9 Tips for 9 Months of Waiting: What partners can do when waiting for the baby to arrive

If you’re expecting a baby, you’re probably here looking for advice. Life is about to transform in wonderful ways, so it’s great you’re taking this time to prepare yourself as best you can. You probably already know your pregnant partner wants heaps of foot rubs, and for you to fill the freezer with wholesome meals, so below are our best cliché-free tips for a happy and productive pregnancy. 

Donate Blood, Donate Plasma

As many as 1 in 7 women require blood products throughout pregnancy, and many will also need blood transfusions during childbirth. Donate blood every trimester, and for extra brownie points, donate plasma between your whole blood appointments. 

First Aid Course

Whether it’s your first course, or a refresher, now is an ideal time to brush up on your lifesaving skills. First aid on infants and toddlers can be a bit different to the process for adults, so find a first aid course that helps you feel confident in your first months as a new parent. 

Be the Googler

Internet searches are the best and worst tool for expectant parents. They can give you valuable advice, but they can also be terrifying. Help to relieve the pressure from your expectant partner by being the one to search her questions and vet the results. This ensures you’ve weeded out the suspect and uninformed opinions that abound the internet, before she even has to consider if wearing her socks to bed, or eating watermelon will in some way damage the baby. 

Attend a pre-natal class

Sure, you know you need to learn how to change a nappy, bath a newborn and take a tiny person’s temperature, but we also suggest you learn how to swaddle: perhaps the most invaluable skill you can master. We suggest you practice until you can do it one handed on a squirming puppy. Also take the time to learn useful things like how to store breast milk in the fridge or freezer, and how to sterilise everything from utensils to soiled laundry. Always better to have mastered these skills ahead of time, rather than desperately seeking answers at 3am on a Tuesday morning as one or more people unhappily scream for your attention. 

Get out more

Now is an ideal time to arrange some activities that you won’t be able to do as much of for a few months after bub arrives. Go to the movies, take walks together, eat at your favourite restaurant so often you become tired of the food. Catch up with your friends as much as possible. These things won’t disappear when the baby arrives, but they do become trickier to arrange, so enjoy these simpler times by making some plans on the fly. 

Do the family wrangling

There are often more interested parties than just you and your partner when it comes to pregnancy. You’re likely already fielding questions and well-wishes from family and friends, which will only become more frequent as you move through the months. Your partner will undoubtedly appreciate you taking on the responsibility for updating friends and family on the progress of the pregnancy, and developing a plan for how to roll out the all –important news of the baby’s arrival. While you’re at it, you should remind everyone in the family to donate blood on her behalf! 

Become an amateur photographer

Mums sometimes complain that they’re hardly featured in the family albums, because they’re always the one taking the pictures. Get in the habit now of taking lots of photos, so you can ensure your priceless memories are documented with her in the frame. 

Go to the appointments when you can

Ask questions, listen, write notes for both you and your partner. This alleviates any pressure your partner might otherwise feel to remember to ask and remember everything at those check-ins with the medical practitioners. 

Do a test drive to the hospital

Learn the route, time it for peak hour (just in case), have an alternative in case of roadworks or traffic. Know where you need to park and how long you can leave your vehicle there. 

Ticking any of these items off your checklist will give you a strong sense of accomplishment, but none greater than the one item that saves 3 lives. Donate blood today and become a Bloody Legend.