Just Stay Calm

So you're going to be a dad and you're feeling a little overwhelmed.  Your wife is driving you a little crazy, because everything that comes out of her mouth is about the baby.  

"We need to decide what we're going to do the nursery in.  What do you think about Circus or maybe Africa Prairies?  And we need to pick sometime to go baby registering.  Oh, on the baby's name, I have a list of 112 names that I like and thought we could go from there. Oh and dear, you really need to fix this.  It won't be safe when we have a little baby crawling around. Dear? Sweetheart? Are you listening to me?"

Yeah, I tuned out too.  It's not that we don't care about our wives or babies. Its just that the ever growing list of things that need done, decisions that need to be made, the realization that the way things have been are soon going to be no more.  It would be an overload for most us.  We have a full schedule already, and now we are expected to work in a boat load of baby tasks.  The worst of it is, our wives don't understand the pressure they’re piling on us.  They’re on their pregnancy high in perfect bliss and the only thing that can burst their bubble is when they find out we're not paying attention.  

Take a deep breath. Let's step away from the situation for a minute to look at it from a different perspective.  First, let's look at women in general.  Based on what I have seen in my wife and heard from other guys, I truly believe that women have a switch that gets flipped when they get pregnant.  You see it when birds build a nest and when a rabbit pulls it own hair out to cushion its burrow; there is a natural mothering instinct that kindof takes over and helps them to prepare to be mothers.  Guys, just so you know, we do not have any instincts to be a father.  This is why fathers in the wild eat their young. The little bear cub won't stop crying. Papa bear is like, That's it, the kid really is dead. (And goes to kill the cub.) It’s the way it works.

Don't worry, be happy. Personally, I've noticed these changes in my wife in a couple of ways, but we’ll hit more on that later.  My point is that what she is going through is normal and natural.  She has just won the lottery. As her man, we need to block out all our worries and doubts and just be happy not only for her, but for yourself as well.  I know the saying is used often, but life is too short to worry.  This is something that I have to remind myself of daily.

Enjoy her good mood.   The storms of life can be very ominous at times, but just take one day at a time.  It may not easy at times, but budgets get changed, schedules get stretched and things that you once thought were a matter of life and death have a way of fading into the background.  This is one of the good times, so enjoy this time with her, because guys, our women’s spirits aren't always going to be this good.  So take advantage of them when you can.