Though it's early in the pregnancy, you've already figured out the importance of back massages. That's good, but no matter what practical measures you employ, the most important thing you can offer your partner from the first month to the last is good old-fashioned emotional support.

Of course, achieving true empathy is easier said than done, since, as a man, you don't know how it feels to nurture a life inside you. Here are some exercises to raise your level of compassion by getting in touch with some of the things she's experiencing throughout these, uh, blissful months of change.

Pre-pregnancy

Issue
You've read that it takes six months, on average, to be successful, and a year isn't uncommon. Your wife says she understands it might take a while, too. But after two unproductive cycles, she's worrying she might be sterile and weeping every time she gets off the phone with a friend who's expecting.

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