Calling all husbands and new dads! It’s time to talk about YOUR role as the spouse of a newly postpartum woman. I will clue you into everything that you can expect during that time, and 5 ways you can support your pregnant wife in the way that she deserves.
This post is all about supporting your pregnant wife.
Watching your wife bring new life into the world is one of the most extraordinary things you can imagine.
This miracle is well-known and voices around the world praise women for the incredible feat of childbirth!
The postpartum period is much less talked about, yet often equally as draining and challenging.
No matter her birth experience, new moms need and deserve an incredible amount of support during this difficult and confusing time.
What To Expect During Postpartum
If you have never lived closely with a woman who has recently given birth, you may have no clue what to expect.
Here are some “need-to-knows” that will help you to prepare to support your wife to the best of your ability:
Your wife will be in intense physical recovery.
Whether she gives birth vaginally or via cesarean section, her body will need ample time and care to recover.
This process is NOT something that can be rushed but should instead be catered towards.
Your wife may experience intense emotional changes.
Every woman is different, and every birth experience results in different hormonal fluctuations.
Be patient with your wife as she navigates this confusing time… she is trying her best!
Your wife will need support as they navigate this new stage.
Whether it is your first child or your fifth, each labor and postpartum experience presents its own unique set of challenges.
No two are alike!
Understanding this will help you to remember that your support will always be needed, even if you think it is not.
Recovery will take time.
It is not linear, and it cannot be rushed. This deserves re-iteration!
As much as she may feel (or you may want her to feel) like she can be “super-mom” and jump back into normal life, it is in her best interest to take things slow.
As her loving husband, you’ll want to support her and take over responsibilities so that she can take her time in healing.
Your wife will change.
For better or worse, both you AND your wife can expect your new addition to bring out sides of yourselves that you’ve never seen before.
Having patience during these transitions is key to ensuring everyone feels supported on this new and dynamic journey.
How Can You Support Your Pregnant Wife?
1. Educate yourself on the birth and postpartum process.
It’s not your wife’s responsibility to ensure that you are educated about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum. That is YOUR responsibility!
Taking the time to utilize resources so that you are present and supportive through the child-bearing journey will demonstrate to your wife that you are just as invested in this process as they are.
It will prove that you do not expect her to endure this on her own and that you have true intent to be as present as possible.
Thanks to the ease and accessibility of the internet, countless free resources offer information about everything you need to know.
Whether you want to accompany your wife to actual birthing classes or want to start following educational social media pages, do so as early as possible so that whenever your wife needs you, you are prepared!
2. Recognize that she may not act like the same person they were before… and know that that is not a bad thing.
Having a baby changes people- for the best!
Children bring out a side of you that is more patient, selfless, and caring than ever before. But the transition to this new person doesn’t come easily!
As your wife navigates these changes in herself (and you navigate them in YOURself), be patient and kind. Allow her to make mistakes.
Allow her the space to explore what these changes look like in their life. Express to her that you are a safe person to learn, change, and grow with!
3. Do as much as YOU can to help without expecting anything in return.
There may be some things in the early stages of parenthood that your wife may have to do. For example, if your wife is exclusively breastfeeding, that is probably not something you can do for her.
With that said, there are several other ways that you can support your wife, whether it is directly caring for the baby or not. These tasks include:
- Taking care of other children while your wife is nursing
- Ensure your wife is equipped with water, snacks, and other comfort items while nursing
- Tend to household chores like cleaning, cooking, laundry, organization
- Wake up and keep your wife company while they are nursing the baby
4. Provide opportunities for your wife to practice self-care.
Do this from the beginning. Allow your wife to practice self-care BEFORE she is burnt out and desperate for alone time.
This time doesn’t need to be drastic, but it does need to be consistent.
Encouraging your wife to take care of herself and keep in touch with her identity is one of the most supportive things you can do for your wife.
5. Listen.
The reality is that your wife has more going on internally than they can ever describe. But that doesn’t mean she won’t try!
Listen to your wife and ensure that she knows you will never get tired of hearing about her journey or the things she is going through.
This post was all about supporting your pregnant wife.
The journey of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum is life-changing.
Having a supportive spouse in this journey can make all the difference to a woman, whether she is stepping into the motherhood role for the first time or is continuing in the role that she does so well!
As her loving husband, taking the initiative to make your wife feel seen, understood, and supported is one of the most meaningful things you can do.
Other posts you might like:
- 5 Bougie Things That Make Mom Life Easier
- 5 Reasons Why Gentle Parenting Isn’t Working for You
- 7 Ways to Discuss Age Appropriate Boundaries for Raising Confident Kids
