David Caren - The Irish Dads Survival Guide to Pregnancy [& Beyond]

Becoming a Dad is one of the most important life-changing events to occur in a mans life, one that comes with its own catalogue of emotions exclusive to expectant dads, the very centre of which is mans search for reassurance. Reassurance that whatever he is feeling is perfectly normal, that whatever he is going through other dads have gone through the same. There will be times when you will feel sidelined, out of your depth, powerless and confused. Including the accounts and experiences of other Irish dads within this book shows that any doubts or feelings you may have are all par for the course.

In early 2009, I launched dad.ie Irelands first website for Irish dads and dads-to-be. Watching over my wifes expectant shoulder at her flitting from one mum web site to another, I quickly realised that there was no Irish home on the web for expectant dads. The popularity of the site led me down the route of bringing out the first pregnancy title for Irish dads. Having spent several years as a bookseller, I noticed a gap on the shelf for a pregnancy title aimed at Irish expectant dads written from a dads perspective.

The Irish Dads Survival Guide to Pregnancy (& Beyond ) is an easy practical read, written by a dad for dads, filled with real accounts from a Fraternity of Fathers, expert advice and an array of useful tips that fall under the banner of iDad. Words, terms and phrases commonly associated with the pregnancy feature as Bumpedia throughout the book.

The Irish Dads Survival Guide to Pregnancy [& Beyond] is NOT a book with page after page of comprehensive medical text, diagrams of lady parts, or any type of flippant laddishness which undermines the greatness of the event.

I do not suggest you rush through this book from cover-to-cover, pop it in your locker at work, leave it on your bedside table or in the glove compartment in the car, dip into it when you can, and, in reading, try to stay a few weeks ahead of where your partner is in the pregnancy; this way you will be prepared as to what is happening next and how best you can help her and yourself.

During the writing of this book, I fell in line with the mystery surrounding the sex of the baby and alternated between the sexes in the text. Regarding your own relationship with the mum-to-be, I felt it best to play it safe and go with your partner, after all, its definition does set the tone of the pregnancy: one that is united with another in an activity of common interest which affects both the parties involved.

This is a very exciting time for you; I thank you for choosing The Irish Dads Survival Guide to Pregnancy (& Beyond ) and am privileged to accompany you on your wonderful journey. All that is left for me to write before you start on your new chapter is: Congratulations, you are going to be a Dad

It is much easier to become a father than to be one

Kent Nerburn

Im late,

No, youre standing right in front of me dear.

No IM LATE, LATE!

No other word repeated twice has the power to command mans full undivided attention, and no other statement has earned itself a more fitting response than how late?

More often than not, a missed period is a positive indicator that your partner is pregnant, especially if her menstrual cycle is as regular as clockwork. However, if your partner is not so regular then she may notice other symptoms of pregnancy before it becomes clear that she has missed her period. While we are on the subject it is quite common that a light bleed (spotting) around the time she is due her period can be misinterpreted as being the start of her period when in fact it can indicate that she is pregnant.

If you catch her wincing when your hands gently head north, take note, tender, swollen and enlarged breasts are another giveaway that she may be with child. Tender breasts are caused by the surge of hormones in her body; the good news (for you too!) is that this feeling of tenderness does pass as her body becomes accustomed to the new hormone levels.

Frequent visits to the loo are another tell-tale sign that something is not right, unless of course she has a kidney infection! Pregnancy hormones are the Jekyll & Hyde of babyland. One minute theyll have herself dashing off to the toilet more times than she can say Andrex, the next minute theyre rendering your nearest and dearest incapacitated, unable to go at all. Unfortunately, constipation is not only a sign of pregnancy but a symptom which usually only gets worse as the pregnancy progresses.