When you’re past your Pregnancy Due Date (and how to deal with it as a guy)

When you’re past your Pregnancy Due Date (and how to deal with it as a guy)

You’re past your due date in your pregnancy. You’re officially into overtime, man. Time is starting to slow down to an almost molasses-like pace, despite the fact that you feel like the due date came and went so quickly. How did 9 months go by so fast?

It seems like so long ago we got on this train. And it does feel like a train – one that only goes in a single direction. One day you decide to have a baby, and the next thing you know it, you’re looking at a positive pregnancy test. Well done!

Next, its a stream of ultrasounds and check-ups. Appointments. Tests. To be fair though, these are all things that are the purview of the woman to endure (even though you’re along for the ride). You’ve got your nursery stocked; diapers, clothes, swaddles. Wet wipes galore.

Things can feel overwhelming for everyone, especially your partner (you know, the one who is actually pregnant). Obviously you have feelings (and thats understandable), but it’s important to remember one key thing: this isn’t really about you.

Be Supportive

Right now it is so, so important to be supportive of your partner. Period. While you might be stressed with work or with the daunting challenge of fatherhood ahead, you need to extricate yourself from this. You need to get out of the way.

She might be cranky. She might be short with you. But hey, how would you feel, if you had a miniature human-being inside of you? If you had one inside of you for now-over-40 weeks? I’m sure most men would be complaining non-stop, to make sure everyone knew just how much they were shouldering. How difficult they have it.

At 40 weeks your baby is roughly the size of a watermelon. Or, you know, the size of a BABY. And there is only one person doing all of the work at this point (and PS: it’s not you).

Her joints are aching. Her body is pushed to its absolute limits. Your fear, stress, and your queasiness from waiting is infinitesimal compared to what she’s going through. She needs your support – full stop. Clean the house, do whatever chores need to be done. Don’t complain about it.

Just be there for her. In absolutely every way you can. Because she is doing perhaps the most important thing someone can do for a family. So if you’re not helping – get out of the bloody way, man!

Best of luck!