Daddy preparation?

[Amalee]

Hey ladies! I'm wondering if any of you have tips on something to do to help dads-to-be feel more involved and prepared for baby. My husband has been wonderful about asking questions about conception and development when he has been confused, and I love that he's so interested. I'm wondering if anyone has some recommendations for things that I can show him or give to him to help him feel more informed? Thus far I've been answering questions as they've come up, talked to him about what I'm feeling and everything, and I've been sending him weekly update on our little guy/gals development.

He's not into forums, and he's not a big reader, so I wouldn't want to just get him a book (plus I think sometimes books give a little too much information - I don't want him running scared!)

If anyone has some tips or product recommendations that their significant other enjoyed, I'd love to hear them!

 

[pcsoph2890]

If he has a smart phone can he not install an app on the phone which gives daily & weekly updates on what is happening??

 

[FleurDeMai]

Is there any possibility that he goes with you at your midwife/doctor appointments? That's something I get recommended to do myself: you and the father-to-be get the same informations and he gets to ask his own questions to a professional.

 

[jesssika]

My OH has a pregnancy app, for which he gets weekly notifications for which explain the weeks developments and also what he can do to eleviate some of my discomfort he likes that, and he comes along to midwife appointments when he's not working. Other than that he just asks me if he thinks of something he wants to know!

 

[ClairAye]

Before I had a smartphone, when I was pregnant with DS I used OH's phone for my apps and I know he would use them too

 

[Amalee]

I hadn't even thought of the smart phone apps. He has an iphone, I'm sure there's something there! I had a super old school phone, so I always forget about "real" technology

I've only had one appointment thus far, which he went to, and I expect he'll go to most of the ones in the future. I didn't bother asking him to come to my next appointment because it's mostly blood work and medical history questions, but he'll take time off of work whenever possible to come with me to baby-centered appointments!

I just love how much I've learned from you ladies on here and the reading I've done over the last couple years. I feel so informed about all of this, I just want him to have the chance to feel the same way!

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

Hubby isn't a reader either; he'd rather do things hands-on. So he went to every single pregnancy related appointment (including lab work, etc). He enjoyed being able to discuss his questions and concerns with the OB and nurses, and of course being able to support me through it. I'm pretty sure he paid more attention during some of those appointments than I did! It scored him bonus points with the practice too, I guess it wasn't common for the daddy-to-be to accompany the woman to all of the appointments there.

Other than that I just told him what I learned and how I felt. If I needed something, he had no problem running out and getting it for me. So it worked for us!

Oh! And the practice always gave little "newsletters" with information relevant to where I was in the pregnancy at the time. I would always read it outloud on our drive home from an appointment.

 

[Babyfor2]

I keep my hubby involved by taking him to my midwife appointments, letting him know what we have to get done before baby arrives, he has an app on his phone that gives him weekly updates about baby as well as a countdown to the due date, and he also has some books. He really is not in to reading though (By that I mean he doesn't even want to read the back of a cereal box LOL) but he picked them out and I think that always helps. The internet in general is a good place to look if he really won't read a fathering book. He could look up birth stories written by other dads. Or he could watch those non graphic birthing shows on tv. (They also have them on youtube which is where I watch them.) Like a baby story, or Midwives of NJ. I like a baby story because it shows a little bit into the life of the family before the baby, during the pregnancy then goes through the labor portion and then after the baby is born. Also have you guys done any classes together? Thats one of the only things that my hubby feel like he was activly doing something during this whole process. If you want to do a short class Babies R Us offers some free classes including a baby CPR one. HTH good luck.

 

[KrissyC]

My hubby really enjoys rubbing stretchmark cream on my tummy and back. He likes to feel like he's doing something for me. He says it makes him feel closer to baby. He would also come along to appointments. Xx