7 Ways Dads Can Emotionally Prepare For Childbirth

The modus operandi for dads during the pregnancy period is much more serious than a lot of people understand. Mummy carries the bulk of the pregnancy, but daddy also has a big role to play, and more often than not, they are scared too but will not show it. They are meeting this little stranger probably the same day you are, so we need to cut them a bit of slack. They need all the help and guidance they can get.

Here’s how to help them prepare for ‘The Big Day”, and infuse traditional childbirth preparation methods with deeper meaning.

1.  Be vulnerable with mummy

Have you seen pictures of muscular or strong- jawed men holding their babies or just playing those silly games with their children? Being stoic now will not help you or mummy when the baby is born. Share your fears, concerns, and other daddy thoughts with mumy so you can both move into parenthood together, knowing how to be each other’s support.

2. Cuddle a baby

It is true that some men are intimidated by babies. They are afraid that they might break them. LOL. Learning to hold a real baby beforehand, and realizing they’re not as breakable as you originally thought, will bolster your confidence when it comes time to hold your own newborn.

3. Be involved with her

Go to antenatal classes with her, go to every ultra sound, listen to your baby’s heart beat as often as you can. Plan her birth preference with her, and what ever she chooses, support her.

4. Cry it out daddy

Mums are not the only ones who go through a hormonal shift during the journey into parenthood; it has been proven dads also experience hormonal shifts as well. The American Journal of Human Biology suggests that some men suffer a decline in their testosterone levels, making them almost as emotional as mummy during this period. It might drive you nuts and crazy, especially for men who were told not to cry. During this emotional stage, crying is proven to be good therapy.

5. Go shopping with mummy

Don’t leave all the baby shopping to mummy alone, go and pick out some baby clothes with her. Do some restructuring or be the one who oversees a lot of it. Knowing what area or environment your baby will come into helps to give you a better grasp of the situation.

6. Pamper yourself

When the baby comes, your life stops for a long time. So taking out time for yourself is needed. Go out with mummy or go out with your friends. Go see a movie, go swimming, go dancing. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts! Lol

7. Prepare for anything.

You have to set your mind-set to be ready for anything. Know that anything from labor to the delivery can go sideways. If mummy is healthy and the baby has been monitored well enough, there should be no hurdles along the way. However hope for the best and prepare for the worst.