Harlan Cohen - Dad’s Expecting Too: Expectant fathers, expectant mothers, new dads and new moms share advice, tips and stories about all the surprises, questions and joys ahead...

Copyright 2013 by Harlan Cohen

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cohen, Harlan

[Dads pregnant too!]

Dads expecting too! : expectant fathers, expectant mothers, new dads, and new moms share advice, tips, and stories about all the surprises, questions, and joys ahead / Harlan Cohen.

pages cm

Revision of: Dads pregnant too! ?2008.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

(pbk. : alk. paper) 1. PregnancyPopular works. 2. ChildbirthPopular works. 3. Fatherhood. 4. Husbands. I. Title.

RG525.C658 2013

618.2dc23

2013031151

It all started on 3/2/01it was the night of our first date when we started this fun.

And now, the journey continues

I love you.

To Stephanie, Eva Kaye, Harrison, and Asher

Chapter 1: The First Few Weeks
Shock, Joy, Surprise, and Things Youll Want to Do When the Baby Is Born

Chapter 2: The Doctor Will See You Now
Or Whoever Delivers Your Baby Will See You Now

Chapter 3: The Babys Development
This Part Has Pictures

Chapter 4: The Many Faces of the Expectant Father
Inside the Male Mind and Body

Chapter 5: The Body of the Pregnant Woman
Like Puberty All Over Again

Chapter 6: The Mind of the Pregnant Woman
And the Expectant Mother Thong

Chapter 7: Spoiling Your Pregnant Partner
Helping Her Feel as Good as She Feels Big

Chapter 8: Pregnant Sex
Having It, Not Having It, Fantasizing about Having It

Chapter 9: Shopping for Baby
Something So Little Needs So Much

Chapter 10: Passing the Time
Things to Do During the Second and Third Trimesters

Chapter 11: Labor and Delivery Prep Time
Things to Help Prepare You for Labor and Delivery

Chapter 12: The Birth Day
From Your Door to Delivery Room and Back Again

Chapter 13: After the Baby Is Born
The Fourth Trimester Begins

Id like to thank Stephanie, my pregnant wife/best friend/inspiration/partner/editor/love of my life. Thank you for letting me test my theories and hypotheses on you during all three of your pregnancies. You are the most beautiful pregnant woman in the world. In fact, from behind, you never looked pregnant. Id like to thank my daughter, Eva Kaye, and sons Harrison and Asher. Thank you for being so well-behaved, warm-hearted, and kind in the womb (and outside). You are the greatest gift in the world and its a privilege to be your daddy. Mommy and I love you so much. (P.S. If we mess up, let us know and well make things better or get you the very best therapy available.) Thank you to my mom (Shirlee) and dad (Eugene) for creating me and to my mom for giving birth to me. In fact, Id like to take this opportunity to formally apologize to you, Mom. Sorry I was two weeks overdue and that I had to be delivered via a surprise C-section. I dont know what I was thinkingif I could do it all over again Id have popped out at seven and a half pounds and saved you the scar. Who knows, I might even have a younger sibling had it been easier. Please accept my apology. I love you. And thank you, Dad, for being the best father in the world. While you didnt get a chance to cut the cord because you werent invited into the delivery room (Ill find you some kind of cord to cut later if you want), I love you as much as a son can love his dad.

Id like to thank my in-laws Fran and Marvin. I believe that if you could have given birth to me, you would have done it, but instead, you gave birth to my wifeand thats more than enough for me. Your constant love, support, and encouragement are a gift. Thank you to my big brothers, Vic and Michael, and older sister-in-law Ireneyour wisdom, advice, guidance, help, love, hand-me downs, and breast pump were so deeply appreciated (clarificationthe breast pump was from Irene). Thank you to my younger brother-in-law Dan and sister-in-law Rozi. I hope, as your (BBIL) big-brother-in-law, I can teach you the ways of the world. Thanks for all the love and always being there for us. Thank you to my nieces Phoebe, Rae, and Hannah and my nephews Henry and Ethan. You have been the cutest and best practice babies for Steph and me. I love being your uncle.

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to friends, family, and all the random contributors I accosted while researching this book. Thank you for opening up your lives and sharing your most personal, emotional, embarrassing, and deeply honest stories as part of this book. Your experiences are what make this project so compelling. Thank you to all the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who helped us through pregnancy, labor, and delivery and the pregnancy, labor, and delivery of this book. My deepest gratitude goes out to my longtime editorial obstetrician, Peter Lynch, and my new editorial obstetrics team of Stephanie Bowen and Jenna Skwarek. You are all gifted handlers of thoughts, ideas, and wordsthank you for helping me push and deliver this book from my womb (again, no editing). Thanks to Todd Stocke (director of editorial obstetrics), and the editorial, sales, publicity, and support teams at Sourcebooks. A heartfelt thank-you goes out to Dominique Raccah, chief editorial obstetrician (Sourcebookss publisher). Your passion, commitment, and encouragement are an inspiration. A thank-you goes out to my agent/midwife, Eliot Ephraim. You continue to be right there by my side throughout the personal and professional journey. Thank you to Glenn Mott and the entire team at King Features Syndicate, the newspaper editors who have supported my Help Me, Harlan! syndicated advice column over the years, the readers of Help Me, Harlan!, the students and professionals who have invited me to share my passion on college campuses over the years, the Indiana University School of Journalism, the