“Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy” by Myra J. Wick, M.D., Ph.D., provides valuable information for pregnant people and their partners. For those who experience pregnancy as a team, this guidebook highlights the importance of both team members being involved and knowledgeable throughout the pregnancy. The following excerpt provides important insight specifically for partners.
Especially if this is your partner’s first pregnancy, those early weeks during the first trimester can be a challenge.
First, although your partner looks exactly the same as before — the belly doesn’t start showing until week 12 or so — it might seem that they aren’t quite themselves.
An invisible, yet amazing transformation is taking place in your partner’s body. Within two weeks of conception, hormones trigger your partner’s body to begin preparing for the baby. Increased hormone production can lead to all sorts of symptoms, including nausea, tiredness, mood swings, food cravings and more.
Your partner may:
◗ Constantly feel nauseated.
◗ Ask why you would make eggs for breakfast (when eggs are usually their favorite breakfast).
◗ Be ravenous two hours after a meal.
◗ Cry easily.
◗ Want you near, but not touching them.
For some people, first trimester symptoms may be mild. It’s different for everyone and every pregnancy. Your friends and family who’ve had babies likely could come up with many other examples of their experiences during their first trimester. To help ease the way for your partner (and yourself), consider these tips.
Minimize nausea triggers
The common term for pregnancy-related nausea, morning sickness, can be a misnomer since some pregnant people feel queasy 24/7 during the first trimester. Nausea and queasiness usually tend to ease up by week 14. Rarely, some pregnant people experience nausea until delivery. In the meantime, it can be rough.
Things that might help your partner feel a little better include making sure they have plenty of fluids and fixing smaller, frequent meals to keep them from getting too hungry, which can make nausea worse. Ginger may also be helpful. Try ginger drinks and candies and gingersnap cookies. Avoid foods and smells that tend to make your partner feel worse. These tactics can also help minimize heartburn and constipation.
You might place plain crackers and whatever fluid your partner prefers on their nightstand, in case they feel sick during the night or early in the morning. And if your partner suddenly changes their mind about what they can and can’t eat or drink, try to go with the flow.
Help combat fatigue
As your partner’s body gears up for pregnancy, their heart will pump faster and harder, and their pulse will quicken. All the internal activity is likely to be exhausting. Help your partner get as much rest as possible. Eating enough protein and iron and getting plenty of physical activity also can help fight off fatigue. Good sources of protein and iron include lean meat, beans, nuts and eggs.
Ride out the mood swings
Changing levels of hormones can put your partner on an emotional seesaw. This is normal. Your partner may feel ecstatic one moment and weepy the next. Half the time, your partner may not know why they are feeling the way they are (and be just as frustrated as you). The key here is to ride out the storm. By the time the two of you reach the second trimester, your partner’s hormone levels may have stabilized and the world may seem much calmer. In the meantime, offer plenty of support.
Remember it will pass
Most pregnant people start to feel less queasy and more energetic once the second trimester begins. In fact, the second trimester is an enjoyable time for many couples, as the discomforts of early pregnancy are usually in the past and the pregnant partner’s belly is still a manageable size. This might be the time to do fun things together, such as go on a mini-vacation or get the nursery ready. Your pregnant partner can safely help paint the baby’s room if you’re using latex paint in a well-ventilated area, although the smell might still be bothersome. Just remember to avoid risky movements such as climbing on ladders and lifting heavy objects.
Excerpted from “Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy” by Myra J. Wick, M.D., Ph.D.
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