For Men.

First and foremost, don’t panic. Your upcoming decisions don’t rely on your shoulders alone. You have a partner to navigate your next steps who needs you now more than ever. Look out for her both emotionally and physically. How? Check out our tips below.

What to do:

Talk with her and LISTEN. Ghosting her or leaving her on read isn’t going to make this go away. In fact, it’s going to make things a lot harder for both of you. Have frequent open and honest conversations!

Talk with each of your important people. Yeah, you may want to keep it a secret during the initial shock, but the people who will be directly involved (parents, guardians, etc.) HAVE to know what’s going on eventually. You never know what help is available until you have the conversation.

Educate yourself. How can you help if you don’t even really know what’s going on in her body? Learn about what is happening both to her body and to your baby with each trimester. Attend parenting and birthing classes together. Read a book. Listen to a podcast during your workout. The more informed you are, the less confusion you’ll feel!

Be honest with her and with yourself! This isn’t the time to cover up your feelings. Scared? Say that! Anxious? Say that! Confused? Say that! Telling her whatever she decides is what you want to do places a lot of pressure on her to make the decision alone. Your voice matters. It’s important to make the decision together. Chances are, she is feeling all the same things, and to know that you aren’t alone in your feelings will be a huge relief.

Lastly, be there for her. In the big ways and the small ways. Let her know that no matter what happens, all decisions will be made as a team.

Have more questions?

There’s no doubting that this is hard. If you or your partner have more specific questions or concerns, reach out to us, and we’d be happy to help.