Rob Kemp - The New Dads Survival Guide: What to Expect in the First Year and Beyond

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: Dawn of the Dad
Weeks 04

CHAPTER 2: Tools of Fatherhood
Weeks 58

CHAPTER 3: Juggling Acts
Weeks 912

CHAPTER 4: In at the Shallow End
Weeks 1316

CHAPTER 5: New Life in the Great Outdoors
Weeks 1720

CHAPTER 6: A Time of Teething and Weaning
Weeks 2124

CHAPTER 7: Health, Safety and Fitness
Weeks 2528

CHAPTER 8: Join the Club
Weeks 2932

CHAPTER 9: Dad or Alive?
Weeks 3336

CHAPTER 10: Stay-at-Home Dad
Weeks 3740

CHAPTER 11: Words and Pictures
Weeks 4144

CHAPTER 12: Father Ahead
Weeks 45 and beyond

Everything you need to know in the first year and beyond

Congratulations, at last youre a dad! If youre looking down at your new arrival and wondering what the hell to do next, this book is for you. Written by bestselling author Rob Kemp, it covers all the essentials for your first steps into fatherhood, including:

• how to start bonding with your baby from birth
• practical ways to support your partner
• ideas for playing with your baby to encourage his or her development
• choosing the right working and childcare arrangements for your family
• expert advice on buying the right gear, travelling with babies and changing those dreaded nappies

Full of fascinating facts, clear explanations and anecdotes from fathers whove been there and have the sick-stained t-shirt to prove it, The New Dads Survival Guide will ensure you know what to do every step of the way.

Rob Kemp is a freelance journalist and author of the bestselling book The Expectant Dads Survival Guide. His work on the subjects of fatherhood and parenting features on the Boots Parenting and MSN websites and has appeared in a number of national newspapers and magazines, including the Guardian, the Independent, the Mirror, Mens Health, FQ, Pregnancy, Baby and You, Pregnancy & Birth and Mother & Baby.

Any references to writing in this book refer to the original printed version. Readers should write on a separate piece of paper in these instances.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

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Epub ISBN 9781448175406

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First published in 2014 by Vermilion, an imprint of Ebury Publishing
A Random House Group company

Copyright Rob Kemp 2014

Rob Kemp has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner

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The information in this book has been compiled by way of general guidance in relation to the specific subjects addressed, but is not a substitute and not to be relied on for medical, healthcare, pharmaceutical or other professional advice on specific circumstances and in specific locations. So far as the author is aware the information given is correct and up to date as at June 2014. Practice, laws and regulations all change, and the reader should obtain up to date professional advice on any such issues. The author and publishers disclaim, as far as the law allows, any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use, or misuse, of the information contained in this book.

They dont really do much at first

(How some new fathers see some new babies and vice versa)

WHEN I WROTE a book for expectant dads a few years back it was at a time when there wasnt much on the market for men whod been in the same boat as me. I wasnt sure that thered be a great demand among men for a book telling them what pregnancy was all about.

But I knew from my own experience, and from talking to new dads and those that were about to become parents for the first time, that something that could provide some useful insight, some practical tips and some hands-on guidance along with a large dollop of what to expect would be a whole lot better than nothing at all.

Sure enough, the book was something men and plenty of women really did want, and they went out and bought it. More important was the feedback I got from those who read it. It highlighted the fact men do want to know whats happening with their partner when shes pregnant. They do want to know how that little baby is developing and what can help it grow to become a healthy little son or daughter. Men do want to know how to deal with the emotional stress, the physical strain and the financial headlock that can come during such a tense time. And why wouldnt we?

Through prenatal, pregnancy, post-partum and pretty much every day, fathers are more and more involved in the raising of their children these days. Changes in the way that both sexes work, new family-friendly laws and the attitudes of society have all helped re-shape the role of the modern father.

And its crucial that we do become more actively involved from the start and remain hands-on as our children develop and find their way in the world.

Dads are different. The way we play with our kids, the influences we have, the bonds we form differ greatly from the way mums do things. And yet in recent times the role of the father in child development has been downgraded often by fathers themselves by those who subscribe to the school of thought that, while its great to have dads around, theyre not essential to raising rounded kids ready to face what the world throws at them.

Never ever underestimate your influence upon your child and your role as a father especially in the first year of their life, when it can seem at times as if theyre something from another planet and youve got little more than a walk-on part in the family set-up. The bonds you build at this time and the habits that form in this first stage of fatherhood can and will set the trend for the relationship you have with your child for years to come. Not only that but it will have a crucial influence upon how they interact with their own offspring too one day.

As a father the best advice I can give to new dads is to get stuck in as soon as you possibly can. You will experience a multitude of mixed emotions along the way. Sometimes they can be feelings of indifference or reluctance about your role other times your little baby will make you feel better than youve ever done before. Dont be alarmed if you find it tough to bond with this new, life-changing member of your family but dont be afraid to do so either.