Dealing with Pregnancy Fears: A Guide for Dads
Pregnancy Fears: Pregnancy is a special journey that many people feel good about. It’s the start of parenthood and leads to the expansion of families. However, some people, both men, and women are scared of it. For women it’s usually the fear of whether people and friends will accept them, labour, being a bad parent, etc. However, that’s quite different for men.
Various factors can make men scared when their wives get pregnant. If your wife is pregnant and you’re scared, this article is for you. Stay put to discover why you’re scared and how to deal with your fears.
Reasons Why Your Wife’s Pregnancy Scares You
Here are possible reasons that can make you have fears regarding your wife’s pregnancy:
Hospital Bills
Hospital bills can be a source of fear when you have a pregnant wife. This is especially more common for families on a single income, where one parent is working and the other stays at home. The single-earning parent will have to provide for the family and pay for the hospital bills that were to come.
Hospital bills are pretty expensive and can make you stress a lot over them, especially when you have a tight budget. Here, you’ll have to work overtime or even forgo leave days to save up for these bills.
Miscarriage
When you first realize your wife is pregnant, you’ll probably become excited. But with that excitement comes an unfortunate reality that occurs with lots of pregnancies – miscarriages. You probably know a couple of friends or family who had miscarriages, and the possibility that it can occur to your wife can be overwhelming, making you scared.
What should you do in such a case? Talk with your wife about your fears so that she knows your feelings. It’s also good to try and focus on the bigger picture and be positive than let your fears weigh you down. Work together with your wife to ensure she has a healthy pregnancy.
That may involve attending antenatal visits, taking her supplements, avoiding what she was advised to, and adhering to her doctor’s recommendations.
Inability To Support Your Wife Emotionally
Everyone knows being pregnant causes hormonal changes in women’s bodies, making them undergo an emotional roller coaster. And although not all women have extreme emotional changes, most do.
Many men find themselves scared about whether they’ll be able to support their wives emotionally, and you’re not alone if you fall into this category. However, you need to understand that this is for a short while, and the outcome is worth it. Focus on the bigger picture, and the fear will lessen.
You’re Not Ready For A Baby
You may have been happy about the pregnancy all along. But as you come closer to having your baby, you start fearing about fatherhood and ask yourself if you’re truly ready to be a father. This is especially more likely to happen if it’s your first child.
When this happens, take comfort in knowing it’s okay not to have all the answers or knowing how to respond in every situation. You’re going to be a new dad and you’re not supposed to have all the answers. It’s okay to make mistakes, as that’s all that parenting is about.
You Cannot Support A Growing Family
Parenting is not easy and pretty expensive. There’s a lot that needs to be spent on when the baby arrives, which is not cheap. If your income is on a lower scale you may fear whether you can support your growing family.
The best way to deal with this situation is to focus more on actions and not feelings. If you are scared of the inability to support your family, focus more on how you can advance your career, get a better job, work overtime, etc.
How Can You Get Over Your Wife’s Pregnancy Fear
Here’s how you can get over your wife’s pregnancy fear:
Relax
The first thing to do to get over your fears is to relax. Take a deep breath and step back mentally from the situation. I know your wife’s pregnancy will affect your life, but being afraid of it won’t change anything. Once you realize this, you’ll be able to shift your focus away from your fear, getting past it.
Get The Facts
It’s natural to be scared when you don’t know what to expect from the pregnancy or which options are there. One of the best ways to help reduce your wife’s pregnancy fears is to be well-informed. Read up on the facts and information about pregnancy. Learn more about fetal development and what can be done to ensure a healthy pregnancy instead of worrying about miscarriage.
Take Care Of Yourself
Even if you’re scared of your wife’s pregnancy, it’s best to take care of yourself. Remember, you will have a harder time taking care of your pregnant wife if you’re not in a good place healthwise.
So, start by making healthier food choices and engaging in physical activities. Get enough sleep at night to ensure you’re doing great physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Remember, even if you are not the one carrying the pregnancy, you play a huge role in the outcome of the unborn baby. And that starts with you living a positive and healthy life. Your kid deserves a healthy dad whose emotionally, physically, and mentally sound.
Make A Plan
Fear often comes when you’re not in control of your situation. To break this, you’ll need to have control of your life. Make a plan of everything you’ll need during and after pregnancy and how you’ll acquire them. It’s easy sticking to a plan than fearing what you or haven’t.
Talk To Someone
You don’t have to do everything alone when you have friends you can talk to. Have a conversation with your fellow men about how they went about their wives’ pregnancies and how they overcame their fears. You can also look for support from online groups.
Conclusion
Pregnancy Fears You’re not alone if you are scared of your wife’s pregnancy. The best way of dealing with fear is to face it. Establish what it is that makes you scared about your wife’s pregnancy. It is the bills, emotional support, responsibilities, or you’re not ready for a kid.
Once done, plan how you’ll work out the issues. Feel free to seek advice from a therapist if the fear is weighing you down.
