Couvade--by Eric Joshua

Pregnancy Period
As a father of two children, I have a lot of experience with pregnancy. The first few months of my wife’s pregnancy she underwent a lot of discomforts that affected me as well. These discomforts were body pains, heaviness, nausea, weakness, dizziness and vomiting due to hormonal changes. However, I experienced my wife pregnancy in two ways.

Nursing responsibilities

• Massaging her body aches every time she was in pain.
• Assisting her to the tub or shower.
• Helping to change her position when she’s sleeping.
• Positioning supporting pillow under the belly
• Prepared food for us.
• Assisting her to dress up.
• Driving her to clinics for checkups
  
  

The second experience was the feeling of being sympathetic to pregnancy also known as Couvade syndrome. Couvade syndrome is a term used to describe a situation in which an otherwise healthy man — whose partner is expecting a baby — experiences pregnancy-related symptoms. While some research suggests that Couvade syndrome (sympathetic pregnancy) is common, it isn't a recognized mental illness or disease (Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D., 2011)

Couvade syndrome condition

• The feeling of nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Dizziness.
• Mood swings.
• Weight gaining.

The uncomfortable feelings for both my wife and me lasted during the first three months. Several months later, she started to feel regular labor pains.. At times, I would cut sleep in the middle of night to rush my wife to the emergency room, only to  find out it was false labor pains.

However, some of the good experience that I enjoyed during this period were; the feeling of my child kicking from the womb, the joy of becoming a father, and the authority of selecting a name for my child. I continued to love and care my wife for the rest of the pregnancy until my child was born. As the doctors handed my child to me I was the happiest man in the world and I couldn't take my eyes away from her.

Bottom line, the pregnancy period can lead to difficult experience to fathers as well. In this period I learned a lot about pregnancy and its affects. Also I believe that my children are the priceless gift from God. Therefore, this belief kept me strong during the pregnancy period and I went through the all the tough times.

Author Eric Joshua.