Pregnancy and Baby-Prep is a Team Sport
How to start parenthood as strong partners and with confidence
Becoming parents is one of life’s biggest transitions, and too often, dads feel like they’re on the sidelines—especially during pregnancy. But the reality is, preparation for parenting starts long before the baby arrives, and the more involved dads are now, the more confident and connected they’ll feel when the newborn stage begins.
Research shows that dads who actively participate in pregnancy and baby prep tend to be more engaged fathers from day one. So this post is for you, daddy to be, and how you can best prepare for welcoming your new family member. Pick out meaningful tasks, encourage emotional connection, and be part of the decision-making process, you’re not just preparing for baby—you’re laying the foundation for a strong, supportive parenting team. Long gone are the days where moms have to do it all, but dads are still often met with stigmatism around care work. Let’s set out to change that - together!
So how do you participate, take ownership and feel truly excited about this new chapter? Let’s dive in.
1. Take on Meaningful Baby Prep Tasks
Men want to participate but don’t always know how. While you can’t really share the physical load of pregnancy, taking the initiative to take over clear, purposeful responsibilities makes dads feel like they’re actively contributing rather than just “helping out.”
🛠 Set Yourself Up for Success with These Baby Prep Missions:
✅ Research & choose key baby gear (strollers, car seats, monitors). Anything baby tech related tends to get them excited in our experience.
✅ Set up the nursery—assemble furniture, baby-proof, and organize essentials.
✅ Take charge of logistics—plan the hospital route, install the car seat, and create a checklist for hospital bag essentials (at least for yourself).
✅ Research & book baby prep classes or infant first aid and CPR courses– level up your skills together for peace of mind
✅ Learn hands-on skills—diaper changes, bottle prep, babywearing, and soothing techniques, learn do’s and don’ts ahead of time so you don’t scramble when you are stressed at home with a crying newborn.
🚀 Why This Matters: These aren’t just “to-do” items—they’re building confidence and familiarity before the baby arrives, so dad feels capable and ready from day one. It also shows moms that they have a true partner to rely on after baby arrives, somebody who can share the mental load because they know what needs to be considered.
2. Create Emotional Connection Before Birth
For moms, pregnancy is a 24/7 experience. For dads, it might not feel “real” until they see the baby. The good news? There are plenty of ways to emotionally connect with the baby before birth—which makes the transition into fatherhood much smoother.
💬 Ways to Strengthen the Bond Early:
Talk, sing, or read to the baby in the womb—babies recognize voices! It might feel awkward at first, we get it but it’s quality time for your growing family.
Feel baby kicks and follow along with pregnancy milestones. What size fruit or vegetable is your little one right now? Did they grow fingernails yet? Why are hiccups important? Discuss and enjoy those learnings and developments together as a team.
Go to prenatal appointments together to see ultrasounds and hear the heartbeat - learn about symptoms to watch out for in your partner to ensure they are healthy and comfortable.
Start a dad journal—writing thoughts, excitement, or future letters to the baby.
Take prenatal classes together (especially ones focused on newborn care or birth support).
Talk about the birthing plan – labour and birth can feel intimidating. It is a huge deal. Discuss what mom envisions this to look like and what support she wants but stay flexible when she totally changes her mind once the day has come.
🚀 Why This Matters: Emotional connection before birth makes it easier for dads to feel naturally engaged after birth. The more involved they are now, the more instinctive it will feel later.
3. Get Genuinely Excited for Fatherhood
Pregnancy is full of planning, but it should also be full of anticipation and joy. Finding ways to celebrate the journey together helps dads embrace the excitement instead of feeling overwhelmed or disconnected.
🎉 Ways to Build Excitement:
Plan a babymoon—one last getaway before baby arrives.
Make a “baby bucket list” of fun things to do before birth.
Choose a special dad role—maybe he’s in charge of bathtime, bedtime stories, bottle prepping or babywearing.
Split the day - is there a certain time frame where you take care of all the feeds and changes so mommy can get some rest?
Research dad-friendly parenting communities, podcasts, or books for inspiration.
Plan paternity leave and maybe a first vacation together.
🚀 Why This Matters: A positive mindset about parenting and fatherhood sets you up for a more eager and proactive role.
4. Approach Parenthood as a Team
Once the baby arrives, teamwork is everything. Dads being proactive and involved now means that when sleepless nights and diaper blowouts hit, they’re already in the game and know exactly what to do.
🤝 How to Set Up a Strong Partnership:
Discuss how to split newborn duties (feeding, changing, nighttime routines).
Set realistic expectations—parenting is a learning curve for both of you.
Normalize asking for help—supporting each other makes you stronger parents.
Agree on self-care time for both parents—because dad’s mental health matters too!
Check in with each other–what’s working and what needs improvement. This can evolve just as quickly as your baby changes.
🚀 Why This Matters: The transition from partners to parents can be really tough for both parents. Open communication, despite the sleep deprivation, being supportive and empathetic helps both to settle into this new role. For dads, this isn’t about “helping”—it’s about co-parenting from day one.
The Takeaway: Parenthood is a Shared Adventure - embrace it
When dads are actively involved in baby prep and pregnancy, they step into fatherhood feeling confident, capable, and emotionally connected. That early involvement translates into a stronger partnership, a smoother transition into parenting, and less potential for conflict and resentment. You are a team and with any teamwork, it’ll be successful when there’s open communication and a fair distribution of responsibilities.
Parenting is better, stronger, and more rewarding when you do it together—so start now, build that bond, the journey ahead is wild and beautiful!
