Summary

An indispensable survival manual for guys entering the trenches of fatherhood,Be Preparedis loaded with one-of-a-kind insights, MacGyver-esque tips and tricks, and no-nonsense advice for mastering the first year as a dad.Finally, a book that teaches men all the things theyreallyneed to know about fatherhood...including how to: change a baby at a packed sports stadium create a decoy drawer full of old wallets, remote controls, and cell phones to throw baby off the scent of your real gear stay awake (or at least upright) at work babyproof a hotel room in four minutes flat construct an emergency diaper out of a towel, a sock, and duct tapePacked with helpful diagrams and detailed instructions, and delivered with a wry sense of humor,Be Preparedis the ultimate guide for sleep-deprived, applesauce-covered fathers everywhere.

Author Biography

Gary Greenberg is the author of the national bestseller The Pop-Up Book of Phobias (Rob Weisbach Books), as well as the critically acclaimed The Pop-Up Book of Nightmares (St. Martin's Press), and is the coauthor of Self-Helpless (Career Press). He is also a comedian and writer and has appeared on Comedy Central and Bravo, as well as numerous national radio networks. He has written material for a number of Comedy Central shows and awards shows and has penned articles for The New York Times and Psychology Today. He lives in Manhattan with his wife (and collaborator), Jeannie Hayden, and their daughter, Madeline. To learn more about Gary, visit garygreenberg.com. Jeannie Hayden is an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer whose clients include Nickelodeon, Dialogica, the American Museum of Natural History, Psychology Today, the Village Voice, L'Oreal, and Liz Claiborne, to name a few. In addition, she illustrated the bestselling reference book Alternative Medicine (Future Medicine Publishing) as well as Self-Helpless (Career Press). To learn more about Jeannie, visit jeanniehayden.com.

Introduction
The First Week
What Your Newborn Won't Look Like
What Your Newborn Will Look Like
Newborn Party Tricks
Handing Over the Baby
You Are the A.V. Club
Why Your Partner May Not Be Functioning Properly
Breast vs. Bottle
Bidding Farewell to the Breast
The Joy of Burping
The Basic Change
Your Newborn and Your Pet
How to Entertain a NewbornO-3 Months
The First-Month Slump
Moms and Mood Swings
Scrubbing Your Sprout
Coping with Crying
Wrestling the Breast Pump
Bottles Up!Sleeping Like a Baby
Returning to Work
Reading
Sports Illustratedto Your Baby
A Guy's Guide to Strollers
The Infant Ensemble 4-6 Months
Your Mental Health
Resuming a Sex Life?
Protecting Your Back
Circuit Training Your Baby
Tethering Everything to the Baby
Temperature Taking Tactics
Getting Medicine into a Baby
Soothing the Teether
Be Prepared for Outings
Great Outings 4-6 Months
Driving and Crying
Using the Baby as a Prop
Breastfeeding in Public
Starting Solid Foods
Effective Diaper Disposal
Skill Builders 4-6 Months 7-9 Months
Sleeping Through the Night
Going Mobile
Babyproofing
Removing a Foreign Object from the VCR
The Terrible Tube?
Great Outings 7-9 Months
Skill Builders 7-9 Months
Babies and Language
The Secret Meaning of Peek-a-Boo
The Big Bath
First Haircut 10-12 Months
Eating Like a Person
Babies and Restaurants
Great Outings 10-12 Months
Skill Builders 10-12 Months
The Decoy Drawer
Rigging Emergency Diapers
Advanced Changing Maneuvers
Making Your Baby Laugh
Babies and Airplanes
Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn
How to Neutralize a Runner
Camping with Your Cub
The First Birthday Party
The New Year's Panda
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Authors
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Excerpts

The First-Month Slump

Fatherhood can hit you like a sucker punch. The baby arrives, you're showered with help and gifts and food for a week or two, and then everyone leaves. And you are suddenly hit by this overwhelming feeling that nothing will ever be the same again. Someone has taken away your old life and replaced it with this really long, frustrating community service project.

For the first couple of weeks post-baby, you may feel anxious, depressed, and lonely, and why shouldn't you? You're completely at the mercy of a relentless little dictator, and there is no relief in sight. But as you're wallowing, it's important to remember that you are not alone. Fathers the world over, from Copenhagen to Cape Town, from captains of industry to ditch diggers, have all gone through this rough patch.

For the majority of dads, this phase lasts somewhere between eight and twelve weeks, at which point you switch into the "I might as well make the best of it" phase. Several factors combine to help lift the dark clouds from your head, including:

• The baby is sleeping longer hours.

• You're feeling more adept at handling and troubleshooting her.

• She's finally smiling at you (the baby, not your partner).

If this period lasts more than three months, or you begin to feel completely overwhelmed or withdrawn, talk to your partner and friends and think about seeking professional help.

Excerpted from Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg, Jeannie Hayden
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.