you're pregnant, he gets morning sickness

many dads are great for supporting their partners during the nine month journey of pregnancy — sometimes so much so that they share symptoms.while the mother-to-be is dealing with nausea and weight gain, some fathers can also experience nausea and weight gain. it’s known as ‘sympathy pain’ or ‘sympathetic pregnancy,’ but the more technical term is couvade syndrome.couvade, which is not recognized as a mental illness or disease, has a cultural significance that dates back thousands of years and focuses on establishing the bond between father and child. signs of couvade include an unverifiable range of physical symptoms like nausea, heartburn, abdominal pain, breathing issues, urinary or genital irritations and (surprisingly) toothaches. psychological symptoms can include reduced libido, restlessness, anxiety or depression.while opinions vary on how many men have couvade syndrome-related symptoms, dr. kristina mixer an obstetrician-gynecologist with spectrum health united hospital in greenville, michigan, told parents she believes the figure could be as low as 10 percent but as high as 65 percent.fatherly, a website for dads, reports that a study of polish dads found four prevalent symptoms in couvade syndrome sufferers: sympathetic weight gain, fluctuating appetites, personal distress and flatulence.another study of first time fathers in bengalaru, india found an even wider range of symptoms, including constipation, vomiting, food cravings, fainting, abdominal pain, insomnia, mood swings, leg cramps, nightmares and skin problems. while the difference in symptoms between the dads from poland and those from india is dramatic, the conclusion is the same: fathers were experiencing the onset of parenthood through their partner’s eyes.“couvade is any kind of cultural behaviour that draws attention to the male to the responsibilities of caring for the infant’s survival,” said dr. frank l’engle williams, an anthropologist, and author of fathers and their children in the first three years of life. “the one thing they all have in common is it brings a father from their activities to the mother and the child. it tells society that that child belongs to the father and the father belongs to the child.”some wonder whether couvade syndrome is just empathetically feeling (both emotionally and physically) the mother’s pain. williams says that this may in fact have evolutionary roots from cultural couvade syndrome, developing into personal, physical and possibly biological.at birth, men undergo a hormonal transformation as prolactin spikes, testosterone drops and oxytocin increases. “there’s a lot of biology in fatherhood that’s invisible to the eye,” williams told fatherly. “and it’s something which might stick with them for the rest of their lives.”there is one thing that we can all agree on. empathizing with your partner as you both navigate the onset of parenthood can help in the preparation for the joys and challenges to come. it is also probably good for your relationship too.