Couvade Syndrome (Sympathy Pains) Discussion

I am very late but pregnancy tests are negative. my husband is experiancing tiredness nausea constipation and i crave a lot but never feel the appetite to eat although my mouth gets really watery! this would be my first pregnancy but idk if i am .i'm 4 weeks late

Hi am pregnant with my first child and my boyfriend has a couvade syndrom and does not understand it at all ,but loves the fact that we experience the same feelings. how lovely .

Hey jack trust me you are not alone mate...i have all the symthoms you have decribed and im so tired and dizzy that i havent been able to keep my bodybuilding routine up and have lost 3 stone as i have went off my daily diet..i used to consume 13 eggs in 1 sitting and now if i think of eggs i feel so sick. its totally mind blowing..7 more weeks to go and it feels like 7 more months..i cant wait for it to be all over so i can feel well again

I am a 36 year old man, and it's my first child. since we found out that my wife was pregnant. i've got all sorts of strange feelings including headache, anxiety and i started to loose weight. i was so worried and even went to have my head ct scan. i don't have throwing up feeling but diziness, weird dreams, dry mouth during night, tiredness and sleepy all the time. basically whatever she's having, i can feel very much similar. i am not too sure that it's me or because it's couvade syndrome that causing all these symptoms. i am very worried. if anyone has any similar symptoms, please share with me. many thanks,

Iam aman of 24years old ,am always expiriencing daily headpain and my wife shes pregnant,am suffering from these syndrome .

Hi everyone! i'm a student nurse currently doing an assignment on couvade syndrome and it's so interesting to come here and read about all of your experiences!! having read through much of the past research it's amazing how many expectant dads seek medical help during the pregnancy and even end up having all sorts of invasive medical tests and/or minor surgery to try and diagnose the cause of their symptoms because health professionals simply don't know about the symptoms of this syndrome!! to think how many men could have been saved the hassle of having to have cameras put up both ends to try and find out what's wrong with them if the health professional(s) involved had known to ask one simple question in the first place: is your partner pregnant? i know some may view this syndrome as one that is trying to steal the limelight from the mother to be, but in genuine cases, where symptoms are not made up or exaggerated, it appears that these symptoms are involuntary in nature and are most prominent during the first and third trimester, with symptoms disappearing immeidately after birth or a normally a few days afterwards. so to all of you dads to be - don't worry!! your symptoms are completely normal, you are not alone in this, and they should go away once your baby is born! :d xxx

My husband has had headaches, mood swings, toothaches, backaches, stomache aches, diarrhea, nasal congestions, nosebleeds, and weight gain! poor guy! he says he rather it be him than me! sweet! :)

I'm pregnant with my first child and my husband just started experiencing nausea. it usually comes on whenever i feel nauseous too.

My baby daddy has been complaining of back pains..cravings for hunny bunns an penut butter..nausea and vomitting for both pregnancies..this is unbelievable!

My wife is expecting in 2 weeks sept 22nd. these are the symptoms i have experienced. early on in her pregnancy before we even knew she was pregnant i gave up smoking i just didnt like it anymore. also i gained about 3 lbs a month all way up for about 30 lbs gained total. for the past month or so i get heartburn when my wife gets heartburn. i also feel bloated and constipated. oh and i also lost my appetite.

Wow, to think how real this is. my girlfriend is pregnant, however we don't live in the same state, she lives in arkansas. though we are very distant, i'm very close to her. just recently started getting symptoms of indigestion, insomnia, change in appetite, some headaches, and itchy skin. her due date is october 20th. this info has been really helpful, and looking forward to seeing my new born baby soon.

I thought it odd that all of a sudden my huband says i think something is wrong with me and i need to go to the doc. i asked why and he said he was throwing up and had stomach cramps. i realized looking back at those days they were the dame days i had severe migraines and was also throwing up. i think i will point him in the direction of this website. kinda sad. also i think if men feel anything during the pregnancy it means that they are just that emotionally involed and care about how you are feeling not trying to steal the attention away from you. i am very greatful to my husband for being as supportive as he is and any other man that show is other half how much he appreciates her carrying his baby.

Im a 21 year old male i was wondering why i was feeling all this before i was told then my girlfriend said she was pregnant then i talked to my mom and sister and they told me about this i literally smell my girlfriends scent on me alot kinda strange! then i realized i was fatigued all the time even with sleep! i'm gaining weight i'm always craving hamburgers and sweets shes on the second trimester and ive easily gained 10pounds already i'm even getting mood swings out of no where i'm getting headaches and my back has been killing me! ive had chest pains and my heart even hurt a few times if you look on wikipedia i am having everyone of the symptoms! this is my first child so that might be why its so bad! due dates august i cant wait to see the baby and get this couvade done with!

My husband has been complaining about this with both pregnancys. i used to laugh about it untill i googled it. i came across couvade syndrome, i cant believe it's true. i think its kinda cute. they can sit there and complain about a cramp or a big belly, its too bad they will never experience the full experience. :)

And this is our first child. she is eating great, and i am not eating at all. and physical symptoms are: back pains, head aches, anxiety, diarrhea, insomnia, nausea, indegestion. our due time is mid-march. and now with the alaskan winter here, driving these dangerous winter roads i get my share of anxiety.

To the last commenter: i feel you completely! i am asking my fiances obgyn for help because i cant sleep, eat, nothing, etc. etc.

This is our second child. our first child i was fine. but now here are my symptoms: lose of appetite, i throw up, cough alot, bad sleep, nothing tastes good, head ache, sinus ache, body is sore, nausea... and yes i am the guy. due date is may... i cant wait...lol

When me and my husband found out that i was pregnant he started to gain weight, going to the bathroom more often, eating and throwing up

Hi! my babys father is suffering from this weird couvade thing. his symtoms are only weight gain and excessive eating though.....me i lost my weight during pregnancy and i barely eat like i have no appetite....

I am an expecting dad and for some reason when my wife dosent eat or holds her pee i start to get stomach cramps really bad. and when she hasent had any sleep during the day i am the one that feels it while im at work. is all this normal or is it just in my head?

The father of my child are experiencing some of theses couvade symptoms. but the one he has been experiencing since i found out i was pregnant is an out of this world toothache and sine i entered the 2nd trimester he has been vomiting and rarley eating

Can you help me find more information about this syndrome? please contact if any one can helpme out

Katie, first, sympathy is never defined as imitative but the ability to share feelings of another person. it is very clear that you are educated but tend to take a feminist outlook on the world. i do agree that this world was based on a patriarchical society with religion as a focal point but your argument is not constructed well at all. you first go from word definition to discrimination to feminism and finally while males will never feel for a woman. the whole process of this syndrome is to show that "men" have feelings too and enjoy taking part in the love/hate relationship that is life. it is not a he said/she said battle but that of commitment and working toward a greater good. alas, my girlfriend was pregnant and i went through these small pains. i did not look for people to treat me or find a diagnosis but laughed with my partner because we were sharing this moment together..and that is all that matters!

Couvade should never be referred to as "sympathy." under what circumstances, do we imitate others with physical challenges? do we imitate people with cancer? it's not sympathy, it's pure imitation. it evolved from cultures that were very open about acknowledging women as life-givers. men today do admire women as the givers of life through pregnancy, but through machismo are taught to disguise it. some men do suffer from womb envy, and it's expressed in different forms. our religions are male dominated because they were made up so that males could be the 'spiritual life givers.' we can debate whether god is male, but we cannot challenge that women bring life into this world. all forms of discrimination are based on womb envy. with that said, couvade doesn't necessarily represent womb envy. i think there is a certain side of men that wonders if they could handle pregnancy. we give men credit for strength, but women do the task that requires the most physical strength and for the most profound purpose - to bring life into the world. it's as if men don't want us to notice what we can do. so a man should be involved in his wife's pregnancy, but it should be about openly honoring her for what she is doing, not trying to be a baby a grab attention and pretend he can give birth too.

My boyfriend, suffered from this quite badly. he has had to sleep through the entire pregnancies of his 4 children. when i had a missed miscarriage that had to be removed, he went to bed at 7pm the night before,and stayed in bed for two days. i am still taking anti-biotics, so he has extreme tiredness. i expect all of this to be over in a week...