Touch your partner’s belly more often
As the baby grows and develops a pregnant woman’s body changes and adapts. Her weight, shape, and posture are all naturally affected by the amazing job her body is doing.
Healthy weight gain, of about 300 to 500 grams per week (less than one pound) by this point, provides her body with the additional resources it needs to support the baby’s growth. Weight gain during pregnancy is individualized and depends, in part, on a woman’s former body mass index. The most important thing to remember is to maintain a healthy, balanced, and nourishing diet [1].
Although the first test for preeclampsia is to take a woman’s blood pressure at every prenatal visit and check for protein in her urine, sudden weight gain or swelling of the hands and feet may merit further testing [2].
Your partner will likely feel the baby’s first movements soon if she hasn’t already. If this is not her first pregnancy she may feel the baby moving as early as the 16th week [3].
For you, the baby’s first movements can be a turning point. Psychologists believe that feeling the baby’s movements can mark the moment in which they truly feel like a dad-to-be [4].
Touch your pregnant partner’s belly more often, talk to the baby about you and your family, and sing them lullabies or your favorite song. Dads who do this are believed to build a stronger relationship with their babies once they are born [5].
