Dad, Here Is What You Need To Know About The First Trimester.

June 16, 2019

Dads, Other Mums and The First Trimester

Dad/other mum, there is a wild ride ahead for your partner, filled with highs and lows, weird cravings, morning sickness, and wonderful joy when she catches the first glimpses of the baby in the first ultrasound. She is the star of the show, getting all the attention, but you should know that you have an important role too. Through this tumultuous time, you are her shield and sword, her shoulder to cry on, and masseur when her feet get sore. You play a vital role in this period, the support. To help you in making the most of this role we have created this handy guide so that you are not left unprepared. Your role is, after all, incredibly important to your partner.

This is what is happening with the baby

This period is full of incredible discovery for both you and your partner as you watch your baby grow from an egg into… well… a baby. During this time you will first start to get to know your little guy or girl, watching them for the first time on the ultrasound. There is immense growth and change during this time. The miracle of life begins.

After five weeks your baby’s heart will begin beating, then by eight weeks their arms, legs, eyes and ears begin to form. With each ultrasound you get to watch your new baby grow from sperm and an egg into a baby!

This time will be incredibly exciting, and so, it is important that as a partner you engage and enjoy with mum. It’s new life being formed right in front of your eyes after all!

This is what Mum is going through

The first trimester will be a bit of a rollercoaster for mum. She may be experiencing all sorts of symptoms, a lot nasty. Pregnancy is a very emotional time. It is both an incredibly exciting, but also a fearful time for a lot of women. There are a lot of changes happening to her body, she is being put under the extra stress of caring for another life right inside of her after all.

Often mum will experience a mix of symptoms during this time. They may include:

Tiredness – As changes take place, they can leave mum exhausted. Whether this be from hormonal changes or simply just because they have a tiny human growing inside of them.
Nausea and vomiting – The dreaded morning sickness. Its all about hormonal changes causing mum to feel nauseated and inducing vomiting. If your partner is struggling to keep any food or drink down, then she may have hyperemesis gravidarum or severe morning sickness. If so, take her to see her GP.

Lots of toilet trips – This is common during pregnancy due to all the hormonal changes taking place.
Breast pain – Her breasts will get sore. They are simply gearing up for breast feeding, which tends to make them a bit tender.
Mood swings – There may be a lot of mood swings and irritability during this phase. She is experiencing a lot, and her hormones are constantly shifting so be very patient.

It is important that during this stage you help your partner when she begins reducing her coffee intake, removing alcohol, stopping smoking, and changes up her diet. As the supporting role ensure that you are by her side and actively engage with her during this phase. This may include showing solidarity by stopping drinking alcohol, limiting coffee and stopping smoking yourself. Be active in your support, she will need it. Especially without coffee!

Here is what you are going through

Don’t think that mum and bub are the only two going through changes at this time. You have begun the transition into fatherhood. While your changes may not be physical there will certainly be a lot going on inside as you prepare for bub’s arrival. Now is your chance to start off right and get involved.

Take this opportunity to jump into that support role and help your partner, making the pregnancy just that little bit easier. You could help by simply doing things around the house that normally she would do, things like:

Washing clothes – Help her out with the washing, whether it be helping her hang it out and collecting it from the clothesline or doing it all for her. Give a helping hand.
Vacuuming – Vacuum as thoroughly as she would. Get under the sofa cushions and into the little corners. Let her put her feet up while you help her out.
Cooking – The smell of food can make some women feel sick when they are pregnant. Help her avoid this, and let her sit back, while you take over the cooking. If she is feeling sick some dry toast with a small amount of a savoury spread, like vegemite, can really help her feel better.

Beyond household chores there are other ways that you can support your partner during this time. You could encourage healthy lifestyle choices. This could begin with ensuring that your partner eats more healthily. Cutting out the takeaway or cutting out risky foods like raw fish to reduce the chance of infections are great places to start. Also remember to stay calm. Mood swings may be constantly making you both irritable, but they will pass. Just be patient and remain calm.

You should also ensure that you and your partner are ready for your first obstetrician or midwife visit. This is when you will first get to see your baby on the ultrasound. Go with her, experience the moment together. It is a magical moment, to share, where you first meet your little guy or girl. Also ensure that you are up to date on your immunizations as well so that you are ready for bub’s arrival.

Through the whole experience remember to play that supporting role. Be by her side, help her out, and try to get involved. She will appreciate it.