One of the best contributions you can make as a partner – both for yourself and your woman – is to be present and be prepared. To help you, we have put together a three-step plan for supporting your partner during labour.

"It's common not to feel a strong bond with the unborn baby straight away." – An interview with midwife Carolina Gäbel

Nobody knows exactly what it feels like for a baby to be born, but we know it's a tough journey. We have all been through it, but because of our limited memory, we can only imagine what it is like to squeeze through the narrow birth canal and come out into the vast and comparatively cold world.

It can be useful to have a bag ready packed, or at least a list of what you want to bring to hospital. When the time comes, things tend to happen very quickly.

Would you like to give birth at home with the assistance of a midwife? It is possible to have a planned home birth in most places in Sweden, but there are a few things you should know.

"Both the pregnant mother and her partner may worry that it's wrong to have fears about the labour and birth. But when it comes to feelings, there's no right or wrong." – An interview with child psychologist Ingrid Svensson

You are expected to put on weight during pregnancy. It is common to gain ten to fifteen kilos. But a few kilos more or less is also completely normal, provided you are well and the baby is developing normally. If you lose a lot of weight due to nausea, get help – it's not good for either you or the baby.

Round half of pregnant women experience nausea during pregnancy, primarily in the morning. The nausea usually starts after about a month. It usually stops after about three months, although a small percentage of women experience nausea and vomiting throughout the whole pregnancy.

"There's a big difference between being the partner who's pregnant and the partner who isn't. Neither is better or worse, they're just different. We can attest to that because we've both given birth." Parents: Sanna and Lisa Children: Adrian, 3 years and Ines, 6 months

Tips for involving your partner in the pregnancy – when you're the one that's pregnant

Luckily, it's fine to travel when pregnant and you can travel by plane until around week 36 if the pregnancy is normal. Try to always wear support stockings on long trips, arrange for insurance and vaccination and bring a first aid kit.

Two-in-one pram and pushchair, convertible pram, twin pram/pushchair, 3-wheeler, 4-wheeler, fixed wheels or swivel wheels... a pram or pushchair should meet your specific needs and be safe and practical. Buying a pram is a bit like buying a car: your choice should be based on your individual needs and requirements as well as hard facts.