I see some extremely incorrect, biased and somewhat misogynist statements being made in this thread.
Pregnant women are being repeatedly referred to as "cranky woman" and being compared to tantrum throwing toddlers. Some women do suffer hormonal changes that make their moods swing and become irritable. However, it is a myth that all pregnant women are moody, irritable or demanding. Secondly even when pregnant women are hormonal, they do maintain their composure as adults. It is one thing for a male friends and relatives to make good natured humorous jabs about a woman's hormonal changes, but it is extremely disrespectful to pregnant women to classify them as cranky and compare them to immature toddlers.
Secondly, I see several statements stating that pregnant women don't work or are incapable of being self-sufficient. There is also an outrageous statement referring to pregnant women as "helpless dependent creature" as if she's some injured animal someone is doing a favor by taking care off. Pregnant women come from all different backgrounds. Some do have the luxury to rest and relax while the family looks after them. Many pregnant women actually work, exercise, do household chores and live a normal lifestyle right until they go into labor. Most pregnant women actually do take care of themselves and their baby on their own. One the rare occasion women do have difficult pregnancies where they are somewhat helpless, bedridden and need to be taken care off.
Also I want to point out that whether out of health reasons or by choice, when pregnant women stay at home a husband is rarely left with the brunt of taking care of everything, especially in Indian culture. Traditionally in most Indian families the woman either goes to her maternal home or has her mother visit. Women in the family or neighborhood will always help with pregnancies. Even in modern times a female relative or friend helps out with pregnancy. Most women do have maternity benefits or insurance through work or on their own that pays for the bills. There are several single moms who do everything on their own without the father in the picture.
Paternity is valuable. Fathers do share loving bonds with their wife and kids, that can go underappreciated. However, demeaning and disparaging women as being cranky helpless dependent creatures to make a case for the father's role is just fundamentally wrong on many levels.
