Pregnancy – A Mutual Commitment To Parenthood

We all have heard about equal parenting, but this equal role to play is applicable the moment you conceive the child. You become parents much before the child comes out of the womb but definitely the mother experiences the baby through the process of pregnancy more closely than a father who can feel the baby through the mother.

A mother has a super important role to play, and that’s to make sure that she takes utmost care of herself and her overall health to keep the baby safe and healthy for 9 months inside her. Her physical as well as mental health is meant to be taken care of at the best by the family. A woman goes through hormonal and bodily changes during pregnancy and it must be addressed if need be. She gives up on her favourite food, pops in those medicines and supplements, deals with the pain and aches calmly, and manages her work stress too. She makes sure that she doesn’t skip her check-ups, vaccinations, or any follow-ups. Knowing that her emotions and activity can affect the baby, she has an important part to play in making sure she stays happy and careful all the time.

With so many different roles to play it’s important that this superwoman is backup by someone strong and that someone is the father. Though the father isn’t carrying the baby with him, he has a major role to play during pregnancy by supporting the mom-to-be 24×7. A father should be a strong emotional support through all the ups and downs during pregnancy. By saying this I do not mean just going to prenatal visits, doctor check-ups, or attending a yoga class with her. What I mean is to listen to your partner, comfort her on her bad days, help her in her routine chores and activities, stay healthy together, shop for the baby together, comfort her through her pains, and deal with every situation calmly, understand what she is going through, and keep yourself up to do date with the baby’s as well as mother’s health. It becomes equally imperative for the woman to encourage her partner to participate not just financially to the family but also emotionally and by being more physically present at home. It’s beautiful to have conversations while the baby is inside and build a bond at the very beginning while expressing one’s own experience through this transitional phase. Seek help, if need be, parenthood is considered natural to adapt to but it can be extremely overwhelming for either of the parents. It is definitely a skill we must acquire and learn with time and need to ensure the most effective and warm relationship as a family.