Pregnancy Tips For Dads to Be

If you’ve just found out you are going to be a father, read our pregnancy tips for men. Hearing the
news that you are having a baby is life-changing for both parents. You might be incredibly excited,
while at the same time feel completely clueless about what to expect during pregnancy.

Our essential tips for men during pregnancy will help new dads-to-be get up to speed on exactly
what will happen over the next nine months and will prepare you for the journey ahead, from
supporting your partner through to bonding with your baby.

Understand The Stages Of Pregnancy

Understanding the different stages of pregnancy and the development of your baby can help you
support your partner during pregnancy.

A typical pregnancy usually lasts between 37 and 42 weeks, and is split into three stages, or
trimesters. Each trimester of pregnancy lasts for around 12 to 13 weeks.

During each trimester, your partner will go through many physical and emotional changes in a short
time, to support your growing baby and help her prepare for birth. These changes start well before
her baby bump shows, in the form of early pregnancy signs, which commence from the very start of
pregnancy.

One of the most common early pregnancy signs is morning sickness. While morning sickness usually
strikes in the first trimester, your partner may be affected for longer and might feel nauseous and
dizzy but not actually be sick. Morning sickness might also strike at all times of the day, not just in
the morning. While it might not feel like there is much you can do at this stage, be supportive,
sympathetic, and encourage your partner to speak to their doctor or midwife if they need additional
support.

As the pregnancy progresses, it can also help if you are clued up on what to expect from labour,
which can seem like a daunting prospect for both of you. Be prepared and read our posts on what to
expect from a hospital birth and if you’re planning a home birth, read our post on what to expect
from a home birth.

Support Your Pregnant Partner

Pregnancy is a time of enormous change, and while you are not physically growing the baby, it is
important to be supportive of your partner and be there for them both physically and emotionally. It
is normal for you both to feel a wide range of emotions so make sure you talk to each other about
your feelings throughout the pregnancy, be supportive, and recognise the impact that pregnancy
hormones can play on her mood.

It is also critical that you are actively involved in your partner’s antenatal care, which will involve
midwife appointments and ultrasound scans to check up on the health of your partner and the baby.
Your partner will be offered at least two antenatal scans during an uncomplicated pregnancy. These
are:

• Early pregnancy scan, known as the dating or booking scan, which happens between 11 and
14 weeks.
• Mid-pregnancy scan - also known as a foetal anomaly scan - between 18 and 21 weeks.

Your partner may also be offered additional scans, depending on the type of pregnancy they are
having. Try to attend these scans as they are an opportunity for you both to find out how the
pregnancy is progressing and feel more bonded with the baby.

Towards the end of the pregnancy, it is likely your partner will have a midwife appointment to
discuss her birth preferences and write a birth plan. This is a good appointment to attend, so you are
both ready for what happens during labour.

Wellness and Nutrition Tips For Pregnancy

One of the most important pregnancy tips for dads-to-be is to adopt a healthy diet. When you are
trying for a baby, it is important for both partners to try and eat healthily in the months prior to
conception to improve fertility and maximise the quality of the male sperm and the female's eggs.
The quality of sperm and male and female fertility can be affected by lifestyle factors such as
excessive alcohol intake, smoking and poor nutrition - these should be avoided, ideally for at least 3
months, as this is the lifecycle of sperm.

Men may benefit from nutritional supplements to help safeguard any gaps in their diet. Wellman
Conception has been specially formulated to fertility and reproduction. The daily supplements
provide 30 nutrients including zinc which contributes to normal fertility and reproduction, and to the
maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood.

Even before you both start trying for a baby, it is advisable that your partner takes daily 400µg
supplement of folic acid (or 5mg if you are at higher risk of neural tube defects). The UK Department
of Health recommend that you take this amount of folic acid for at least one month before and for at
least the first trimester of pregnancy, however it can also be beneficial to take it for at least 3
months before conception, to safeguard your nutritional stores.

Once your partner is pregnant, make sure you are clued up on nutrition tips for pregnancy, including
the types of food she should eat when pregnant, and what to avoid. Read our post on pregnancy
food to eat and avoid. Be aware of pregnancy cravings and food aversions – don’t be surprised if
she’s unable to eat food she previously loved!

Find out more about our range of Pregnacare pregnancy supplements, all of which contain the
recommended level of folic acid, and you can also read up more on reasons to take a pregnancy
supplement.

Bonding With Your Baby

Making sure you bond with your baby is one of our top tips for dads during pregnancy, as it is
important for both you and your baby that you bond with them, as bonding is critical for your
relationship once they are born.

There are lots of different ways for dads-to-be to bond with your baby, both before and after they
are born. Your partner’s growing bump is a great way of helping you to bond with the baby. Feeling
kicks from outside is a wonderful sensation, and helps to make the pregnancy seem more real. While
it might seem strange at first, you can also talk or sing to the bump – this will help the baby
recognise your voice when they are born.

Once the baby is here, caring for the baby will help you bond with them, including holding them,
helping with feeding and general care such dressing them, washing them and changing their nappy –
as well as taking care of your partner too.

Skin-to-skin contact – where you hold the baby against your bare chest – is not just for mums either,
and is a simple way of helping soothe the baby and making you feel connected.

Pregnancy Books For Dads

Knowledge is power when it comes to pregnancy, and pregnancy books for dads can help you to feel
more involved and prepared if you know what is happening at each stage, how the baby is
developing, how your partner might be feeling and what you can do to help.

As well as pregnancy books for dads, there is a lot of advice out there tailored to partners, and you
can also sign up to weekly emails alerts from the NHS Start for Life. The website Emma’s Diary also
has a month-by-month pregnancy guide specifically for dads-to-be.

Are you more of an app person? There are many different pregnancy apps which will give you
regular updates as the pregnancy progresses. You can also follow our Pregnacare Instagram account
for pregnancy-related news and updates.

Sign Up For Childbirth Or NCT Classes

Lots of parents-to-be opt to take a pregnancy and birth class, which is where you will learn about
labour and the early baby days, and signing up for these is a good pregnancy tip for men. NCT classes
are popular, and another option is free NHS childbirth courses which cover the same topics.

As well as learning about childbirth and babies, these classes are they are also a great way of
meeting other parents-to-be and talking about your worries and hopes with people who are going
through the same things you are, at what’s an exciting time for everyone.