Partner

You are not the one who is pregnant and will soon have to give birth, but you still play an important role for your wife or girlfriend. You will have to deal with her mood swings, forgetfulness, and a disturbed night's sleep because she gets out of bed 10 times to pee.

Together you will live towards the next phase of life: parenthood. You will have to think about the name of your child, the nursery, financial aspects and of course the upbringing itself. Hardly any couple is on the same page about everything and that will mean making compromises. Talk to each other about how you envision when the baby is born.

SUPPORT

Many partners feel that they can contribute little in a pregnancy and especially during the delivery. But know that you can help in many ways, even if it's just the little things. Your partner will experience that she can no longer do all the things like when she was not pregnant. Physically it becomes quite heavy, and she sometimes needs help with the simplest things. Think of tying shoelaces or lifting the groceries out of the car. At work she will also notice that it is a lot more taxing than before. Make sure your partner doesn't overwork herself. For many women, it's hard to admit to taking a step back at work.

BIRTH

Partners often indicate that they find it difficult to see their wives in pain and that they cannot do anything about it. A 'feeling of powerlessness' is something we often hear. Unfortunately, you can't take the baton from your wife, but you can help her through it and your presence is very important! Every woman in labor has different needs and it is sometimes a search for what you can do for her, but in the end, you know her best of all the people who are at the birth. The one likes it when you sit next to her and puff every contraction, the other prefers as little touch as possible and prefers to be left alone as much as possible. Discuss in advance what you can help her with, but don't be alarmed if she prefers something else from you at that moment. Every woman reacts differently to pain: where one becomes a pussy, the other will occasionally snarl. Remember, she probably doesn't mean it personally and she's just thinking about herself for a while. After giving birth she will be back to her old self.