Even a planned pregnancy can feel like a surprise. While your pregnant partner lives the experience day-by-day, your experience is not that immediate. In the early days, neither the pregnancy nor the baby may seem real to you.
Non-pregnant partners may struggle for recognition as parents. They may be seen as helpmates and breadwinners, not as parents in their own right. Family and friends may focus on the pregnant person, and then on the baby. This may make some partners feel excluded.
To help ease your own adjustment to parenthood and make the baby seem more real to you, stay connected to your partner and the pregnancy. This will also help others see you as a parent.
This section includes:
- Being involved in the pregnancy
- Healthy relationships
- Transition to parenthood
- Early days as a new parent
- Support for you