.png "Father's Role in Pregnancy")
A few facts are set out
here concerning the father’s approach to pregnancy, but if you are really
serious in your desire to help your wife, you must read most of this book and
seek special guidance as well.
You should be able to
sit down with your wife and plan not only the number of babies that you would
like to have but more or less the exact time of their arrival as well. If your
wife is working, then her present earnings together with her future prospects,
will be an important consideration in reaching your decision. Providing a
pregnancy is normal there is no reason why your wife should not continue to
work up to the 32nd week of her pregnancy or even later if all is
well. Of course, the decision to continue working depends on how far she has to
travel, what work she has to do and how her pregnancy progresses.
Probably the first
indication she will have of the possibility or like hood of pregnancy is when a
period does not arrive on time. The earliest time that a diagnosis of pregnancy
can be established satisfactorily is just a few days after a missed period. One
of the modern urine tests performed at this stage, is the most common and the
easiest way in which a pregnancy can be confirmed.
The various changes
your wife may undergo are discussed under their different headings in this book.
You should try to understand the emotional changes that occur in early
pregnancy and look after her accordingly. She may suffer from severe symptoms
of nausea and early morning sickness and maybe increasingly tired, especially
during that day time. Such symptoms are quite understandable and you should do
your best to help her, even if some of your social engagements have to suffer.
If she goes off tea or anything else, do not be surprised. Alternatively, you
may find that there is very little in the way of symptoms of early pregnancy
and infect very little change takes place either in her emotional state or in
her daily life. Even so, please try to remember the physiological changes that
are inevitably taking place in her body and that minor emotionally changes are
also occurring although they may not seem obvious.
The morning sickness
and other symptoms of early pregnancy disappear by the end of the 14th
week and the 3 months of mid pregnancy are the time during which your wife will
feel at her best.
During the last 3
months of pregnancy you should be prepared to accept more responsibility for
day to day management around the house. You must make sure that all the necessary
arrangements have been made for the new baby’s arrival and that all other
arrangements are complete and satisfactory.
What to take to the hospital
If your baby is to be
born in the hospital, you should have a suitcase packed and ready with all the
items you will need during your stay. This should be prepared at the beginnings
of the ninth month or sooner.
Other preparations
You should also make
sure that the ambulance number is readily available besides the telephone or,
if you do not have a neighbour’s or that you have some coins put away to use in
the local PCO.
If you are taking your
wife to hospital by car, make sure that you know the best and most direct route
and that you know the correct entrance at the hospital to which to take her. Make
sure to have enough petrol in the car as well.
