How To Include Dad During Pregnancy

Pregnancy from your partner’s perspective

Approach your pregnancy together as you prepare for your parenting journey, says Sister Lilian.

While pregnant women often receive plenty of attention, their partners sometimes feel a bit left out or don’t know what is expected of them. Once they feel involved, dads often become more involved, which in turn, helps moms feel better supported.

15 ways to include Dad

  1. Draw up a baby budget together so you both know what to expect and what you can afford.
  2. Take him to doctor/midwife appointments so he can see how Baby is developing. 
  3. Read pregnancy books and magazine articles together.
  4. Take your partner along when you go clothes shopping for Baby, or need to choose a crib or car seat.
  5. Consider a couple’s baby shower. This isn’t traditional, but times are changing!
  6. Allow him to bond with Baby: as soon as she starts kicking, let him feel and see your belly move. Encourage him to talk to Baby and play his favourite music for her.
  7. Brainstorm baby names together.
  8. Exercise together. While it’s important for pregnant women to remain active, it’s just as important that dads stay fit and healthy before Baby comes.
  9. Attend antenatal classes together so you both feel better prepared for birth and parenting. This will also give him the opportunity to ask his own questions.
  10. Keep a pregnancy journal and encourage your partner to write letters to Baby or jot down his own experiences of your pregnancy.
  11. Talk about your birth plan together. Explain what you’d like for your birth and why, and be open to his suggestions too. Ask him how he feels about being with you when you give birth, and if he has any anxieties or questions.
  12. Sign up for a first aid and CPR course together so you both know what to do in an emergency. 
  13. Involve him in decorating and DIY decisions. Although Baby won’t need a nursery for a while after birth, this is a fun project to tackle together.
  14. Towards the end of your pregnancy, prepare some freezable meals together. After Baby’s born, you won’t have much time for cooking.
  15. Ask him if he has any other ideas for how he wants to be included. He may have some great suggestions!