Are you about to become a daddy? Congratulations! You’re about to enter a really awesome stage of your life! But, as you may have figured, this stage is incredibly stressful. Right off the bat you’ll have to go through your wife’s labor pains and eventual delivery of your child. But there are things you can do to ease this transition a little smoother. Pay attention expectant-dads!
It is important to talk with your wife about all your baby-delivering plans. Do you know which hospital you’re going to? Have you selected a doctor or do you have any preference? Will you use painkillers or forgo medication for a natural child birth? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you should stop reading and go speak with your wife to better plan the arrival of your child.
Communication is key here. If you’re not talking with your partner, you’re making things more difficult for both of you. As the father-to-be, your job is to act as the birthing coach for your wife. Call is ‘support’ or ‘coaching’ or ‘rooting for the home team,’ as long as you know that your job entails keeping calm and helping to keep your wife calm by staying attentive to all her needs both before, during, and after the birth (you should have already learned this from attending Husband School since it makes a marriage go much smoother to stay attentive). If your wife needs something, even something as simple as a cup of ice chips or a neck massage, you need to be ready to answer her call.
Beyond the simple ‘be a good husband’ routine, it can be extremely helpful to read up on birth and how to make it go more simply. Attend classes with your wife that teaches you how the two of you can make for an easier birth via teamwork. Read any helpful material available on childbirth that gives you real skills. Remember a woman might appreciate that you love her but she wants you to do the laundry.
Finding childbirth skills are a bit hard to find but the internet is the place to google ‘childbirth skills’ and see what comes up. Remember it doesn’t matter how your baby enters the world, your job as a dad-to-be is to help your birthing partner help your baby be born. Just make sure that when it comes time to sit in that delivery room with your wife, you’re not getting in the way and making things worse. A little preparation never hurt anyone.
So remember, communication and preparation are the two most critical aspects of your job during this process. Listen, process, and respond accordingly. Once you take the precautions, the whole experience won’t seem nearly as scary as you’re probably making it out to be.