We often forget that it isn’t just ‘mum-to-be’ who is affected by pregnancy – it is an exciting (and sometimes bumpy) journey for expectant dads too. We are delighted to welcome Parm to our blog – who will be talking about pregnancy from the partner’s point of view.
Hi, I'm Parm and my wife and I are expecting our first child in April 2019. We have been together for three years and recently got married and are thrilled to be adding to our happy little family!
Before going through a pregnancy I always assumed morning sickness was exactly that…sickness in the morning but oh no, it can hit anytime and any place! You can never fully appreciate how much morning sickness can impact your life while pregnant…for us men it's a frustrating period as you are resigned to playing the supporting role and reassuring your partner that it's all going to be ok. Over the first trimester morning sickness can be a learning experience, trying to find out what foods or even smells can trigger the sickness off.
Throughout the first few months we've learnt a lot; and I personally have found some helpful ways to help my wife avoid nausea and sickness or at the very least help reduce the negative impact on mummy:
Tip 1: Don’t panic - easier said than done, especially if, like us, it's your first time. My understanding is that morning sickness is usually due to raised hormones (HCG) which helps nourish the egg – so from that point of view, sickness is probably a good thing.
Tip 2: Hydration is key – we have found that sipping water throughout the day really helps so I remind my wife to keep a handy bottle on her – and it also helps to drink lots of water after actually being sick to replace fluids.
Tip 3: Ginger pieces – slice fresh ginger up nice and thin and keep it in an air tight plastic bag in the fridge - every time mummy feels she may be sick ask her to chew on the ginger slice, this should massively help relieve nausea
Tip 4: Munchies – we try to keep quick snacks available at all times as nausea seems to kick in when the stomach's empty. We have found breakfast bars helpful in getting through between meals.
Tip 5: Keep aftershave to a minimum - my partner could not stand the smell of freshly sprayed aftershave so I try to use it sparingly or at least save it for after our morning cuddle!
Tip 6: Find patterns – make a note of what foods create the nauseated feeling each time so you can make sure you keep away from those for next time.
Tip 7: Breathe – we have found that breathing exercises help to settle the nausea feeling – for example, breathing deep for 5 seconds and then exhaling for 5 seconds - doing this 5 times helps to reduce the need to be sick. I have been helping to do this with my partner as the pattern helps her to focus.
The biggest tip I can give is….
Tip 7: Just be there for her – I'm not always able to stop her sickness or stop that nauseated feeling; but rubbing her back, holding her hair back or just encouraging her through her sickness helps her to feel loved and she knows that she's got a partner who's going through all this with her.
Morning sickness can be a pretty rough time for your partner – but keep reminding yourself that its also the start of a magical journey.
All the best
Parm x