Dad, Father, Pops, Daddy, Papa, DaDa

What is the man's role in a baby's life during pregnancy? Eventually he will be the one to teach the child how to throw a football, or kick a soccer ball. He will serve as an example of hard work, ambition, & drive. He will teach his little boy how to be a gentleman & what to look for in a woman. He will teach his daughter to protect herself & that good guys are out there, she deserves one of them. He will reprimand them when they step out of line, and will lead them when they need guidance. He will encourage them, give them confidence, hug them, support them, & love them with all of his heart. Men dream about their role as a father & this all comes when he sees his little one for the first time, but what is his role during pregnancy?

I've asked a man who seems to have the loving husband role down pat & has a lot of experience with rocky pregnancy roads to comment on this:
"I would summarize a man's role in two words; "support" and "gopher". The first word needs no explanation, there will be plenty of opportunities to provide support. When your lovely wife expresses anxiety over losing the pregnancy weight, you assure her she will and you will help. It is impossible to hug and kiss her enough during this time, expressing that she is already a great mother. You take over more house work and meal prep. While support is big, being a gopher is mandatory. Gopher translates to "go for" in this context. As you begin a career on Wall Street you are required to "go for" anything your boss requires; coffee, lunch, whatever. This dynamic repeats itself with your pregnant wife. You "go for" water, sweet treats, back rubs, Idaho Fry company, nonfat chai's, etc. All of this sounds pretty simple and it is. The one thing to keep in mind is to support and gopher with a smile on your face. A smile on your face puts a smile on her face, & keeps her laughing." - FG

So you've heard it from the man who has become an expert at supporting his wife during pregnancy. In my opinion, the man's greatest job during pregnancy & during the child's life is to love their Mother unconditionally. Happy Father's Day to all of you Dads & thank you for loving us Mom's!