So if you are in a bit of denial, that is okay. Enjoy your ignorance for a little while longer. Bond over the unknown with your wife. 2. Talk to her about it Another thing you may want to look into is exercising. During the first trimester, my wife was lethargic, she slept and worked most of the time. But all pregnancies are different, so if your significant other enjoys working out, find out what she can and can’t do. Some exercises are dangerous for an expecting mom. This congratulation is for the best father-to-be. You are a perfect candidate to be a father. May you be the most wonderful parent to your child. Doctor visits can take over once you find out you are expecting, so take the time out to help your partner with her medical needs. Figure out what doctor you can visit and together set up those appointments. It’s time to come to terms with the birthing process. Birthing classes are a good option. Yes, those birthing videos can be confounding, but you’ll need them to at least gain a basic understanding of what’s on the horizon. Spend some time getting to know the hospital, too. How do you get to the reception area? Where’s the nursery? After all, you’ll be spending a pretty intense time here soon enough.

So take your partner out and have a good time! In fact, try to do something fun together each trimester at the very least, you two need that bonding time for your relationship.What do the initials spell out? If Danielle Ursula Matthews ever wants a monogrammed shirt, it’s going to spell out DUM. Honestly, there are way more reasons for disagreements and a million things that will put your relationship to the test. There is no way to get around this except to be empathetic with your partner. Your support is crucial, you also want to be there so you know what you can do for her medically. Also, you do not want to miss hearing your little pea’s heartbeat for the first time or seeing the sonogram. Yes, the appointments are predictable, and you can find out when an important one is coming up – but being there as much as possible is irreplaceable.

Congratulations to a loving first-time dad to be. Take care of your child and be a loving father to him. Of course, the learning curve of being a dad doesn’t stop after the birth. The first year of being a parent can involve some of the biggest lessons and adaptations. That’s why we go beyond the pregnancy too, diving into the first year and providing the information dad’s need as they learn on-the-go. Start communication early and do it often during these nine months. Once the baby is born, that is a whole other ballgame, but communication will always be vital. 4. Learn about things your wife can’t eat or do while pregnant Once you’ve conceived, you should also know that there’s always a risk of miscarriage. That’s why you should choose your announcement date wisely. Usually waiting until the third month is the best option, so make a plan to break the news together. This is one of many great ways to bond during your partner’s pregnancy. When I first found out I was pregnant, my husband and I were living apart short-term. He was teaching drivers’ education in a town about four hours away, and we didn’t have plans to see each other for 10 days. I had to make a hard decision – tell him right away and miss seeing his reaction in person OR wait to tell him in person and get to see his reaction. {Unfortunately going to see him right away was NOT an option 🙁 }Other first-time fatherhood books we found seemed to reiterate certain mentalities about the dad’s role in pregnancy and post-partum like “it’s time to put the beers away and get serious” – or they talked about the importance of being a strong and stoic male figure, unaffected by this massive change in your life. If not strong and stoic, they made reference to the dad in the corner of the delivery room making ill-timed jokes at their partner’s expense. Altogether, it may be an oversimplification of the information that was presented, but the tone we found felt very distant from our own feelings on fatherhood. So thrilled to know that your wife is expecting a baby! Best wishes to you and your entire family. You’ll be a good dad for sure.