Dude, You're Gonna Be a Dad!

by Pfeiffer, John

• ISBN13: 9781440505362
• ISBN10: 1440505365
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-04-18
• Publisher: Adams Media Corp

Summary

There are approximately 3,712 ways for a guy to look stupid during pregnancy--this book's here to help you avoid all (most) of them. And here's your first hint: Focus on what you can be doing for herrather than what's happening to her. She's pregnant. She knows that. You know that. And her 152 baby books tell her exactly what she can expect. Your job is to learn what you can do between the stick turning blue and the drive to the delivery room to make the next nine months go as smoothly as possible. That's where John Pfeiffer steps in. Like any good coach, he's been through it. He's dealt with the morning sickness and doctor visits, painting the baby's nursery and packing the overnight bag, choosing a name, hospital, and the color of the car-seat cover. All the while he remained positive and responsive--there with a "You're beautiful" when necessary--but assertive during the decision-making process. (He didn't want to wind up with a kid named Percy.) And now it's your turn. She might be having the baby, but you have plenty of responsibilities.

Author Biography

John Pfeiffer is a married father of three. With a stepdaughter, a naturally conceived daughter, and a baby by way of a threesome (with an IVF specialist), Pfeiffer is especially qualified to take expectant dads all the way through pregnancy's home stretch. He lives with his wife and kids in Atlanta, GA.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Evolving Dude (er, Dad)	p. xi
The First Trimester
And We're Off	p. 3
When Conception Isn't a Piece of Cake	p. 3
Finding Out	p. 6
When and How Do We Spill the Beans?	p. 10
Time to Talk: Conquering Fears, Being Supportive, and When to Say Nothing	p. 14
Dads Unite!	p. 14
Get Into Bondage-No, Really	p. 20
Taking Care of Her	p. 25
Handling the Hormones	p. 26
You Versus the Hormones	p. 27
Morning Sickness: Like a Really Long Hangover	p. 27
Chores, Daddy Style	p. 30
Helping Her Appreciate Her New Body (Lovin' the Curves)	p. 31
Managing Weight Gain	p. 33
Pickles and Ice Cream	p. 34
Pregnancy Massage	p. 35
Pregnancy Sex	p. 36
Exercise During Pregnancy	p. 37
Maternity Clothes	p. 38
Home Away from Home: The Doctor's Office	p. 41
What Kind of Health Professional Does She Want?	p. 42
The Londown on Doctor's Office Visits	p. 45
Which Appointments Do I Attend?	p. 45
Testing 1, 2, 3	p. 48
What Do I Do If Something Goes Wrong?	p. 53
The Second Trimester
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes	p. 59
Even More Change	p. 60
The Play-by-Play	p. 62
Dealing with Braxton-Hicks	p. 66
What Your Baby is Doing	p. 67
Baby Stuff	p. 69
Nesting	p. 70
The Baby Shower	p. 72
Some Assembly Required	p. 75
Choosing a Name	p. 77
What to Call the Grandparents	p. 83
Getting Ready for the Delivery	p. 87
Hospital Logistics	p. 87
Getting Your BS Degree (Baby Safety, of Course)	p. 89
Birthing Class	p. 90
Hospital Tour	p. 91
Birth Plan	p. 93
Cord Blood	p. 94
Third Trimester
Things to Squeeze in Before the Baby Squeezes Out	p. 99
Taking a Vacation	p. 100
Exploring Paternity Leave	p. 101
Making Sense out of Every Dollar	p. 102
Finding a Pediatrician	p. 106
Finding a Day Care	p. 109
Birth Announcements	p. 112
Do I Really Need to Buy Her a "Push" Gift?	p. 113
Babywatch	p. 117
The Freak-Out	p. 119
Packing a Bag	p. 121
Dissecting Advice for New Dads	p. 123
Preterm Labor	p. 126
I Saw the Sign, and It Opened Up Her Cervix	p. 131
Encouraging the Baby to Come	p. 132
The Birth: Special Delivery	p. 137
Methods for the Madness	p. 137
Bad Things, Man, Bad Things	p. 144
Fetal Monitoring	p. 146
Role-Playing During Labor	p. 147
Post-Birth Hospital Dos and Don'ts	p. 149
Start Spreading the News	p. 151
Papa's Got a Brand-New Life	p. 152
The Fourth Trimester
Taking Junior Home	p. 161
Real-World Bonding	p. 162
Where Do I Fit In?	p. 164
Visitation Policy	p. 166
Bottle Versus Breast	p. 169
Daddy...Nooooooo!	p. 170
Letting Grandparents Lend a Hand	p. 172
Common Baby Myths	p. 175
Your New Schedule	p. 176
Back on the Chain Gang	p. 178
Is It Sexy Time Yet?	p. 179
Getting a Babysitter	p. 180
Babyproofing	p. 181
Epilogue: Doughnuts for Dad	p. 189
Appendix: Real Birth Story	p. 191
Additional Resources	p. 199
Index	p. 203
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.