[Huggies] Involving Dad

I view my husband being involved in a pregnancy the same way I viewed him being involved in planning our wedding. I want him to be interested. I absolutely want him to show up on the big day. And until then I just want him to agree with me.

Dads can sometimes have a hard time feeling involved in a pregnancy, so if your guy is looking for ways, here are some ideas.

I think one of the most obvious solutions is attending doctor's appointments. Over the nine month journey there are a couple dozen chances for Dad to tag along to the OBGYN. There are some big milestones that he will not want to miss. The first time you hear the heartbeat and the sonogram appointments are high up on the list. Both are a great way for Dad to connect with the unborn baby.

Our little guy at 24 weeks

If he really wants to be involved, he can tag along to some of the not so fun ones as well. If his schedule permits, he can keep you company during your hour long glucose tolerance test. And he should feel free to ask the doctor or nurse questions that he may have too.

Back at home, setting up a nursery is a great way to get prepared for the baby and for Dad to feel involved in the journey. Let Dad be involved in the planning and purchasing and definitely let him take the lead in putting all of that new furniture together. On that same page, let him take care of all the heavy lifting. You can even throw in some stair climbing for good measure. My hubby (and the older kids for that matter) is a huge help when it comes to retrieving things I leave upstairs. You only want to climb the stairs so many times in your third trimester!

The involvement I appreciate the most, and the one that I think is best for my pregnancy and our marriage, is letting Dad take care of Mom. It is your job to take care of the baby that is growing inside of you, so let Dad take care of you! Every night, my hubby brings me up a water bottle and makes sure that I have tissue by the bed. These small things may not be directly related to the baby, but being more connected to me makes him more connected to our family, new baby included. There are a ton of small and simple things Dad can do to make your nine months more comfortable and all of them keep him busy while you both wait for the nine months to pass.


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