Key Takeaways

• Take on more chores and meal prep responsibilities to lighten your partner’s workload and manage their fatigue.
• Address their concerns with a calm, warm, and understanding tone, rather than an “I can fix this” attitude.
• Deepen your bond with your partner and your future child by discovering the baby’s sex months ahead of a standard ultrasound.

What are the best ways to support a pregnant partner in the first trimester?

Not sure how to support a pregnant partner? First-trimester struggles are often the most challenging, especially as the two of you learn what to expect.

But that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and play catch-up. With some knowledge and the right strategies, you can offer support from day one.

Battle Morning Sickness Together

Morning sickness—the nausea and vomiting that accompany most pregnancies—can actually happen at any time of day, and it’s very much a first-trimester struggle.

For most people, nausea begins before the 9th week of pregnancy and disappears at around 14 weeks. On rare occasions, it can last through the entire pregnancy.

In any case, nausea and vomiting are unpleasant. As a partner, you can support by preparing easy-to-digest meals, such as scrambled eggs or cottage cheese topped with fruit.

Some foods may also help your partner manage or suppress their nausea. Keep these supplies on hand for those I-might-need-to-throw-up moments:

• Crackers
• Bread
• Rice
• Ginger tea
• Oatmeal
• Bananas

Shoulder the Mental Load

Along with physical challenges, there are mental ones. Pregnancy is exciting, but it can also be exhausting.

The sheer amount of energy it takes to grow a baby can make even the simplest tasks more difficult.

If your partner typically handles household logistics, you can help by taking charge. To give your expectant partner more time to rest, try to do the majority of these tasks:

• Grocery shopping
• Cooking and meal prep
• Cleaning the house
• Doing the laundry
• Making doctor appointments
• Taking kids to extra-curriculars (if applicable)

Be the Appointment Advocate

To be even more supportive, go beyond setting the appointments. Try to join your partner at every prenatal visit.

By being in the room during doctor visits, you can stay informed about the pregnancy and the upcoming changes. You can also listen on behalf of your partner, who may be overwhelmed by all the information.

Most importantly, your presence lets you stand up for your partner. Some healthcare providers may dismiss pregnancy concerns as “normal,” but you know your partner best, and if their problems don’t seem “normal” to you, you can push for additional tests and attention.

Ultimately, going to appointments together allows you both to move forward with more confidence.

How can I emotionally support my partner during pregnancy?

For many partners, helping with the physical and mental challenges is straightforward enough. Extra chores? Monthly doctor visits? Piece of cake.

The emotional parts of pregnancy can be more complicated. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to navigate all the new emotions:

• Practice “Real Talk” – If you’re going to raise a child together, honesty is essential. Now is the time to practice. Have candid conversations with your partner about what excites you and what scares you. If bringing up your feelings is difficult, try scheduling a weekly “Real Talk” check-in.
• Celebrate the small wins – Acknowledge the challenges, but focus more on how well your partner is doing. Mark every milestone with a party, photoshoot, or private celebration. A little positivity goes a long way in reinforcing your connection.
• Plan the future together – On difficult days, remind each other of the upcoming possibilities. Dreaming about tomorrow’s beautiful moments can make today’s challenges seem less hard.

Can we bond with our baby as early as 6 weeks?

No matter how many ups and downs the first trimester brings, you and your partner will always have one thing that brings you together: the baby. As the pregnancy progresses, the baby will grow, and so may your bond with your partner.

The two of you can also start strengthening your bond with your baby sooner than ever before. That’s because the SneakPeek® Early Gender Test can tell you your future child’s predicted sex as early as 6 weeks. And because the at-home test is DNA-based, the results are clinically proven to be over 99% accurate.

Knowing if your baby is a girl or a boy allows you to start bonding early. You can pick out names, shop for nursery furniture, and even plan a reveal party.

With the three of you developing a strong bond from the beginning, those supportive instincts are more likely to become second nature.

The Simple Steps to Discovery

Using the Early Gender Test to determine your baby’s predicted sex is a simple three-step process:

• Step 1: Collect – It starts by collecting the DNA sample from the comfort of your home. Just make sure to follow the instructions properly to ensure over 99% accuracy.
• Step 2: Send – With your sample in its protective bag, it’s ready to be shipped back to the SneakPeek lab. Simply place it in the prepaid shipping box and seal it. You can support your pregnant partner by dropping off the package at the post office.
• Step 3: Discover – Once the lab receives and processes your sample, you’ll receive your results via email. When that email arrives, you and your partner can open it together to share a sweet, secret moment before telling anyone else. (Alternatively, you can share it with a trusted friend who can keep the sex a surprise until a planned reveal party.)

Regardless of whether you learn your baby’s sex through email or a party reveal, you’ll get to cherish the special milestone of discovering your baby’s sex together.

FAQs: How to Support Your Partner’s First Trimester Needs

Looking for more ways to support your pregnant partner? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to further guide your journey.

What should we ask the doctor at our first visit?

That first visit to a healthcare provider’s office can feel equal parts exciting and scary, especially if this is your first child. You probably have a million and one questions in mind.

That’s exactly why it’s important to have a list of questions prepared before the appointment. Consider making a note in your phone or bringing a pen and paper to write down your questions and answers.

Depending on how the pregnancy has been so far, you may want to ask:

• Which medications are safe for pain/morning sickness?
• How can we have a healthy pregnancy?
• What prenatal vitamins do you recommend?
• Which foods should we avoid?
• What symptoms require emergency care?

How can I stay involved when I’m not the one carrying the baby?

As the non-pregnant parent, it’s natural to feel “removed” from the process. No matter how much time you spend with your partner, you won’t experience the physical and mental changes of pregnancy.

But just because you’re not carrying the baby doesn’t mean you can’t be involved. Instead, you can find other ways to carry the weight.

Non-pregnant partners can stay involved by:

• Researching and buying gear
• Planning the baby’s room
• Communicating with friends and family
• Ordering and shipping the SneakPeek Early Gender Test
• Being present for every “aha!” moment

What lifestyle changes should we make together?

Being pregnant means making a lot of lifestyle changes. For example, your partner will be advised to give up alcohol, smoking, and many uncooked foods.

You can support them by making changes that mirror theirs. If you adjust your diet, habits, and activity levels to match your partner’s, they won’t feel as alone in their pregnancy journey.

Plan for Joy with the SneakPeek® Test

When it comes down to it, being a supportive partner during pregnancy is about being there and being proactive. Your role is to be a listener through the ups and downs, a champion during healthcare visits, and the “master of joy” for every milestone.

And if you want the exciting milestone of knowing your baby’s sex to come earlier than the standard second-trimester ultrasound, order the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home sex test. You and your partner can start connecting with your baby as early as 6 weeks and begin dreaming about your future, together.