YOUR ROLE THROUGH PREGNANCY
Your partner is pregnant, which means you're going to become a Dad! When you received the news you probably felt a range of emotions - some easier to admit to than others! As with any life-changing event you may have experienced:
Shock;
Delight;
Numbness;
Excitement;
Horror;
Joy;
A feeling of being overwhelmed;
Fear;
A rush of adrenaline and feeling on top of the world;
Disbelief;
Anger;
Despair;
Sadness - because things will never be the same again.
The following describes how some men reacted to the news that their partner was pregnant.
"My instant reaction was: 'You're joking!' I couldn't believe it. It was complete joy."
"I was a bit appalled, but I knew it was important for my partner that I sounded pleased."
"We'd virtually given up hope, so when I heard I went out immediately and told the whole world."
"I was still a student when I found I was going to be a father. It was frightening."
"I was scared right through the pregnancy."
"It's nerve-wracking - it's such a big step after 40 years of freedom."
After recovering from the news, your may begin to ponder the practicalities. How are you supposed to treat your partner while she is pregnant? How will you cope financially when your partner can no longer work? Are all fathers automatically expected to attend the birth? The thing is - don't worry, The National Childbirth Trust is there for all parents and the pages in this site should help you through the unknown and to come to some conclusions.