only do our best to be there for her. These 16 Tips for Supporting Your Wife During Pregnancy will help you know what you can do for her during what may be a challenging 9 months.
16 Tips for Supporting Your Wife During Pregnancy
1. Listen. Simply listening to how she feels, her fears, her worries and any of her anxieties about pregnancy is helpful in itself. She knows you don’t have all the answers, but she may still need to vent to someone about what she is dealing with. Ideally, you make a habit of listening to your wife, but trust us and be extra-available to lend her an ear during pregnancy.
2. Indulge on occasion. Your wife may be trying her best to stay active and healthy during her pregnancy, but there are always those few occasions where a craving just needs to be satisfied. Humor her and enjoy running out for milkshakes together. It will make her feel better and at least you can share these moments. You probably don’t want to fully gain sympathy weight, but if you do, at least you are in it together!
3. Go to the doctor visits. This isn’t always possible with work schedules, we know. But if it is possible, attend every doctor appointment with her. Sometimes they seem like unimportant appointments but there can always be the chance that she receives unexpected news and you don’t want her to be alone. If you can only attend a few–go for the ultrasounds and be sure to call her after all the others to show her you care.
4. Do the dishes. Or the laundry…or the vacuuming…you get the idea. Anything you think you can do to help out around the house will be much appreciated by your tired wife who is working harder than she even realizes to grow a new baby. After a long day dealing with a changing body and hormones, even the smallest household chores can feel like a mountain to a pregnant woman. So keep an eye out for those little things!
Not exactly sure how to help around the house? We put together a list of 10 Simple Ways Dads can help in the Kitchen.
5. Bring up baby name ideas. Your wife will love it when you are actively interested in anything and everything new baby related. That’s because it’s almost all her mind can think about! When you start the conversation of baby names you’ve been thinking of it will show her how you are thinking about the new addition to the family too. Trust us that she will appreciate this simple but sweet Tip for Supporting Your Wife During Pregnancy.
6. Give her a back/foot rub. She is most likely not feeling her best due to sore muscles, exhaustion, carrying around extra weight, etc. Offer up a back or foot rub or massage and allow her to completely relax. Bonus points if you draw her a bath as well to go along with this pampering.
7. Allow her some “me time.” Especially if you have other kids at home already, arrange for a night where you and the kids leave the (already clean!) house for her so she can simply relax with some peace and quiet. Encourage her to go to a spa or get her nails done. As much as she loves her family and husband, sometimes the hormones she’s dealing with leave her feeling too tired to even interact. So watch out for these moments and let her know you are all planning to get out of her hair for just a few hours so she can do whatever she wants!
8. Assemble the crib, the first time she asks. Getting the nursery ready is likely high on her list of to-dos before the baby arrives. Many women go as far as to want to paint, decorate with a theme, and ultimately go all out. The problem is, she can’t do much of the heavy lifting being pregnant. Trust us, don’t put her honey-do list off or she may end up feeling frustrated. Let her know when you plan to assemble that crib and then don’t put it off any.
One way us dads can help is by being prepared for the new arrival. We put together a list of our best newborn hacks for new dads.
9. Be enthusiastic about the birthing classes. Birthing classes don’t exactly sound like something you’d want to sign up for or get excited about but don’t make too many complaints about this. Childbirth is already something she has to undergo herself and she may be very nervous about it. Do you best to be supportive and enthusiastic about any class that is going to help put your wife’s mind at ease–you may even learn something yourself!
10. Cut her some slack. Your wife may be different during these 9 months, and not just from changes you can see. She may have a shorter fuse or feel argumentative due to raging hormones. Cut her some slack if that’s the case. It may not be easy, but it will be better for everyone if you can do your best to keep a level head while she isn’t herself.
11. Let her sleep in. Her body is pulling double duty these days. So every now and then, turn off her alarm clock, slip out of bed, and let her sleep in as long as she wants. Take over the breakfast preparations or getting the kids up or even cleaning the house and just let her sleep right through it all. Trust us she will love this one!
12. Read up. These days there is no shortage of parenting books, blogs, and magazines. You might notice she has taken to reading up on everything under the sun from nursing to baby sleep. Read a few baby books yourself and discuss them with her. Not only will she be impressed and thankful that you did, but you’ll gain some useful baby knowledge in the process.
13. Compliment her. Your wife’s body is going to change during pregnancy and there is no way to avoid that. She may struggle with this and she may be fine and embrace it. Regardless, compliment your wife often. Tell her how pretty she looks, how she is glowing or how happy she has seemed lately in her element of baby planning. Whatever it may be–do not underestimate how important it is to compliment your wife and don’t forget this important Tip for Supporting Your Wife During Pregnancy!
Need some ideas on what to say? We put together 20 things wives love to hear from their husbands.
14. Don’t comment on the nesting. You may wonder who came in and replaced your once normal wife with this woman whose idea of fun is cleaning baseboards and the inside of the dishwasher on a Friday night but just go with it. Supporting Your Wife During Pregnancy sometimes just means you let her nest. Nesting, aka cleaning and preparing for baby, is a normal part of pregnancy. Just roll with it because you’ll have a cleaner house because of it! If you’re feeling like you can keep up with her cleaning frenzy, offer to pitch in!
15. Surprise her with a trip. You may not be into the whole “babymoon” trend, but even a weekend or day-long getaway can be a great way to recharge. Don’t pick something that will remind her of what she can’t do such as a winery, but think more along the lines of quality time together to relax. A spa or AirBNB to a quiet bed and breakfast type place would be perfect. For this trip, it’s just as much about you taking the time to plan it for her as it is about the trip itself.
16. Participate in the birth. When the final moment gets here, be ready to support her in any way she needs. You will be her rock in this important moment–so stay as calm and reassuring as possible. Help remind her of anything you learned together so far such as breathing techniques. Even offers of playing her favorite music or getting her a drink are sometimes all it takes to be supportive here. Follow her lead and participate as much as you can.
You may find yourself unsure of how exactly to Support Your Wife During Pregnancy, but these 16 tips are a great place to start. Keep in mind that every pregnancy is different and you’ll just need to read the situation at times.
Hopefully, with some patience, compliments, and pitching in around the house you will have a great experience together with your wife as you await the arrival of your new baby. Be sure to share our 16 Tips for Supporting Your Wife During Pregnancy with any other dad friends you have who are entering into this stage of life! Remember a good laugh is good medicine for all so you can always use one of our Best Dad Jokes to cheer her up.