10 Things a Husband Can Do While The Wife is Pregnant

While thinking of an article to write, I found this draft in my inbox which I started when Cali was pregnant with Cassandra. Hopefully rookie dads like me would be able to use these tips:

Like I said before, you can never graduate on being a rookie dad.  Each baby is different and since they are different, mom's pregnancies vary as well :).

Here are ten things a rookie husband can do when their wife is pregnant:

1. Give in to her cravings.  Carrioca, bananaque, pichi-pichi, freshly picked green mango with freshly cooked bagoong (shrimp paste), cassava.  Whether they're available in the grocery or at the most inconvenient place and time, do your best to get them.  And if you're not able to find them, put your armor on before you go home. :)
2. Understand the hormonal imbalance.  There will be times that even if you're too conscious on making sure that everything is working as it should be, she'll still feel terrible and that you'll be her target to vent off those emotional anger fangs.  It's not your fault.  It's just that biology takes the most out of her. 
3. Be as Christian as possible. One of the best advise I heard from older couples who never had a very big fight was: Always be kind to each other.  Mastery of one's emotions is one of the best strength that can bring you a long way. 
4. Be extra caring.  If you got spoiled by your wife where she prepares everything from your breakfast or even clothes to wear to the office, it's our turn to do these little things for them.
5. Help in your household chores.  Enough with the excuses that we're so tired at the office (even if we're just doing FB the whole day ;) just kidding), It's time to do your share, do the laundry, cook the meals, cleanup your mess. 
6. Go home early.  Well for workaholic dads, nothing is more important than the family right?  If you can't get out of the early... it's either, we're not working smarter or our boss is not working much smarter than we are.  But, no matter what, always remember why we're working in the first place.  It's for our family.  And if our family is suffering because we're not there physically, it's time to examine what our primary motivation for work is.  Is it really for the family?  Or for our ego?
7. Make things orderly.  As there are hormonal imbalance going on, seeing messy things might mess up your life as well.  Take the extra effort that before leaving any place in your house that everything is neat.  Books on the bookshelf. DVDs in their cases and stored in the shelf.  Left over food, if you plan to eat them in the morning should be stored in the ref and in the proper container.  
8. Go on dates.  Make sure to continue your weekly dates to keep the communication lines open.  The best secret to a good marriage is being able to exchange stories with one another. Treat her on a fancy or even in a not so fancy turo turo.  As long as the food is safe and the venue allows you to talk to one another, it will be enough.
9. Always remind her she's beautiful.  Remember, beauty is not about figure.  Well round is a figure :)  Even if she's well rounded, always make her feel she's the most beautiful girl in the world by always saying it to her.
10. Always be there.  No matter what activities you plan to do to make her feel happy... it won't matter unless you are there physically beside her.  Even if you're the most busiest man alive in the world, nothing would be more important as having to spend your time with your wife most especially in her trying moments when she's experiencing new things in her tummy and her body.  Be there with her not just physically but mentally as well.

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