Did you know that men can also physically feel pregnancy?

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Although pregnancy always focuses on women, many times men suffer from symptoms and may even experience postpartum depression

The woman, despite being the one who carries the baby in her body for 9 months, is not the only one who physically feels the pregnancy. It is proven that in some cases men also suffers some symptoms, such as morning sickness, while the woman is pregnant. According to the book What to expect when you are expecting, between 11 and 65% of men suffer discomfort similar to that of their partner.

Leer en español: ¿Sabías que los hombres también pueden sentir físicamente el embarazo?

These symptoms, although they do not have a physical cause, are given for a reason of empathy and emotional connection. According to the website Babies and More, this is called Covada Syndrome, which comes from "couver", incubate in French. This syndrome, although it begins as something mental, ends up manifesting physically, causing mom and dad to have similar symptoms.

Anxiety is what most men develop during pregnancy, especially in first-time parents. Insomnia, fatigue, stress, and changes in tension are some of the things that can suffer from anxiety.

Most of the effects manifested in them are due to anxiety. An example is morning sickness. Even if the woman does not have it, the man can develop it during the first months of pregnancy. In women, nausea occurs due to the increase in estrogen, while in men, although there is no complete safety, it is linked to that feeling of anxiety, although in other cases it is also due to changes in the diet.

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Weight gain is another of the main effects of this syndrome, which can also be derived from anxiety, so they begin to eat a lot. According to Babies and More, the biggest culprit is cortisol, nicknamed as the stress hormone, which is secreted in higher volumes during periods of anxiety. This regulates the levels of insulin and blood sugar, so there may be a feeling of hunger when in reality there is not.

Mood changes, changes in sexual appetite, and sensory sensitivity are other sensations that are not unique to women during pregnancy. The senses can be sharpened, so it can happen that, like women, they dislike and cannot tolerate certain smells or tastes. This can also lead to man having cravings, body aches, and excessive fatigue. In addition, anxiety can cause emotional changes, making them more irritable.

Postpartum depression

Like the symptoms during pregnancy, postpartum depression is not exclusive to women and is very similar, although it may present some differences. According to the Online Psychology portal, "both the physical and mental effort that paternity implies for a man can cause him to reach a situation of 'emotional congestion.'"

Postpartum depression also has a lot to do with anxiety, and generates changes in mood, feelings of sadness, emptiness and guilt, among others. Physically, the man can lose his appetite, so he can lose a lot of weight or, on the contrary, start to overeat. This is usually given by thinking about what comes with a new baby and a new life, so it derives in concern in financial terms, for example.

Read also: 4 common diseases in pregnancy

The main recommendation for dealing with postpartum depression is to strengthen the couple's relationship. Thus, not only will they have a strong relationship and will not relapse all in the arrival of the baby, but trust will allow them to talk about what they feel.

Likewise, Online Psychology affirms that the best solution is to face the changes to normalize what is happening. The more you get involved with your baby, the faster you will stop feeling that disease. Similarly, if you or your partner feel some of this, do not hesitate to seek professional help, it is something completely normal that can happen and you should not be ashamed of that.

LatinAmerican Post | Juliana Suárez
Translated from "¿Sabás que los hombres también pueden sentir físicamente el embarazo?"