Finding out about your partner's pregnancy

Working together

Give yourself time to think about what’s happening and how it affects you. It’s a good idea to talk to your partner about how you’re both feeling and your hopes for the pregnancy. Whether you’re in a relationship or not, you might want to talk about:

• when to tell other people ‒ some people wait until after the first scan at 12 weeks 
• how you can be involved in the pregnancy, for example, by going to scans
• what to buy for the baby
• plans for after the baby is born.

Things to know about pregnancy

Find out more about getting involved in the pregnancy and pregnancy scans, scans and tests.

Getting medical help

It’s important to speak to the midwife if you’re worried about your partner’s or baby’s health. Don’t worry about wasting the midwife’s time – they will want to help. 

Encourage your partner to trust their instincts. They know when something doesn’t feel right. The midwife can either put your mind at ease or make sure your partner gets the right care as soon as possible.

Getting support

Friends and family with children can help you understand what to expect during pregnancy. But try not to listen to any negative stories or comments. Remember that every pregnancy and baby is different.

There’s also lots of support online and from the midwifery team. We have listed some useful websites at the bottom of this page.

Read about Michael’s experience of coping with pregnancy.

Money and work

Having a baby can impact on your work and finances. Find out more about your rights and work, financial support and parental leave and pay.

More support and information

Baby Buddy is a free app giving advice and information to parents throughout pregnancy and for the first year after birth.

Babycentre has an online community with groups for ‘dads and dads-to-be’, LGBT families and LGBT families support.

BBC’s Tiny Happy People shares dads’ experiences of pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

Dadnatal provides information and support for dads from the pregnancy stage to those with teenage children.

LGBT Mummies has information and support for LGBT families, including a pregnancy support group.