7 Changes During Pregnancy
You lament, “I’m not myself anymore!” With a blossoming belly, comes crazy physical changes. As your new little loved one changes inside of you and causes changes in you, your relationship with your larger existing loved one (the husband) will also change. You may sometimes feel incredibly close, and other times feel as if your spouse is from another planet.
Remember that your husband’s lack of a uterus can often make him feel excluded and left on the bench. Help him feel like a valued team player during your pregnancy. Being aware of what’s in store together can help you build up better relationship bonds and baby proof your marriage.
Here are seven common changes you may experience during pregnancy and some tips to help your men deal with them better!
1. You’ll Often Feel Sleepy
Mummies-To-Be: Growing a new life is exhausting. You may feel sleepy at strange hours during the day.
Daddies-To-Be: Help where you can without being asked. Score a few extra cuddles by taking on a few extra chores so wifey can get some extra shuteye without worrying about a messy house.
2. You Won’t Have Restful Sleep
Mummies-To-Be: You won’t sleep well at night. You’ll have aches and pains in many places. Your growing belly will become an obstruction when trying to get into your usual sleeping position. Your sleeping space will also become smaller.
Daddies-To-Be: Treat your wife to a good maternity pillow. Hone your massage skills. Offer her lots of foot, back and full body massages. You will gain more confidence to administer baby massages when your little one arrives!
3. You’ll Want to Yak About Your Pregnancy All The Time
Mummies-To-Be: You may want to talk to someone constantly about how tough the pregnancy is, your worries about childbirth, your annoyance at the unnecessary advice everyone is offering or your lack of confidence in your maternal abilities. Chances are that someone is your husband.
Daddies-To-Be: Try to be good listeners. Share your own honest feelings and worries so you can support each other through this joyful but trying time.
4. You’ll Have Insecurities About Your Looks
Mummies-To-Be: As your body changes, the usually secure you may feel a little blue thinking about things like weight gain, water retention and stretch marks.
Daddies-To-Be: Compliment your wives daily on their gorgeous pregnancy glows and beautiful baby bumps. Remind her as often as you can about how much you love her.
5. You May Suffer From Bad Morning Sickness
Mummies-To-Be: Morning sickness is possibly the most unpleasant part of pregnancy. Most mummies-To-Be will suffer from headaches, excessive sleepiness and feelings of nausea that sometimes lead to spells of vomiting. These symptoms will usually come a month after conception and last for the first trimester. Some unfortunate women will experience it for their entire pregnancy.
Daddies-To-Be: Help your wives experiment with different remedies. Try new treatments daily to see what will work. Be willing to make many trips, even late at night, to search for alternative solutions or to satisfy her food cravings. She may become hypersensitive to smells, so do brush your teeth and shower daily!
6. You’ll Pee More Frequently
Mummies-To-Be: You will pee very frequently, sometimes every 20 minutes. It’s no fun having to go to the bathroom several times during a movie or in the middle of the night.
Daddies-To-Be: Be understanding. Don’t complain or roll your eyes each time your wife asks you to pull over during a drive or to press the pause button so she can take yet another bio break. Install a night-light and ensure that the path to the bathroom is clear so that she doesn’t trip on anything on her nightly trek to the toilet.
7. You’ll Feel Motivated to Make Positive Lifestyle Changes
Mummies-To-Be: Call it a nesting instinct, but it’s only natural to want to make positive lifestyle changes when you’re pregnant. You might give up smoking and drinking. You may try a healthier diet or new exercise regime.
Daddies-To-Be: Support her by changing your lifestyle too. It’s the perfect time to quit smoking, so you can welcome baby into a smoke-free home. Cut down on alcohol, and eat more fresh foods. Start going to the gym or for long walks together.
Prioritise your relationship throughout the pregnancy. Make time for each other, and make the effort. Most importantly, make sure she is getting all the nutrition she needs for a healthy pregnancy and beyond. A glass of nutritious MOM & ME a day, formulated with key nutrients and two types of probiotic cultures (L. rhamnosus CGMCC 1.3724 and B. lactis CNCM I-3446), should help her get through these testing changes and come out on top!
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