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- How did you involve your partner in your pregnancy to make it more meaningful for both of you?
How did you involve your partner in your pregnancy to make it more meaningful for both of you?
Started
by The Kind Life
on October 9, 2012
Answer in a comment for a chance to be featured in Alicia's new book The Kind Mama!
I didn't have to try to involve him in any way. From the very beginning he wanted to be a part of everything he could. He went to every appointment throughout my pregnancy, even if it conflicted with work or his schedule. All I had to do was let him be involved like he wanted.
My husband and I made videos. For instance when we went for ultrasounds or just around the house. I was a very giddy pregnant woman and I love seeing how happy I was all the time. Our daughter was very planned and wanted and one day she will see how much in these videos. I love them
My husband, David, and I were so excited to be pregnant after waiting for over a year. As a gift, I bought a lovely journal that showed week-by-week all the changes that were happening for our beautifully growing baby. We read it together and made notes as we shared our dreams and curiosities with each other. A Prenatal Yoga class for couples also helped us to connect together with our baby. One of the best things that we still enjoy is a project we undertook to take a weekly photograph of my growing belly. My artist mother-in-law put all the photos together in a photoshop file and made a gorgeous framed picture that hangs in our home as one of our family's favorite art pieces.
My husband and I enrolled in Bradley natural childbirth classes during my last pregnancy. I really wanted a natural birth with my first pregnancy, which was 4 years ago, but I didn't do the proper research and I didn't take any classes. Needless to say, I didn't get my natural birth and ended up with an epidural instead. This last pregnancy, I was VERY determined, and quickly signed up for the Bradley classes and hired a doula. Since the Bradley method encourages husband-coached childbirth, my husband was given a very huge role and responsibility in our birth. Through the Bradley method (and with the help of our doula), he was able to assist and encourage me so that I was finally able to have my natural birth. Anyone looking into Bradley classes might be put off by the length and duration of the series, but I really feel as if these classes brought us closer together and helped us to connect. He was there for me throughout my 14 hour labor every step of the way and remained such a source of strength and encouragement for me. We were a team throughout the length of our pregnancy, labor, and birth, and it created such an incredible and unforgettable bonding experience.
This was my third pregnancy but my husbands first, so I let him in on everything! He got an earful of how I was feeling, what I was eating and he helped with ALL of the shopping. He loved my pregnancy but I think it was because we did everything together. I let him help me, too. I told him when I needed to rest, eat, relax, etc. He got a great understanding what mamas go through and certainly found a new respect. He loved it and so did I!
My husband and I took a Bradley class together in addition to Green Baby, Cloth Diapering and Babywearing classes. My husband was very interested to learn everything he could about natural birth since we had our baby at home. He was told during the Bradley class that at a home birth dad's have a bigger responsibility and this made him really excited as he wanted to play an active role during labor and delivery. He even ended up catching our baby in the water and handing him to me. Having my husband be the first person to ever touch our child was such a beautiful way to welcome him into the world. Our midwife also gave him books especially for dad's at our prenatal appointments and we watched a lot of documentaries together - our favorites being The Business of Being Born and What Babies Want. Our doula also had me write out a list of ways I wanted my husband to support me and also things he should avoid doing that would annoy me. He did a great job during the birth in supporting me in a way that was right for me.
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