My wife is now 26 weeks pregnant. 6 months pregnant pretty much on the nose. So she’s showing quite a bit, and this whole father thing is slowly becoming more real. Is this the way it’s supposed to happen? You tell me. Anyway, let me give you a little background.
It’s our first kid, it’s a girl, and it’s the first grandchild on both sides. (Yes, supposedly she’ll be spoiled rotten, and frankly, we’re hoping to take advantage of that. After all, while we’re self-sufficient and somewhat comfortable with our budgets, a baby will change a lot more than just budgets (duh!).)
While this is a picture from our 23-week appointment, it’s a better shot than we got today at what we’ll call a “Well Baby” appointment. According to iVillage (http://pregnancy.ivillage.com), this is what’s happening with my baby:
Your baby may be very active between weeks 24 to 28, when small size and ample amniotic fluid allow for freedom of movement. You may feel your baby jump in response to loud sounds or “settle” at the sound of your voice. Studies indicate that your baby can respond to touch. Your baby is around 14 inches from head to toe, and weighs 1 pound, 12 ounces to 2 pounds 3 ounces.
According to my wife, who of course has a great deal more firsthand experience on the subject than I (for obvious reasons), has told me that our daughter(to-be) is extremely active. I have been able to witness the incredible experience of having the baby respond to your voice (in this case, mine–too cool!)
We also learned today at our appointment that our baby can already open her eyes (the eyelids are sealed shut until usually 27-28 weeks), and she’s pushing her due date up about five days. My first thought: She has her mother’s nose, attitude, and desire to be an overachiever. Perfect–like I need two people in this house to make me look bad!
With the baby moving, and the weeks closely reaching 30, and the months hitting 6, it’s all becoming very real. I’m especially feeling the pocketbook pinch–we bought the car seat travel system (with stroller and carrier) tonight… to the tune of too much money. I tell you, the baby business is the ultimate racket (particularly here in Utah–the premiere babymaking state in the Union).
In all seriousness though, I know this is something I’ve wanted for a long, long time. I know I’m meant to be a father. I also know that I really have no idea what I’m doing. I think I have ideas for how I’ll be as a dad, how I’ll act in certain situations, etc. But to be honest, I guess I never really thought I’d have a girl–or if I did, it wouldn’t be the first kid. So really, I have no idea.
And I’m not sure I’m supposed to. I know many fathers out there. What’s been your experience at this stage? I’d love to know.
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Ah, I was in this predicament just 7 short years ago. And I mean short. It FLIES by. And because it does, my advice is don’t get too caught up in the books. Raising a child is like cooking – you need to adjust things to fit your taste. Read the books to get the general idea of how things might go, but improvise. You’ll do fine. Cavemen didn’t have “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” right? Instinct rocks. Congrats, man. You’ll do fine. (BTW, I’m John Caldwell’s buddy – used to work with him).
It’s been 24 years since I was in your shoes. We didn’t peek under the hood, but I remember at about this point watching her like water waiting to boil….
While it may sound cliche’, cherish every moment. IMO, the best thing that you can do for your child is to love her (her, too, of course) mother and never stop….
The reaction to your voice is pretty awesome…had the same experience when my wife was pregnant. Our son would not have moved much that day…and when I came home…I would talk to the baby and he would immediately start moving…it was pretty crazy…
A couple of recommendations…was blessed with my first 10 weeks ago…it is amazing…
- Baby Center…sends out weekly emails regarding where the baby is at in terms of development and overall has pretty good articles on common questions
- Diapers.com…awesome. Free overnight shipping when your order is over $49…and prices are usually cheaper than the supermarket…so if you can get a big order lined up…definitely worth it…
To echo BusyDad…even after 10 weeks…can’t believe how fast it has gone.
Congrats
Thanks for the advice, guys. I have a couple of books (there ain’t many written specifically for dads), including Alan Thicke’s (yes, Mr. Seaver) awesome tome “How Men Have Babies.” But otherwise, I’m just going with the flow and being as supportive as can be.
George, those links will be helpful. I’ll pass them onto my wife, who’s in full nesting mode and will want to check those out (if she hasn’t seen them already).
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