Does your partner feel supported?

So, you’ve got the whole pregnancy dialed in. You’ve read every book your girlfriend told you was the next best thing. You’ve done prenatal yoga once a week, CrossFit twice a week, and gone for a hike one other day. You’re excelling at eating for two with nutritionally dense foods and paleo snacks. And, you’ve even made a birth plan.

HOLD UP.

Did your partner help you construct the birth plan?

Has your partner gone to any midwife or doctor appointments with you? 

Or, has he been working the whole time? 

Are the two of you living in two separate worlds right now? 

You know, it takes two to tango. It took the two of you to put that bun in the oven. Therefore, I can guarantee if you two are acting as two separate units, then labor and delivery can get really hairy. You and your partner need to be seeing eye to eye, finishing each other’s sentences, and breathing the same breaths. That way, when labor and delivery is here, that you are in tune with each other and act as a team.

You partner will be experiencing similar emotions as well as completely different emotions from you during the pregnancy. It’s important that he knows these emotions are common. Encourage him to talk with you, an experienced friend or family member, or to read some books. The partner needs to feel supported just as much as the mom-to-be. 

There are a lot of partner workshops available in the world today. They can range from birth education to hypnobirthing to partner yoga to partner dance lessions to even partner workouts. Find something you and your partner like to do and do it once a week. Sit down and design your birth plan together. Get to know each other and fall in love all over again.

Exercise:

Set a timer for 10 minutes.

Lay in savasana side by side holding hands.

Do not say any words.

Try to match your breaths.

Partner Workout

Complete for time, with one partner working at a time:

2K Row

40 HSPU/Strict Press 

40 Deadlifts

40 Pull ups

40 Thrusters

40 Ring Dips

40 Clean and Jerks

2K Row

Modifications

• These weights are for the pregnant woman only. The partner can use what he feels.
• Advanced: Strict press- 65#, Deadlifts- 165#, Thrusters- 65#, Clean and Jerks- 95#.
• Intermediate: Strict press- 45#, Deadlifts- 125#, Thrusters- 45#, Clean and Jerks- 65#.
• Beginner: Strict press- PVC, Deadlifts- 65#, Thrusters- PVC, Clean and Jerks- 35#.
• Pull ups and ring dips can be done with bands. 
• Also, all movements can be done with dumb bells or kettle bell instead of barbell. 
• Only do HSPU if you are the partner or you are an expert at them.