Signs of an Unsupportive Husband During Pregnancy can often manifest in subtle ways, leaving expectant mothers feeling isolated and overwhelmed when they need support the most.
Pregnancy in the physical sense is usually carried by a woman, but despite this, it’s the duty of every husband to be supportive towards their wives during this journey.
For the most, the pregnancy is a result of their deliberate action.
For some women, this period can be marred by the lack of support from their partners.
An unsupportive husband can significantly impact a woman’s emotional well-being and overall experience of pregnancy.
Pregnancy comes with many changes in body, mood, and a woman’s actions.
Trust me, no woman wants to go through this journey without a supportive husband.
You’re probably wondering what the signs of an unsupportive partner are.
Who Is An Unsupportive Husband During Pregnancy?
An unsupportive husband during pregnancy fails to provide the necessary emotional, practical, or physical support that his pregnant wife needs.
This may start as a lack of interest or involvement in the pregnancy, dismissing or criticizing her feelings and needs, making decisions without her input, or engaging in behaviors that harm her well-being.
Such a husband might also be emotionally distant, unfaithful, or abusive.
These actions may lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, resentment, and anger from the pregnant wife.
Here are some common signs of an unsupportive husband during pregnancy:
Signs Of An Unsupportive Husband During Pregnancy
1. He Shows No Emotional Support:
One of the first signs of an unsupportive partner is that he doesn’t give his wife the emotional support that she needs during her pregnancy; he’ll always minimize his feelings towards her.
In fact, he may dismiss her concerns, worries, or fears related to the pregnancy.
Another way by which a man shows a lack of support during his wife’s pregnancy is that he acts uninterested in the pregnancy.
He does this by showing little or no interest in the baby or the pregnancy journey.
Husbands who are unsupportive towards their wives during the pregnancy journey also make them feel bad whenever they express their need to feel loved, heard, and given emotional support.
2. He Does’nt Give You Physical Support:
During pregnancy, a woman is most likely to constantly get tired due to the fatigue of being pregnant.
In place of this, every responsible man understands that she needs all the physical support she can get.
But an unsupportive husband will refuse to help and expect you to handle all household chores despite your growing discomfort and limitations.
He also will be unwilling to accompany you to appointments like prenatal check-ups or other important appointments.
Additionally, he might ignore or dismiss your complaints of fatigue, nausea, or other pregnancy-related symptoms.
3. He’s Jealousy and Insecure
One of the signs of an unsupportive husband during pregnancy is insecurity.
It’s pretty standard for the unborn child to draw all of your attention to themselves.
You’re trying to get what’s best for them, satisfy your cravings, or always have a conversation that revolves around them.
This is not to say that you’ve stopped loving your husband. As a matter of fact, every supportive husband would love to be a part of the season you are currently going through.
However, it’s not the same for an unsupportive husband. He’ll feel threatened by the baby and might even begin to express jealousy or insecurity about the attention the baby will receive.
To top it all, an unsupportive husband during pregnancy might begin to show traces of controlling behavior; he’ll do this by trying to limit your activities or social interactions.
4. He’s Dismissive of Your Concerns:
Quite several times, pregnant women tend to be anxious, uncertain, or filled with doubts, she doesn’t know what to expect in the journey of pregnancy or during childbirth especially if it’s the first child.
This should be a moment for couples to bond emotionally by discussing their concerns and worries and connecting on a deeper level.
But an unsupportive husband would not take his wife’s concerns seriously; he’ll totally ignore or dismiss her worries about the pregnancy or the birth.
With time, he might even make you feel like a burden like you’re asking for too much or being unreasonable. (This is a difficult place to be; read on to learn how to respond.)
5. He Gives You Negative or Belittling Comments:
Pregnancy makes a woman go through all sorts of bodily changes, most times, she becomes a shadow of how she used to be, she could either be gaining so much weight or losing a chunk of weight.
Whatever the case may be, an unsupportive husband will not cease to make negative comments about her body and begin to compare her unfavorably to other pregnant women.
In making negative comments, he might also slide in hurtful remarks or language or derogatory comments.
6. He Lacks Patience And Understanding
Emotions can be a wild ride during pregnancy, and an unsupportive husband may lack the empathy to handle those ups and downs.
Instead of offering support and understanding, he may add to the stress by being irritable or dismissive.
7. He Focuses On The Negative Aspect Of The Pregnancy
As much as pregnancy comes with many negative actions and not too many palatable events, there are many memorable and beautiful memories beyond.
Nonetheless, an unsupportive partner would choose to focus on the negative side of the pregnancy.
They just want the phase to be complete quickly so they can move on to the next chapter
8. He Withdraws Affection From You
Another sign of an unsupportive partner is that he might gradually withdraw his affection towards his wife, especially when she is at her lowest.
The truth is pregnancy might make you vulnerable; it will reveal the weakest part of you, and this is why you need a supportive partner who wouldn’t use your actions or inadequacies against you in this period; instead, he’ll uphold and remain supportive towards you.
9. Unwillingness To Educate Himself
A husband who shows little or no interest in reading or educating himself about the process and journey of pregnancy is seen as unsupportive.
If he fails to involve himself with issues that concern the pregnancy or knowledge that will aid the journey, then he isn’t providing you with the support that you need.
What To Do When Notice The Signs of an Unsupportive Husband During Pregnancy
Dealing with an unsupportive husband during pregnancy is a big deal. First, you have the unborn child to deal with and an unsupportive husband to top it all.
Trust me, it isn’t a good place to be.
Nonetheless, you’ll have to fix it. Here are a few ways to deal with an unsupportive partner during pregnancy
1. Communicate How You Feel
Engaging in an open conversation with your unsupportive husband during pregnancy is the first way to bridge the gap.
Express your fears, worries, and concerns to him.
Also, make him understand how his action has been making you feel and its emotional effects rather than trying to blame him or point fingers at him.
Doing this might help him see things from your point of view and prompt a responsive action.
2. Educate Him About Pregnancy
A lot of men really don’t know what it feels like to be pregnant; they don’t understand the emotions, pains, and hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, and that’s why you need to let him know.
If this means sharing relevant articles, reading books, or forwarding social media posts about pregnancy to him, that’s a great way to start.
3. Involve Him In The Process
Don’t just tell him how you feel; involve him in the process.
For instance, encourage him to participate in your antenatal activities. You can start by making him follow you to prenatal appointments, ultrasound scans, and birthing classes.
This active engagement provides insights into the medical aspects and allows him to feel included in the process, creating a sense of bonding with you and the baby.
4. Set Clear Expectations
Setting clear expectations even before the pregnancy will be very helpful. However, it’s never too late to set one.
Define your individual roles and how each of you can be equally present during the period of pregnancy.
A transparent conversation like this gives you an excellent foundation for shared commitment, avoiding constant disagreements.
5. Seek Counselling
If your husband seems unresponsive despite everything you communicate to him, try seeking help from professionals.
You can consider taking him along to meet your doctors or even explaining to family or friends who have been in the condition long ago how to navigate it properly.
Through proper counseling, you can both air your concerns and discuss what you can do better to make the journey easier for you both.
6. Be Patient And Practise Empathy
You might also want to understand things from your husband’s point of view; this is not to say that you’ll totally agree with all of these actions.
You never might know; he may struggle to understand and navigate this new journey.
Kindly make your concerns known to him and try not to constantly allow them to worry you in order to prevent them from affecting your health and that of your baby.
7. Embrace The Gradual Process
You must understand that an unsupportive husband can’t change overnight. It takes time, understanding, and patience.
Learn to celebrate and hype the little things he does for you. This will make him feel pumped up to become a better husband, even during pregnancy.
Wrapping up
Pregnancy comes with joy, uncertainties, memories to hold onto, and even changes generally.
Despite all these, it’s important to remember that not all husbands are unsupportive during pregnancy.
However, many men provide unwavering support and love to their pregnant partners, and your husband can also be one of the supportive ones.
You and your husband can easily overcome all your challenges through open communication, empathy, and shared commitment, even during this pregnancy.