Mood swings. Friends warned me about them… but I never expected pregnancy-induced mood swings to be like this… Here’s the deal:
I had to go out of town on business yesterday and I gave pregnant Jane a call to check in on her in the evening. The moment she answered the phone and said, “hello?”, I knew that I needed to quickly plan my exit strategy.
Pregnant Jane’s “hello” was much different than normal. Hearing her say that one simple word, I could tell she was having one of her moments. And I also knew that I needed to quickly get off the phone and give her a call back later once the bad mood passed.
We talked for just a few minutes and I asked her what was wrong and she of course answered that she didn’t know. She was just in a really bad mood and she didn’t know why. She then proceeded to tell me that she flipped out on her mom for texting her the word “OK” instead of yes.
I didn’t ask for any details… still don’t know what that was all about, and knew it was best if I left that one alone. I then let her know that I needed to run into my meeting and would give her a call once it was finished.
Whew.
Even though we’re only 11 weeks into Jane’s pregnancy, I’ve quickly learned how to dodge these mood swings. (I’ll admit, it took a few “arguments” until I realized it was best to keep my mouth shut!) So guys, here’s the official 2009 mood swing survival guide for the father-to-be:
When your pregnant wife starts to get into one of those moods, just remember the word: S.L.A.P. What does S.L.A.P. stand for? Well…
1. S = Stay Calm
Know that her mood swing is going to pass in a few minutes, a few hours, or even by the next morning. If by chance it does last longer than 24 hours, you have a right to totally freak out and down a bottle of vodka.
2. L = Locate the closets emergency exits
If things do start to go down and she begins to target YOU, run through the closest window or door. Don’t even bother to open them – you need to get out quickly.
3. A = Always Comfort her
Let her know that you are really sorry that she is feeling “blah”. Ask her if you can run to the store and get her an ice cream or something. No matter what she says, tell her you know what will make her feel better and you’ll be right back. Leave the house. Congratulations, you escaped. Now take the LONG way to the store, buy her a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, a jar of pickles, a flower, and a can of beans.
When you get home (after a good hour or two), give her everything. If she asks what the beans are for, tell her that you had no idea what else she’d crave, and you saw the can of beans. Classic guy move… that could get her to laugh at you. And when she is in one of those pregnancy mood swings, that is a good thing.
4. P = Put your mojo in your pocket and save it for another night.
She’ll want nothing to do with you that night. Don’t even try anything or else you’ll be sleeping on the couch.
Most of all, stay safe. We’re all treading on thin ice when pregnant wife’s hormones are spinning out of control.
You might also want to read:
- 16 weeks pregnant father: Sympathy pains, mood swings, 5,000 Twitter followers, and what in the heck am I reading?
- For an instant hormone flare-up, just add a pinch of pregnancy and a dash of husband.
- Pregnant Thoughts From A Soon-To-Be Father
- Can a father-to-be can be trusted with a razor?
- 16 weeks pregnant belly: The trash, the dragon, and the lack of steamy I Want To Attack You juices.
[...] first shared some thoughts about the pregnancy hormones creating instant mood swings over a month ago. And to be honest, there have been several times since then where I wanted to [...]