A pregnancy guide for partners: how to support them every trimester

Your partner's body is doing the hard work, but you have a big part to play. Support from a partner is linked to less anxiety, healthier habits in pregnancy and a better birth experience. Here is what is happening, and how to help, trimester by trimester.

First trimester (weeks 1 to 13)

What they may be going through: exhaustion, nausea, sore breasts, mood swings and worry, often while keeping the news a secret.

How to help:

• Take over cooking, especially smelly foods, and keep easy snacks around.
• Let them rest, and pick up more of the housework.
• Go to the first appointments if you can.
• Cut back on alcohol and stop smoking around them: secondhand smoke is harmful in pregnancy, and quitting together is easier.
• Agree together on when and how to share the news.

Second trimester (weeks 14 to 27)

What they may be going through: more energy, a growing bump, first movements, and big decisions about scans and screening.

How to help:

• Go to the anatomy scan, usually at 18 to 22 weeks.
• Feel for kicks and talk to the baby: your baby can hear your voice from around this time.
• Start planning together: parental leave, budget, childcare and the nursery.
• Sign up for childbirth classes together.

Third trimester (weeks 28 to birth)

What they may be going through: back pain, heartburn, poor sleep, breathlessness, and nerves about the birth.

How to help:

• Learn the warning signs, and take reduced baby movements seriously; encourage a call to the provider straight away.
• Install the car seat and help pack the hospital bag.
• Read the birth plan together so you can speak up for their wishes.
• Learn the signs of labor and how to time contractions.
• Offer back rubs and foot rubs, and take on the heavy lifting.

During labor

You are the birth partner: their advocate, coach and calm presence.

• Time contractions and know when to call the hospital.
• Help with breathing, massage, position changes, water and snacks.
• Keep the room calm and handle the practical things, like parking and phone calls.
• Speak up for their birth preferences, while trusting the medical team if plans need to change.

After the birth

• Do skin-to-skin with your baby too.
• Protect their rest: handle visitors, meals, diapers and burping.
• Watch for signs of postpartum depression, such as low mood lasting more than two weeks, anxiety or trouble bonding, and encourage them to get help.
• Look after yourself. About 1 in 10 new dads and partners experience depression too. Talk to someone if you are struggling.

Frequently asked questions

How can a partner help with morning sickness?

Take over cooking and food shopping, keep crackers and cold drinks handy, avoid strong smells at home, and be patient: it usually eases by 12 to 14 weeks.

Should partners go to every appointment?

There's no rule. The first visit, the dating scan and the anatomy scan are the ones many partners don't want to miss. Ask what matters most to them.

Is it normal for partners to feel anxious during pregnancy?

Yes, very. Worries about the birth, money and becoming a parent are common. Talking about them, with your partner or a professional, helps.

Sources

• NHS: Pregnancy and birth for partners
• ACOG: Your pregnancy and childbirth
• Postpartum Support International: Help for dads and partners

General information only, not medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your doctor or midwife.

History of updates

• October 21, 2026: Published.