The best way to support your partner during pregnancy is to be there – and not only be there but be emotionally present with her. Go with her to as many antenatal checkups as you can, and make sure you are there for the ultrasound scans.
If you and your partner planned your pregnancy and now he's being unsupportive, chances are that he's experiencing one of these: Prenatal depression. Jealousy over your relationship with the baby. Worry or stress about finances.
It's not uncommon for people to experience restless nights, heartburnand bouts of fatigue while their partners are pregnant. In fact, about 11 percent of fathers experience anxiety during the pre- and postnatal period.
When pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, weight gain, mood swings and bloating occur in men, the condition is called couvade, or sympathetic pregnancy. Depending on the human culture, couvade can also encompass ritualized behavior by the father during the labor and delivery of his child.
In Summary
Men with pregnant partners can actually experience the symptoms of pregnancy. Some research has shown that it has to do with a deep empathy that's referred to as “compathy” or with “loading,” which is when a person takes on the pain of another.
The expectant fathers showed drops in testosterone and estradiol – a form of estrogen – but no changes in cortisol or progesterone, two hormones that are implicated in stress, say the authors.
"As a physician, I want the dad there for the first appointment to talk about what will happen, and to determine parents' preferences," Woods says. During the exam, the doctor should give both of you some general advice on having a healthy pregnancy and address any specific medical issues.
Some women experience irritability and even anger during pregnancy. Hormone changes are one reason for these mood swings. Just like some women experience irritability just before their period arrives every month, these same women may struggle with feelings of frustration and anger during pregnancy.
Researchers at the Kochi Medical School in Japan found that verbal abuse from a significant other during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of a baby being born with hearing problems.
Couvade syndrome or sympathetic pregnancy happens when a pregnant woman's partner has symptoms that uncannily mimic pregnancy. Actually, it's not uncommon for men to have symptoms like constipation, gas, bloating, irritability, weight gain, and nausea while their partner is expecting.
Sound can travel through your body and reach your baby. Very loud noises may be able to damage your baby's hearing. Ear plugs or earmuffs do not protect your baby's hearing. If you're pregnant the only way to protect your baby's hearing is to stay away from loud noise.
Can crying and depression affect an unborn baby? Having an occasional crying spell isn't likely to harm your unborn baby. More severe depression during pregnancy, however, could possibly have a negative impact on your pregnancy.
Stop Smoking, Using Certain Drugs, and Drinking Excessive Amounts of Alcohol. Smoking, using certain drugs, and drinking too much alcohol is harmful to your health. Secondhand smoke can cause early death and disease among children and adults who do not smoke.
Men get 'baby brain'
Having a baby literally changes the structure of a guy's brain. According to reports, it has a direct impact on new fathers in the growth of “grey matter”, especially in the lateral pre-frontal cortex which is involved in memory and decision making.
Fatherhood changes men's brains, according to before-and-after MRI scans. Neuroscientists know that pregnant mothers' brains change in ways that appear to help with caring for a baby. Now researchers have identified changes in new fathers' brains, too. Fathers' brains adjust their structure and function to parenthood.
Saxbe, an associate professor, recently had a study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex and found evidence that men develop a sort of “dad brain” after their baby is born, somewhat like how mothers' brains change in response to their newborns.