Foreword
Your partner just told you the great news: she's pregnant, and you're going to be a dad! It's exciting news, but it can also make you a little anxious: your life is about to change—and your partner's appearance will change too. While you don't know what will happen yet, don't panic. You have nine months to prepare for the arrival of your baby, and a little worry is perfectly normal. During this special time, you need to help and support the expectant mother while also preparing yourself for fatherhood. Let's look at how you can best prepare for this important life event.

Daily support for expectant mothers
Pregnancy is a huge physical and emotional change for your partner. She will need your support for the next nine months.
• In the first few weeks, she may experience (sometimes severe) nausea. To make her feel better, try to share the workload of meal preparation so she doesn't have to come into contact with foods that might make her nauseous. Remember to prepare something to eat for her before she gets out of bed in the morning; this can sometimes help relieve nausea.
• Overall, pregnancy is very tiring for expectant mothers. Try to take on the physical tasks and encourage her to rest more. If you feel she isn't taking good care of herself during her pregnancy, talk to her and offer the help and support she needs to slow down.
• You may find that she experiences significant mood swings: this is mainly due to hormonal changes, which can sometimes make her particularly sensitive. Listen patiently and comfort her; if she seems anxious, offer her reassurance.
• As she enters her second pregnancy, the weight of her belly will make her more prone to fatigue, and some physical activities, even standing, will be difficult. Please help her as much as possible: run errands, carry heavy objects, do housework, and cook.
• If she has back pain or heavy legs (which is common in late pregnancy), you can give her a massage to help her relax, which is also a great way to spend intimate time.
• During pregnancy, a couple's sex life is often affected, and your partner's libido may be lower than usual. Sometimes pregnancy can also affect physiological responses, such as insufficient vaginal lubrication, painful intercourse, and uterine contractions after orgasm, all of which may reduce her desire. Please be patient and understanding.

Participating in the pregnancy process
Even in the early stages of pregnancy, when your partner can clearly feel the physical changes, it might still be a bit abstract for you and difficult to feel involved. But there are many small things you can do to help you feel more like a father and to show your commitment to the expectant mother.
• If possible, accompany her to her prenatal checkup or to the midwife's office. This way, you can ask her questions directly and hear the doctor's advice to your partner. Starting from the second month of pregnancy, you can also "hear" the baby's growth sounds in your belly through ultrasound, a magical and moving sound that will make it feel even more real to both of you.
Similarly, try to accompany her to her ultrasound appointments so you can see how active and how your baby moves. After each appointment, you can ask the doctor any questions you have, or review the images of your baby again.
• When choosing a method of preparing for childbirth, consider "haptonomy": this is a science about emotional connection that allows expectant fathers to participate. It can begin when the expectant mother starts feeling fetal movements. Through special touch and interaction with the baby, haptonomy helps you and your child build a unique emotional bond.
• Help her choose a maternity hospital. While expectant mothers usually choose a hospital based on their delivery method, you can also offer your opinions: the level of acceptance of the father in the delivery room and during the hospital stay, and whether they support your role before and after childbirth are all important to you and her. Whether the hospital values ​​the role you want to play during childbirth can also help you adjust to fatherhood.
• When your partner starts feeling fetal movement, you can also try placing your hand on the bottom of her belly. At first, you might not feel any obvious movement, but rather a sense of presence, or a feeling like a bubble bursting. If you still don't feel it, please be patient and try again in a few days.
• Once you feel your baby moving, you can set aside some time each day to interact with him/her—not just by touching, but also by talking to him/her, playing music for him/her, etc.
• To get you started thinking about your future with your child, get involved in preparing for the baby's arrival: paint the room, choose furniture, pick out a stroller you can be proud of, and you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment when you take your baby for a walk! Your involvement will also touch your partner's heart.