Now it Feels Real!

If the last 9 months and my wife’s large belly wasn’t real enough, we just completed our birthing classes at the hospital (MGH). Now it has really hit home…we’re having a baby! We are now certified to give birth! Well, not really certified but they did hand out certificates to those who wanted them. I should have taken one and hung it next to my college diploma!

Reading the “What to Expect” type books are helpful but nothing was more real than sitting in a room with 6 other pregnant couples learning about the birthing process. The instructor was great and the material was informative but hearing the stories and questions from the other couples was the most important thing.

Following along the “Now it Feels Real” theme, after the class was complete we came home to wash all the baby’s new clothes. If we didn’t get the picture yet about how close we are to being parents, trying to figure out how to fold those tiny little clothes was pretty interesting!

It’s almost baby time, stay tuned!

Photo Credit: dizznbonn

She’s Expecting, Now What?

She’s expecting, congratulations! And now that the euphoria has worn off and you are done fielding calls of congratulations, what next? What do you do? Let me make it simple for you, the answer is: everything! Everything you can do to make life easier for her. It may seem like a lot when you have to start doing a lot more around the house but keep in mind, you have easy part.

This whole process amazes me everyday. From the ultrasounds, to the doctor’s visits and feeling the baby move it is absolutely mind blowing. This article is a summary of my life as a dad-to-be so far and I hope it can help you out too.

Some days are better than others
Especially in the beginning your wife will have good days and bad. Doing even the littlest of things can help her cope in the beginning. I must have lost 5 pounds in the first 2 months walking up and down the stairs every time my wife needed something. If your wife currently does the grocery shopping, jump in and get it done. Check out my grocery shopping tip here. Don’t complain about it, just do it!

Read the Book
There are plenty of pregnancy books on the market and I did a short review of the book I found most helpful. The book explains the changes that your wife is going through week by week. It also details what she should and should not do, what drugs she can’t take, how best to exercise and much more. There are plenty of tips in there for you too.

Go to the Doctor’s Visits
If you can, go to as many office visits with your wife as possible. I have found it very insightful to hear the progress from the doctor and also to hear about what to expect in the coming weeks. Also, there are plenty of times where she will have to get blood tests done and I know I felt better being there with her then if she had to go to the visit alone.

If you are going through this for the second time, what did you learn the first time around? What tips can you share with me or with the rest of the readers? I’d love to hear your comments!

Caffeine and Miscarriages?

There is a Newsweek article detailing a troubling link between caffeine consumption and an increased risk of miscarriage. The study was performed over a two year period on 1,063 pregnant SF area women.

The summary of the study is described in this quote:

A study published Monday in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) reports that women who reported consuming more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day during the first three months of pregnancy doubled their risk of miscarriage (from the 12 percent average among participants who used no caffeine to 25 percent). During a two-year period, 1,063 pregnant San Francisco-area women participated in the study.

The article describes how a regular Starbuck’s coffee, the “Tall”, contains 260mg of caffeine! While the link betwen caffeine consumption and mis-carriages is considered controversial, it certainly gives you and your wife something to consider. If your wife is a caffeine drinker have her consult her doctor.

Pregnancy - week by week

One of the parenting books in our household right now is Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Fifth Edition. It is easy to read for Dad’s and packed full of great info. As the title implies, it is a week by week guide to your wifes pregnancy with each chapter representing a week of pregnancy.

This is a great resource for expecting dad’s to read as each chapter brings you up to speed with what is going on with her body and the baby. It’s pretty amazing to learn about how the baby is developing throughout the pregnancy. There is also lots of information about nutrition for your wife, exercise tips (for both of you!) and lots more.