There are plenty of things that you can do to support your pregnant loved one whether you are a spouse, partner, family member or friend. Pregnant women need support during pregnancy and birth, and after baby arrives. Look below to get ideas for how you can support your pregnant loved one!

Offering Support during Pregnancy:

• Make meals both to eat now and to freeze for when the baby comes. Smells from cooking can make morning sickness worse.
• Keep your loved one’s water bottle full. This will help her to stay hydrated.
• Take on more household chores like cleaning and laundry.
• Listen to your loved one, especially when they are sharing any concerns or anxieties that they have.
• Recognize your loved one’s emotional changes and support her in her feelings.
• If possible, attend prenatal appointments with your loved one.
• Discuss a birth plan, particularly if you will be present. For example, decide who will cut the umbilical cord or take pictures.
• Read and learn more about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Learn to recognize the signs of labor.
• Ask your loved one how you can be more supportive.
• Consider joining your loved one in lifestyle changes like eating healthier and not drinking alcohol.
• Take walks together. Walking is a good way to exercise and talk through things.
• Offer to take care of other children in the household to give your loved one time to rest.
• Help your loved one pack their hospital bag. If you will be attending the birth, pack your own hospital bag too.

Offering Support during Birth:

• When labor begins, help to monitor and track contractions.
• Be prepared to wait. Labor can take a long time. Plan ways to keep your loved one’s mind occupied such as music, talking, and card games.
• Offer encouragement to your loved one. Tell them how great they are doing and how strong they are.
• Lead your loved one in breathing exercises as their labor pains get worse.
• Offer to give your loved one a foot, back, or neck massage.
• Feed your loved one ice chips.
• Wipe the sweat off your loved one’s brow or put a cool compress on their forehead.
• If your loved one wants you to take pictures or record videos, do so. Make sure you check with the hospital staff as some hospitals do not allow recording of the birth.
• Update your loved one’s friends and family on the progress of your labor.
• Advocate for your loved one’s needs and wants during labor.
• Don’t take what your loved one says or does personally. Some women ignore their loved ones or become irritable during labor.

Offering Support Postpartum:

• Help to change, bathe, and soothe the baby. This will give your loved one time to take care of themselves. Do not be worried if the baby fusses, the more you try to soothe the baby the better you will become at doing so.
• Make meals that are easy to pop in the oven.
• Help take care of other children in the household so that your loved one can focus more on the baby.
• Monitor your loved one for postpartum depression or the baby blues. Listen to how they are feeling.
• Help with household chores like the dishes and the laundry.
• Prepare postpartum support for your loved one, such as underwear with ice packs.
• Learn the signs of urgent postpartum health concerns.