Book Review: Dad’s Pregnant Too!

June 19, 2010 by Jai
Filed under Reviews, Shopping

book I am so last minute with this but this could be a great gift idea for those Dad to be’s this Father’s Day (which is tomorrow!!) or at any time for a Dad to be. Dad’s Pregnant Too is about expecting Mamis and Papis sharing advice and tips about being pregnant. This book honestly made me think about Dad to be in a new way. We maybe focus a lot on ourselves due to our changing bodies and habits (no caffeine!! How can I live!) and especially for me with a high risk pregnancy it was procedure after procedure and testing after testing. It’s all consuming that you don’t really take a second to stop to think about how Dad is feeling. This book is cute and funny including:

· A guide to the different types of expectant fathers, from the Do-It-All to the Me-Too, and the Getting Fat to the Two-For-the-Price-of-Two

· A rundown on how to spoil your pregnant partner, from massaging wherever she’ll let you touch to the babymoon and push presents

· How to navigate the baby superstore and limit your purchases to two car seats and a stroller that should go 55 mph, given the price tag

· And everything in between, from the baby’s development to the body and mind of a pregnant woman to sex during pregnancy!

Here’s an excerpt from the book:

Tip #15
The In-Awe Expectant Father: Words Can’t Describe It (But I’ll Try)
THE TIP:
It’s a feeling like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.
THE STORY:
Seeing the baby come out of my wife was surreal and mind-numbing. The image was too much for me to comprehend—it was sensory overload. It wasn’t until a few hours after the birth, when everyone had been taken care of, that I had a chance to hold my daughter. My wife was sleeping, and we were alone. That’s when the switch was flipped. It was a feeling I had never experienced before. I was awestruck by the pregnancy, by the birth, and by the delivery. But the love a father feels for his child blew me away. It’s a feeling that never goes away.
—Me, daughter 22 months, 21 weeks pregnant
We had a C-section, and I got to spend time with Jack before Emily did; it’s not how I wished it. He opened his eyes and he looked at me, and I said, “Hi Jack.” And he looked at me like he knew that was his name. It was the most magical moment.
—Jeff (son 9 months)
I thought of including a blank page for this tip because there are no words to describe the feeling of going through the expectant father experience. But a book with blank pages isn’t a good book. So, here’s my best attempt.
Being an expectant father will leave you in awe. It will excite, exhaust, intimidate, embarrass, intrigue, surprise, scare, shock, and delight you all at once. The adventure will stir untapped emotions. It will leave you feeling something you’ve never felt or experienced before.
It’s as if there’s something programmed into our DNA that’s activated during this process. And when the switch is flipped and it happens, the world will change forever. It’s an emotional state so powerful and all-consuming that there are no words for it.
Don’t worry about not feeling it right away. It will happen, but when it happens will vary. It could be immediately after the birth, or an hour, a day, a week, or a few months later—but it will happen. It’s not something you need to force. No matter the heaviness or happiness of the moments leading up to the birth, it will all be worth it. The adrenaline rush of fatherhood is better than any drug—once the initial surge
It’s like a Darwinian switch flipped in my brain. I went from reluctant father to head-over-heels committed dad in a heartbeat.
—Eric (daughter 15 months)
I was in awe when I saw the ultrasound of our baby and the heartbeat—that is when I knew it was for real.
—Kevin (18 weeks pregnant)
subsides, the feeling lingers forever. It’s what bonds us to the baby.
From conception to coming home, the whole journey is exhilarating, exhausting, and awe-inspiring. It’s something you’ll probably want to do again and again. And while you might in fact do it again and again, savor the first time—the first is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enjoy the adventure ahead.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
You won’t believe what you see, hear, and feel.

Dad’s Pregnant Too is a great read for any dad to be! This is the season for baby showers (I have at least two!) and would be a great gift for the Dad to be so he can feel included!