Attention, expectant dads: Moms aren’t the only ones who experience health risks before or after birth.

Even though fathers-to-be don’t go through the physical changes of carrying a child, some have insomnia, nausea, irritability or even labor pains, a condition called Couvade syndrome, or sympathetic pregnancy. And about 10 percent of fathers develop prenatal or postpartum depression, according to a study in the May 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

While most men won’t face these more extreme symptoms, they still may gain weight, feel tension or neglect to care for their own chronic conditions, says Dr. Ari Brown, an Austin, Texas, pediatrician and co-author of “Expecting 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice for Your Pregnancy.”

“We often focus on the supermom trying to do it all, but I think there’s also a superdad,” Brown says. “There’s a lot of stress and strain on your physical health if you don’t take care of yourself.”

Here are five tips to help dads-to-be stay healthy.

1. Talk to other fathers

Fathers who educate themselves in advance about what to expect during labor and afterward tend to be more prepared as partners in delivery and childcare and less stressed overall, Brown says. They can go with their partners to prenatal doctor’s appointments, take classes and read books.

Another strategy is to talk to other fathers, says Bruce Linton, founder and director of the Berkeley, Calif.-based Fathers’ Forum programs. Conversations with other men can help dads-to-be feel less isolated and more empowered, he says.

“A lot of men are socialized to be very strong and in control, so when they start to experience the emotions around being a father, it’s very disorienting,” Linton says. “Being in a group where other men talk about their feelings, whether happy or sad, tearful or joyful, seems to reassure them that those feelings are normal.”

2. Make sure you’re vaccinated

Expectant dads shouldn’t just tag along to their partner’s appointments but schedule their own, Brown says. It’s important that they check their overall health including cholesterol and glucose levels.

“A new pregnancy is an opportunity for you to take care of yourself because your child is going to need you to be around,” she says.

While at the doctor, fathers also can take an important and often-neglected step to keep their babies safe — ensuring they’re up to date with their vaccinations. Vaccinating against whooping cough, also called pertussis, and flu are two of the big ones, says Lance Rodewald, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Immunization Services Division. A 2007 study found that 71 percent of babies who get whooping cough catch it from someone in their household.

“Very young babies can’t be vaccinated until they are two months old, and even one vaccine does not give them full protection,” he says.

Whooping cough is included in the Tdap vaccine, which also protects against tetanus and diphtheria.

3. Take time off

Only 15 percent of employers offer designated paid paternity leave, according to 2009 data from the Society of Human Resources Management.

But almost all American working fathers — about 89 percent — take some time off for a baby’s birth, whether paid or unpaid, or under family, sick, vacation or other leave categories, according to a 2007 study, thought to be the nation’s only large, comprehensive research on paternity leave. It examined data collected in 2001 from 4,500 two-parent families.

The study didn’t explore the effect of taking more time off specifically on men’s stress, but it’s easy to extrapolate that not having to juggle work and child care must be less exhausting, says Jane Waldfogel, the study’s co-researcher and professor of social work and public affairs at Columbia University School of Social Work.

4. Watch your weight

Pregnant women are commonly told to consume 300 calories more per day, but when they crave a milkshake, fathers often have one, too, Brown says.

Pregnancy is a great time to break bad eating habits, such as grabbing a bag of chips while watching the big game, she says. Seeing their dad eat junk food can lead children to develop poor eating habits. And wolfing down too many of the wrong kind of calories can increase a man’s risk for diabetes, heart disease and other health problems that affect his ability to parent over the long haul.

5. Get help if you feel stressed or depressed

While stress and sleep deprivation seem likely culprits for depression among expectant and new fathers, studies so far suggest depression rates for new fathers are highest three to six months after a baby’s birth, says Dr. James Paulson, lead author of the JAMA study and associate professor of pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Fathers with partners exhibiting depression also are more likely to have symptoms themselves, he says.