The day when having a child was solely a woman’s responsibility is long gone; now, it is imperative that both couples share an equal role throughout the whole process, from pregnancy to birthing to parenting. You could be a little confused. How can you reduce your partner’s stress and anxiety over those nine months, both physically and mentally? The following are some ways to refer to them:

1. Be more Fʟᴇxɪʙʟᴇ

A few weeks into the pregnancy would be difficult. It would be like constantly adapting to a different aspect of your partner’s emotional and physical needs. Being a working father-to-be would be sᴛʀᴇssFᴜʟ. You might have to change your plans often to accommodate your partners’.

2. Keep learning

Pregnancy can be daunting. It is as much ᴜɴFᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ ᴛᴇʀʀɪᴛᴏʀʏ to your partner as it is to you. The first step you can take is to educate yourself regarding it. Read books, magazines, and articles, talk to your mom, and watch documentaries. Learn about food habits, the changes in the body, the health supplements, the pregnancy clothes, and the hormonal changes. It is obvious that you won’t be able to understand everything. But by constantly trying to learn about it you’d be giving your partner a message that she is not alone. She would feel less overwhelmed and sᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ and both of you together would ʟᴇssᴇɴ each other’s ʙᴜʀᴅᴇɴ.

3. Help her with the morning sɪᴄᴋɴᴇss

Morning sɪᴄᴋɴᴇss is an ᴀᴡFᴜʟ experience. It never gets easier to adapt to. I’m sure you would be feeling ᴛᴇʀʀɪʙʟᴇ, unable to help her physically. In times like these, it is important for you to be a bit more understanding and supportive. Arrange a comfortable space for her to rest and cozy up in, make it easier for her to fall asleep, and cuddle her before she ᴅᴏᴢᴇs ᴏFF. These little things would go a long way to ease her into the difficult circumstance that comes attached to the pregnancy.

4. Get involved

Visiting the doctor could be overwhelming. Even slight ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs could bring a lot of ᴀɴxɪᴇᴛʏ. The biggest help you can do is to be present. Accompany her to the doctor. Be involved…but only as much as she wants you to be. Does she feel comfortable having you accompany her on every visit?

Do you have time. It’s best to set your schedule beforehand. This way you could be present without constantly worrying about the work deadlines. And it would be comforting for her to have you around too.

5. Listen

Will our relationship change?’ ‘Do I have the qualities of a good mother?’ ‘Will our child love us?’ It is normal for a mom-to-be to experience some sort of self-doubt. Old insecurities might resurface or little things might induce ᴀɴxɪᴇᴛʏ. Tell her it is okay. Reassure her. All the mothers would agree that these worries are the foundation of the future. It is completely normal to have doubts and anxieties and most of them are just a part and parcel of being a mother. But listening to her and being there for her would be more reassuring enough. It always is.