Dad’s survival guide: trimester 3

Trimester 3 – the final stretch! In the third trimester things get a little bit crazier as it all becomes so much more real than before. Don’t worry though, you’ll get through it and you’re going to be an amazing dad!

Your partner’s pregnancy hormones and their accompanying pregnancy symptoms have only gotten worse. Bear with it, you don’t have long to go and whether she says so or not, she needs your support to get her through the next 3 months.

So here’s another survival guide to help you through the third trimester. Remember, think of it as a check-list and go through it step-by-step. Don’t try to do it all at once, you’ll get overwhelmed.

Make sure your partner doesn’t have an aversion to any of these treats!

• Get involved in baby shower plans. Whether her friends, coworkers or your family are planning get involved. Your involvement will show your partner you care and will also give you the opportunity to put a stop to activities or foods your partner will hate, because after 6 months you know better than anyone else what irritates her.
• Double-check the paperwork. Do you remember that paperwork we told you to do in trimester 1? Well, now it’s time to ensure that everything is in order. It’s also time to remind your employer you may have to rush out of meeting if your partner goes into labour.
• Attend your birth classes. You should have signed up for these in trimester 2and we hope you’re both attending them. You won’t regret it!
  

  Make sure your hospital bags are packed and ready to go

• Pack your hospital bags. It is a good idea to have both you and your hospital bags packed and ready from week 36 of pregnancy. It will save you a lot of time and worry when it is time to go to the hospital.
• Discuss child-rearing tactics. Examples include: disciplinary strategies, diets (vegetarian?) and if you want even dating. If it’s not your first child, consider the things you would change about your previous experience.
• Learn about Braxton Hicks. Braxton Hicks are false contractions and knowing how to tell the difference between them and real labour will save you a lot of trips to the hospital.
• Learn and practice. We’re talking about using baby equipment, changing diapers and bottle feeding. This will save you a lot of time during your baby’s first few weeks at home and will really impress your partner.
• Set up the nursery. You should have gone shopping in trimester 2 and now is the time to get it all organised. Aim to have the nursery ready by week 36, just in case.
• Do a safety check.Can you get to the nursery easily in the middle of the night? Are there sharp objects anywhere? How about choking hazards?
  

  Are you camera ready?

• Get camera ready. Make sure your camera is fully charged and in your hospital bag, forgetting it would be almost as bad as forgetting your partner at home when you head off to the hospital. Also, check exactly how much your partner wants recorded/photographed.
• Prepare for labour and birth. To do this read our Dad’s Survival Guide for Labour.

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