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My girlfriend is pregnant - being a dad

My girlfriend has had a positive pregnancy test. We are both 20 and are going to be in our second year of university in September. She wants to keep the baby. How can I be a good dad for my child?

Reply 1

kekedoyouloveme?

Original post by Anonymous

My girlfriend has had a positive pregnancy test. We are both 20 and are going to be in our second year of university in September. She wants to keep the baby. How can I be a good dad for my child?

Aw congrats xx

Just go with the flow honestly, parenting books are great and stuff but you need to experience it first hand to sort of figure out the best way to raise your child, go to any parenting classes with her, and support her throughout her pregnancy, and that would be a really good start.

:smile:

Reply 2

Adam :))

Original post by Anonymous

My girlfriend has had a positive pregnancy test. We are both 20 and are going to be in our second year of university in September. She wants to keep the baby. How can I be a good dad for my child?

Congratulations!!

This might be terrible advice as I've never had children but I think that it's really important to spend time with your child. Make an effort to read books to your baby, look after him/her and always try your best to show him/her love and affection.

You should also try to be a good role model to your child as this will make him/her look up to you in the future

Best of luck to both you and your girlfriend, you're going to be a great father :smile:

Reply 3

Anonymous #1

Original post by kekedoyouloveme?

Thanks for your advice. I will definitely look at parenting books and classes.

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

Original post by Adam :))

Thanks.
Yes I do want be a father who is involved with my child and spends plenty of time with them.

Reply 5

Napp

Original post by Anonymous

My girlfriend has had a positive pregnancy test. We are both 20 and are going to be in our second year of university in September. She wants to keep the baby. How can I be a good dad for my child?

Firstly, congrats! :smile:

Read up around the subject, get advice from people who are already parents and so on is always a good start. Aside from that i'd say stick out the university degree (most universities will help students who become parents as well) as itll help both you and the bambini
Also try not to toss yourself out of a window when baby stuff shopping :lol:

Reply 6

Anonymous #2

Congrats on the kid

Sometimes in life the answer is really close to us. Ask your parents for parenting advice! Alternatively you could ask other parents you personally know. Good luck!

Reply 7

Anonymous #3

Im still 17 and not really good with this stuff but i recommend both to take a year gap and focus on the baby☺️btw congratulations

Reply 8

fallen_acorns

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-Day-Pregnancy-Book-Experts/dp/0241312817/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dk+pregnancy&qid=1595993979&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-Day-Baby-Book-depth/dp/1405375817/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=dk+baby&qid=1595993985&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyN0dHM05LV085RVFNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDQ5MzgzUkFURDhOS0FFN1FIJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzODEwNDBISVdNMUpWSEgzVVkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

My wife is pregnant at the moment. Id recommend you both get the above two books.. They were really helpful to us. They both just cover the basics of the pregnancy and then the first year, but they go through it day by day, which really gives you a good overview of the whole process.

You can just read each day as it comes with the pregnancy book, and it will give you a really good insight into whats going on with your girlfriends body, what to look out for, what to expect etc. And then the baby book will give you the basics on care/preparation and an overview on how the baby develops and hits certain milestones.

(Bonus, if you want to impress your girlfriend..buy them for her and show her the effort your putting into learning and supporting her)

We are probably a few months on from you at the moment, and it can be pretty rough for the pregnant woman in the first trimester, so for now it will be less about being a dad, and more about supporting her while she feels like **** and worries about everything. The first trimester is a really risky time, so maybe don't tell anyone that doesn't need to know yet.. at least until you have done your 12 week scan and got the all clear that things are ok..

As for right now though - the first practical thing, aside from books and the like, that you can do is to help her sort out telling her GP and registering with your local midwifes.. depending on how far along she is, you will have your booking appointment (over the phone) probably in a few weeks, and that will kick off the process propperly.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 9

Surnia

First, be a good partner to your girlfriend; there's months of that to do before you need to be concerned with the hands-on part of being a good dad. Support her through the ups and downs of her body changing, possibly her career plans changing. As already said, use the time to read up and attend classes. Learn to change a nappy.

Think about where you could live with a baby, at uni and beyond; can you both study on little sleep? Will you want to live near family eventually, would it be yiurs or hers? How will you manage jobs and childcare?

Start saving; having a child is an expensive business. At a safe time in the pregnancy (people usially wait 3 months) ask family and friends and check sites like Gumtree to see what you acquire in the way of second-hand clothes, toys, books and equipment. And you've got all the future clothing, feeding, birthdays and Christmas, their friends birthdays and Christmas, holidays etc.

My advice is coming from having lots of siblings and now a niece and nephew that I'm seeing grow up, and watching my parents. It's easy to forget in the midst of crying and smells and spit and exhaustion, but make time to enjoy having a new life around :heart: