2 months pregnant: A pregnancy guide for dads

If you didn’t find out about the pregnancy in the first month it’s likely that you will in the second, as your partner will usually miss her period at the start of this month. If you’ve been trying for a baby, taking a pregnancy test and seeing those blue lines appear might be a cause for great excitement and celebration. If it’s something more of a…surprise, the reactions might be a little bit different. Whatever your situation, you will probably both have a lot of emotions to work through. Talk it out and don’t forget that your partner might well be feeling overwhelmed and scared – even if she’s also excited and overjoyed.

She will also probably start to experience some pregnancy symptoms during this time. It can be easy to overlook this fact as she won’t look pregnant yet, but she certainly might start to feel it.

Pregnancy symptoms at 2 months

Pregnancy symptoms can include:

• Sore breasts
• Tiredness
• Morning sickness
• Going off some foods and drinks
• A change to senses of taste and smell
• An increased need to pee and constipation
• Cramps and bloating
• Skin changes like dry skin or spots

Supporting your partner in early pregnancy

You’re always supportive of your partner, right? Of course you are, but now might be a good time to raise your game and make an extra special effort. What shape that takes can vary between couples but it might be something as simple as taking on extra chores and tasks at home.

Assuming you do your share of housework anyway (and if you don’t, which century are you from?), take on tasks that she usually does without waiting to be asked to or acting like you’re carrying out a superhuman feat of charity. Don’t forget, she’s already going through hormonal changes and using up extra energy to grow your future child. The tiredness and fatigue can really wipe her out and if she works she won’t be going on maternity leave for a good while yet.

If cooking is one of your skills, don’t be offended if your offerings aren’t quite what she wants – or even cause her to be physically sick! Nausea can be a very real problem and the term ‘morning sickness’ can be misleading. It can strike any time of day or night and she might feel sick all day long. Tastes and smells can also trigger nausea or a bout of vomiting, so stick those football socks straight in the wash
and only make your signature herring and goat cheese vindaloo if she specifically requests it.

Pregnancy cravings also generally start in the first trimester and, while they are likely to get stronger later on, you might as well get used to nipping to the shop or all-night garage for…well, pretty much anything really. Jaffa Cakes, gherkins and custard – who knows what the mission will call for?

Oh, and one chore you should definitely take charge of is changing the kitty litter box if you have a cat. Cat poop can cause an infection called toxoplasmosis, which is usually harmless but can lead to miscarriage or serious complications in pregnancy, especially early on.

Share the news or keep it between you?

It can be difficult to keep a pregnancy secret, especially if you want to shout it from the rooftops or people close to you know that you are trying. Many couples prefer to keep their pregnancy to themselves, however, or only share the news with particularly close and trusted people in the first few weeks.

It’s a sad fact that miscarriage remains very common. Leading baby loss charity Tommy’s estimates that one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage and adds that most miscarriages occur within the first twelve weeks (also known as the first trimester).

After twelve weeks the risk of miscarriage greatly reduces, with only 1%-2% of women miscarrying in the second trimester. Many people feel they would rather not have family and friends knowing while others might prefer to have the support if the worst should happen. This is completely your decision so talk with your partner about when you want to break the news and who to.

What does my baby look like at 2 months pregnant?

At five weeks the embryo looks like a tiny tadpole with buds that will eventually turn into limbs. Growth is focused on the baby’s head as the brain is undergoing vital and rapid developments that allow it to regulate functions such as heart rate and blood circulation.

By week 8 your baby is about the size of a raisin and is finally taking on distinct human features. The eyes are closed but recognisable and the beginnings of lips and a tongue are visible. Your baby’s heart will by now be beating at around 150bpm. That’s about the same tempo as Real As It Gets by Lil Baby, Born Slippy by Underworld and Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf. Make of that what you will.