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Location: Blogs Simon and Melody's Blog |
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| Posted by: supersi |
Monday, April 30, 2007 |
Due to my lack of knowledge of the female species, and in particular the ordeal of child birth, I picked up a recommended book on the subject. “Recommended,” as in, “Sweetie, read chapters 10 through 15 in this book. You may start now.”
I came across a very interesting phenomenon called “sympathetic pregnancies”. The explanation goes like this:
Some men become so emotionally involved in their partner’s pregnancies and labours that they share certain physical symptoms. This is known as couvade – from the French word couver, meaning ‘to hatch’ – and is usually a sympathetic response that emerges from a man’s extremely close identification with his partner. Men who experience couvade may gain weight, become constipated and suffer from morning sickness. Occasionally a difficulty arises during labour when the father finds himself becoming more than usually distressed at the pain of childbirth and even experiencing labour-type pains himself. If you find yourself suffering from such symptoms, you should seek professional advice.
Now, if you ever see a man laughing uncontrollably reading a book on pregnancy, you might be tempted to think that he’s a pathetic husband with no care or concern about the ordeal that his poor wife is about to go through. But give him the benefit of the doubt: he’s probably just come across the info box in chapter 10 regarding “sympathetic pregnancies”.
But really there is nothing funny about it. I don’t think I’d get a very warm response from Melody if I woke her up at 3am and said, “I have a craving! Go out and get me some pickled turnips!!” Somehow I don’t think she’d consider me “sympathetic”. Or if during labour, I actually went into labour myself, the response would likely be, “Get a grip you idiot!” Not, “Oh, what a sympathetic husband I have. Nurse, forget me, the love of my life is in distress!”
And as I lay on the couch baring my soul, the reaction of the doctor offering “professional advice” would be equally unfunny. “Doc, I don’t know what’s happening to me. I’m craving marmite, I’ve gained 10 pounds, I’m sick in the morning…” I’d never see him shake his head or hear him think to himself, “I’d like to slap this fool to his senses, but instead I have to tell him this is a perfectly normal emotional reaction to his wife’s pregnancy. I hate my job.”
So, I’d like to know, do any of you ladies out there know of a poor chap who’s been afflicted with a sympathetic pregnancy? Does this kind of thing actually exist? Do I need to be concerned??
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Re: Sympathetic Pregnancies |
By kathleen on
Tuesday, May 01, 2007 |
| I've heard of it, but only in books!! |
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Re: Sympathetic Pregnancies |
By catherine Lipsedge on
Friday, August 10, 2007 |
Hi Melody and Simon, I told Melody yesterday I would try and use my minimal computer skills and go to your website and write something so here I am. Melody it was lovely to see Arwyn yesterday when she was wide awake and a pleasure to hold her throughout our coffy break at Canary Wharf. I dont know if she enjoyed our company but I certainly did hers. She does know how to relax! Would love to meet up again with you and Arwyn soon.
Love Catherine |
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