# For partners: supporting a pregnancy

> Practical, emotional and very appreciated

Category: Pregnancy & postpartum · 4 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026
URL: https://splash.care/learn/pregnancy-postpartum/partner-support

## Quick answer

- Healthy habits together help everyone.
- Practical help like chores, planning and appointments matters a lot.
- Listen, and look after your own mental health too.

Partners are not just passengers in [pregnancy](https://splash.care/learn/fertility-ttc/early-pregnancy-signs). Whether you are the baby’s other parent, a spouse, a friend or a family member stepping up, your support can make a huge difference to how the pregnant person feels, and getting involved early helps you feel more connected too.

## Healthy habits together

- If you smoke, now is a great time to quit. Secondhand smoke can harm your partner and the baby.
- Cut back on [alcohol](https://splash.care/learn/nutrition/caffeine-alcohol), or cut it out while your partner is pregnant.
- Eat well together and go for gentle walks or swims.

## Practical help

- Come to scans and antenatal classes if you can. The NHS says the more you know about labour, the more support you can give.
- Take on more chores, especially in the tired, sick early weeks.
- Look into benefits, childcare costs and parental leave early, so there are fewer money surprises later.
- Plan the route to the hospital or birth centre, and keep the car topped up, or have taxi numbers ready.
- Know the birth plan, and keep your phone on and a bag ready in the weeks around the [due date](https://splash.care/tools/due-date-calculator).
- As a birth partner: help with breathing, positions and drinks and snacks, and speak up for your partner if they cannot.

## After the baby arrives

If your partner is breastfeeding, bring water and snacks and make it comfortable. If the baby is bottle-fed, you can sterilise bottles, make up feeds and do some of them. Practical help in the first weeks is worth its weight in gold.

## Emotional support

Listen without trying to fix everything. Ask “How are you, really?” And look after yourself too. The NHS says fathers and partners can get depression after a baby arrives, and you can get support as well.

> **Splash says:** a cup of tea delivered without being asked is a love language.

### When to see a doctor

If your partner seems very low, anxious, withdrawn, confused, or talks about harming themselves or the baby, encourage them to speak to their midwife or GP straight away. Sudden confusion, strange beliefs or a very high, fast mood in the first weeks after birth can be postpartum psychosis, which needs same-day help (GP, NHS 111, A&E, or 999 if anyone is in danger). Speak to your own GP if you are struggling too.

## Sources

1. [NHS Best Start in Life: Advice for partners during pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/advice-for-partners/)
2. [NHS Best Start in Life: Tips for your birthing partner](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/preparing-for-labour-and-birth/tips-for-your-birthing-partner-or-partners/)
3. [NHS: Postnatal depression](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/postnatal-depression/)

This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).