Couvade comes from the french word couvee meaning "to hatch". It has come to mean a man having a "sympathetic pregnancy." Yes, ..., this means that your partner could start to vomit, gain weight, and have many of the "joys" associated with pregnancy.Yeah. It is what it says. Pregnant Fathers! Now. Frankly I did not get affected by this syndrome. I never experienced such things... But the website also states..
Generally, couvade syndrome begins in the end of the first trimester and increases in severity until the third trimester. The only known cure for couvade is -- birth.
-About.Com
Some men are more susceptible to couvade than others. For instance if you and your partner have experienced infertility or if you were adopted, you could be more likely to experience couvade syndrome.hmm.. now that sounds more in line with what I can expect. But the reason that a father gets affected by this syndrome because of "future responsibilities"?! Hell No!
To quote my example.. I perfectly knew what was going to happen, I knew there would be responsibilities, I knew I would have sleepless nights! in fact these things did not go through my mind as they were taken as default! perhaps I am abnormal! :p there is a friend of mine who does not even get married saying its a responsibility! Damn!
I think the "responsibility" fear is taken care off by the typical family system our society has to offer. It is not "only you" that has to look after the baby.. in my case I had my mum, her mum, my sis when the birth took place.. so a lot of things were taken care of automatically. The elders in our society are respected alot for a very definitive reason.. wisdom. Today's generation may be very well informed but they cant match the wisdom and experience that elders have. And that is visible when my kids mum is going nuts trying to handle the baby and then comes her mum and everything calms down! excellent :)