Pregnancy - a man's view (Being a Parent)

Member Name: kca101

Product:	Being a Parent
Date:	27/07/00 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Probably the most significant event in your life

Disadvantages: None if your attitude is right

In November I am going to be a father for the first time. Ever since I found out the fantastic news my wife was pregnant, my view on everything has profoundly changed. My focus has switched from my own needs to those of my wife and our new baby.

When a baby, so small and precious, is conceived it makes you consider the real priorities in life.

It's not work, or money, or popularity that's important. Suddenly a new life, someone who will look to you for everything, is created and each choice you make is presented with a new option.

To give yourself to someone else in marriage is an act of self-sacrifice. To bring up a child together is ..... well, I'm not sure yet but I'm sure it will demand everything I can give.

I'm still working all of this out but would like to give some advice to the soon-to-be fathers out there:


1. Give your wife (or partner) every bit of support you can. She will do 99.9% of the hard work to deliver the child - the least we can do is the easy stuff like buying strange food at a moment's notice.


2. Find out as much as you can about pregnancy, the birth
and the problems you might encounter in the early months. The last thing your wife needs is to be looking after 2 people!


3. Reconsider all your decisions in the light of becoming a father - who needs you most on a Friday night? Your drinking mates or your pregnant wife?


4. Make sure you start saving money as soon as possible. I've worked out that we will need an extra £2,000 in the first 6 months and we opened an bank account within weeks of finding out the news. Put some money away each month and don’t be tempted to use it until AFTER the birth.


5. Having a baby refocuses your mind. Now is the time to become the person you have always really wanted to be - kind, considerate, and thoughtful. Imagine your wife telling all her friends you were the id
eal husband all through the pregnancy, and try all you can to make that happen.


These are exciting times for me, and I am determined to do things right. There surely can be no greater joy than a little person looking into your eyes and calling you "Daddy".

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