With Father's Day fast approaching (June 17th), I thought this would be a good time to focus on the Dads out there - or rather, the Dad's-to-be. It still surprises me that so much of the focus of new parents is placed on the mum, with poor Dad hardly getting a sideways glance (other than for useful things like assembling cots and carrying tins of paint around for the new nursery). So, I was pleasantly surprised to see a new book by the founder and Editor of dedicated Dads website dad.ie

Published by The O'Brien Press, David Caren has written the book for the expectant father. 'The Irish Dad's Survival Guide to Pregnancy (and beyond ...) is just what expectant father's have been waiting for. Written in a down-to-earth, straight-talking, no nonsense, humorous way, the book goes through everything the other 'pregnancy' books go through, but with Dad in mind, rather than mum. With plenty of quotes from dads who have been through the experience of pregnancy and childbirth, the book never becomes preachy or patronising, but remains honest and real. In fact, I wish I'd had this book to read when I was pregnant - I found it a lot easier to read - and far less annoying - than some of the 'What to expect' type books I found myself reading and throwing on the floor!

As the author explains, 'I recall when my wife was expecting, and like the majority of most new Irish expectant dads, I was feeling elated but at the same time nervous as to what lay ahead. Thankfully, I worked in a major bookstore, and on the day I found out we were pregnant I (discreetly!) popped over to our ‘sex & pregnancy’ section. The selection for expectant dads was limited to ‘laddish’ style bloke guides that did nothing to quell the nerves.' So, he went on to write his own book. 'In writing The Irish Dad’s Survival Guide to Pregnancy & Beyond, I strived to make the content accessible, fresh and reassuring. When it did call for a more medical approach to certain topics I called on the help of a GP pal (who was an expectant dad at the time too!) to ensure that any terminology appeared in dad-friendly plain speak. To put expectant dads further at ease, I enlisted the services of a seasoned midwife and lecturer in midwifery who patiently answered all the important questions regarding the delivery including; ‘Where do I stand in the labour ward?’ and ‘What if I feel faint?’…

Highlights of 'The Irish Dad's Survival Guide' include:

Testing, testing (Scans and Checks)
What's up, Doc? (Monitoring Mum)
Prams, Trams and Automobiles (Choosing the Right Wheels)
Lights, Camera (Maybe?), ACTION (The Delivery)
Gone with the Sleep (Surviving Sleep Deprivation)

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