David Caren 
The Irish Dad’s Survival Guide to Pregnancy [& Beyond] 

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.