New updated edition.
Congratulations, you’re having a baby. Yes, that’s right, you’re expecting too!
David Caren delivers a long ‘overdue’ practical, straight-talking pregnancy guide for Irish expectant dads – all from a dad’s perspective. Combining real-life experiences from a fraternity of Irish fathers, tried-and-tested tips and expert views, with highlights including:
– Testing, Testing: Scans and Checks
– What’s Up, Doc? Monitoring Mum
– Prams, Trams & Automobiles: Choosing the Right Wheels
– Lights, Camera (Maybe?), ACTION: The Delivery
– Gone with the Sleep: Surviving Sleep Deprivation Accessible, entertaining, reassuring – everything an expectant and new dad needs to know!
Fully reviewed and updated.
Table of Content
Congratulations … 12
Introduction: You’re going to be a dad … 15
It All Started with The ‘Late Late’ Show: Tell-tale signs that she’s pregnant! 15
A Game of Three Parts: Trimesters 25
Chapter 1: The First Trimester: Times they are a changin’ 27
Trimester 1: Weeks 0–12 27
The ‘All-Day’ Infliction: Morning sickness 30
CATastrophe in Waiting: Toxoplasmosis 34
Take That out of Your Mouth … The no-no foods of pregnancy 36
Won’t He Feel IT? Sex in pregnancy 38
What’s up, Doc? Well in advance of your new arrival 43
The ‘M’ Word: Miscarriage in pregnancy 47
Keeping Mum: The 12-week rule 54
Joe Public v Peter Private: Irish maternity care – an overview 55
Testing, Testing … Scans and checks 63
What’s up, Doc? Monitoring mum 64
Join the Club: The waiting room 69
Chapter 2: The Second Trimester. When reality ‘kicks’ in 73
Trimester 2: Weeks 13–28 73
In My Day … Handling advice 76
Nobody puts Baby in a Corner! Preparing a child forthe new arrival 77
Woof Time of It: Your dog and your unborn baby 79
I Can’t See Him as a Thor Fitz Gerald! The baby name game 81
Is That His Little …? Finding out the sex of your baby 84
Seeing Things: Expecting multiples 86
The Name’s ‘Bond’: Bonding with your unborn baby 90
Small Change: The price of parenthood 92
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Choosing the right family car 95
Buckle up! Choosing the car seat 98
Chapter 3: The Third Trimester. The final stretch 105
Trimester 3: Weeks 28–Birth 105
‘I Love It When a Plan Comes Together …’ The birth plan 108
The MANternity Bag: The expectant dad’s survival kit 112
Getting Anti about Attending: The antenatal class 114
In the Thick of It: Attending the birth 117
Grounded! Air restrictions 120
What’s up, Doc? Health concerns in the third trimester 121
Twigs and Berries: Preparing the nest 124
Kitting out Your Kid: The essentials 125
Prams, Trams and Automobiles: Choosing the right wheels 131
Chapter 4: Labour: The main event 139
Show Me the Baby … Signs that she is in labour 140
Get that Kettle away from Me! How to deliver a baby … 142
What’s up, Doc? The three stages of labour 145
Tongs of Praise: Assisted deliveries 148
Exploring Other Avenues: Caesarean section 151
Help Wanted: Pain relief in labour 153
I Like It in Here … Natural methods for bringing out baby 159
Not the Cooking Appliance! Induction 163
Lights, Camera (Maybe?), ACTION … The delivery 164
Afterbirth Antics: The third stage 179
Keep the Cord: Stem-cell collection 180
The Iceman Cometh: How are you REALLY feeling? 180
Chapter 5: Surviving the First Six Weeks: We are family … 183
Home Alone: The final checklist 184
Get Into Line: Managing visiting hours 185
Mothering Mum: Postnatal depression 188
SAD DAD: Male postnatal depression 191
How to:
Change a nappy 195
Wind a baby 199
Bathe a baby 202
Stop a baby crying 206
Wolverine Rocks! Say no to rocking 209
Gone with the Sleep: Surviving sleep deprivation 210
It’s Breast to Bottle It …
About the author
Originally from Dublin, and now living in Cork, David Caren is a freelance writer and author of the bestselling parenting guide, 'The Irish Dad’s Survival Guide to Pregnancy & Beyond’.
David’s first children’s book is the inspiring story of the Senior Women’s Irish hockey goalkeeper, Ayeisha Mc Ferran.