I have known I am going to be a Dad for about 7 months

Most people that I’ve told tend to deliver a one-two punch of excitement followed by a well timed upper cut of negativity. It’s like someone cooking you a beautiful meal and then serving you brussel sprout tarte tatin for dessert.

“Oh! That’s it then! Just you wait! Say goodbye to sleep!”

This is pretty much the first thing out of most people’s mouths once you tell them you’re expecting. They’re inducting you into a special club. Where the price of entry is a constant throbbing headache and endless scowling.

I’m not naïve. I know our life is going to change completely, and I know that is going to be hard. And painful. And difficult. I just find it curious that most people tend to focus on the pain rather than why you’re doing it.

“You’re doing what?!”

We are doing Hypnobirthing classes to prepare for our son’s arrival. Hypnobirthing is based around the idea that the body is designed to give birth. If you work alongside it rather than fighting it you can have an easier and less painful birth. It is not for everyone, but I think it is for us.

Giving birth is scary. It involves the two most precious things in my life doing things they’ve never done before. It can go wrong. We want to approach it by preparing for the best, and if the worst happens, handling it as best we can. Not the other way around.

I’ve never been more excited about anything than becoming a Dad. I’ve never been more scared about anything than becoming a Dad.

I think that embracing the former helps deal with the latter, I just wish more people did too.