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Preparation for you as a father-to-be

Consultation at the midwife's office

As an expectant father, you are always welcome to attend our consultation hour with the midwife. It can make everything a little more concrete and you too can ask all the questions you have about pregnancy or childbirth. For many men, at the beginning of the pregnancy, it is sometimes still a bit of a distant memory. Coming along to the consultation can make fatherhood a lot more concrete. Hearing the heart of your unborn child or seeing the baby on an ultrasound can reinforce the realization that you really are becoming a father.

Define your care path together

Of course, you don’t have to be there for every check-up of your partner at the consultation. You are welcome whenever you want and whenever it fits your schedule. Choose the appointments that you find important, because it can also be very nice for your wife or girlfriend to hear the same information in the consultation room at the same time. Especially if the “pregnancy forgetfulness” means that not all the information sticks.

View the care pathway

Additional (pre) ultrasounds

Many (expectant) fathers indicate that actually it is not until the ultrasounds that the real feeling is triggered that you are going to be a father and then suddenly it really “feels” that way. Of course, your partner already has all the changes in her body and a growing belly that makes her notice that she is pregnant. Try to arrange that you can at least come along to check-ups with an ultrasound during the pregnancy. If this doesn’t work out, or if you feel the need for more ultrasounds or a fun, more extensive ultrasound, you can have extra (pre) ultrasounds at 040verloskunde at every term during pregnancy. These ultrasounds are intended to really experience the pregnancy together and already a little acquaintance with your baby.

  • If you are curious about the gender of your child, we can find out from 14 weeks of pregnancy at a sex determination ultrasound.
  • If you really want to get to know and see what your baby looks like already, we can create beautiful images of your baby with 3D and 4D ultrasound.
  • Are you looking for a very special and original gift for your pregnant girlfriend or wife, give her an ultrasound gift voucher! Not only nice for her, but also for you as an expectant father.

Learn more about ultrasounds

Attention and understanding

As a father-to-be, try to empathize with what it is like for your partner to be pregnant and everything in your body is changing in such a way that a whole human being can grow in her belly. This means that there may be some discomforts or complications at times. The more understanding and sometimes relatable she gets from you, the less she will suffer. Read up a bit so that you know what may come up and what tips you may have.

Read more about discomfort

Preparing for pregnancy and childbirth

For many expectant fathers, extensive shopping will certainly not be a hobby, and you probably don’t immediately think of baby shopping as your favorite thing to do on a free weekend. Still, it can be very nice to prepare together for the arrival of your child by picking out nice things together. A stroller that you too would like to walk behind (and in the right size), a nice nursery and a safe car seat. See what other practical things you can or should arrange during pregnancy, such as recognition, maternity leave or preparation for delivery, such as a maternity package or a birth plan.

Preparing for pregnancy

Preparing for childbirth

Pregnancy course

There are many different types of pregnancy courses for pregnant women. Almost all of these courses also have one or more partner evenings. At such an information evening you get a lot of information about childbirth and what your role can be. So it can be very nice and pleasant for your partner if you join this course. There are also more individual courses where you follow a course together as a couple, such as the course Befall samen Bevallen or pregnancy haptonomy.

View pregnancy courses

Connecting with your unborn child

Did you know that your unborn child will recognize your voice after birth? You can talk specifically to your child, but even if you are just talking to your friend or wife, your child will hear your voice from 21 weeks of pregnancy. Of course, it sounds somewhat muffled and there is the continuous sound of the mother’s heartbeat. Since your voice is naturally heard most often next to your wife’s or girlfriend’s, so this already sounds very familiar to your baby after birth. Besides talking to your growing baby in the belly, you and your partner can also connect with the baby in other ways during pregnancy.

  • You can make contact with the baby by pushing into the belly a little with a flat hand, or gently massaging it. Sometimes your baby will also respond to this and give a push back. Don’t be alarmed if this doesn’t happen, because not every child does this and not at every moment.
  • Be patient and sometimes even putting your hand still on your wife/girlfriend’s belly for a long time will give you a kick or poke against your hand.

In a first pregnancy, your wife/girlfriend will feel the first movements in her pregnant belly on average between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. For you, it will often take a little longer to feel these “plops” as well. It also depends on where the placenta is located and the position of the baby in the belly. At the check-ups at the consultation hour from 28 weeks, we can indicate how the baby is lying and that can be nice for you to know. Sometimes it is short-lived, because the baby can still move in all directions and often moves and turns a lot and quickly.

Learn more

Want even more information especially for you as a daddy-to-be, daddy-in-waiting or father-to-be? Then read on here.

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