Dad's guide to pregnancy for dummies

419 Pages·2022·4.717 MB·English

by  Matthew M. F. Miller

Dad’s Guide
to Pregnancy
3rd Edition
by Matthew M.F. Miller
and Sharon Perkins
Dad’s Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies®, 3rd Edition
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022934308
ISBN 978-1-119-86715-9 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-86716-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-86717-3 (ebk)
Contents at a Glance
Introduction .......................................................................................................1
Part 1: You’re Going to Be a Dad (Yes, You) ...............................5
CHAPTER 1: Welcome to Dad Land .............................................................................7
CHAPTER 2: Your Conception Primer ........................................................................25
CHAPTER 3: Non-Traditional Dadhood .....................................................................53
Part 2: The Final Countdown: Nine Months
(or Less!) to Baby ..........................................................................................65
CHAPTER 4: Balancing Joy, Anxiety, and Nausea: The First Trimester..................67
CHAPTER 5: Growing into the Second Trimester .....................................................91
CHAPTER 6: Nesting, Registering, and Naming (Oh My!) ......................................111
CHAPTER 7: Preparing for What Could — But Probably
Won’t — Go Wrong ...............................................................................131
CHAPTER 8: Nearing the Finish Line: The Third Trimester ...................................153
CHAPTER 9: The Copilot’s Guide to Birthing Options ............................................171
Part 3: Whoa, Baby! Labor, Delivery, and
the First Days at Home ..........................................................................195
CHAPTER 10: Wowing the Maternity Floor: How to Be the Best Labor
and Delivery Partner ............................................................................197
CHAPTER 11: Caring for Your Newborn ....................................................................223
CHAPTER 12: Supporting the New Mom . . . and Surviving Yourself! ...................251
Part 4: Under Pressure: How to Worry the
Right Way about the Big Stuff .........................................................277
CHAPTER 13: Dealing with Difficult Issues after Delivery .......................................279
CHAPTER 14: Survival Tips for Bumps, Boo-Boos, and More.................................295
CHAPTER 15: Fun, Freedom, and Finances: The Cost of Having a Baby ..............323
CHAPTER 16: Ensuring a Bright Future for Your New Family.................................349
Part 5: The Part of Tens .........................................................................371
CHAPTER 17: Ten Must-Do’s to Compensate for Not Having to Give Birth .........373
CHAPTER 18: Ten Ways to Bond as a New Family ...................................................379
Index.....................................................................................................................387

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................1
About This Book ...................................................................................1
Foolish Assumptions ............................................................................2
Icons Used In This Book.......................................................................3
Beyond the Book ..................................................................................3
Where to Go from Here .......................................................................3
PART 1: YOU’RE GOING TO BE A DAD (YES, YOU) .................5
CHAPTER 1: Welcome to Dad Land ..............................................................7
The Glorious, Frightening, Mind-Boggling World of Fatherhood ...8
A father? Who, me? .........................................................................8
Reacting to a life-changing event ..................................................9
Dealing with fatherhood fears ......................................................9
Debunking six common myths ...................................................10
Becoming a Modern Dad...................................................................13
Changes in your personal life ......................................................13
Changes in your professional life ...............................................14
Lifestyle changes to consider ......................................................15
Bringing baby into a turbulent world .........................................16
Deciding to Take the Plunge (or Not) ...............................................17
Determining whether you’re ready ............................................17
Telling your partner you’re ready ...............................................18
Telling your partner you’re not ready.........................................18
Being patient when one of you is ready (and
the other isn’t) ...............................................................................18
Dealing with an unexpected pregnancy .....................................19
Welcoming long-awaited pregnancies .......................................20
Peering into the Pregnancy Crystal Ball ..........................................20
First trimester ................................................................................21
Second trimester ...........................................................................21
Third trimester ..............................................................................22
CHAPTER 2: Your Conception Primer ......................................................25
Sperm, Meet Egg: Baby Making 101 .................................................25
Producing a mature egg ...............................................................26
Sending in some good sperm......................................................27
Table of Contents v
Making the journey and attaching to the uterus ......................28
Answering FAQs about getting pregnant ...................................30
Tracking the Journey: Using Fertility Apps and Monitors ..............31
Evaluating Health to Get Ready for Parenthood ............................32
Discovering female health issues that affect conception ........33
Recognizing issues that cause fertility problems in men .........35
Assessing lifestyle choices that affect eggs and sperm ............36
Keeping Sex from Becoming a Chore ..............................................38
Choosing the best time for conception ......................................39
Scheduling sex: The do’s and don’ts ...........................................40
Taking a Brief yet Important Look at Infertility ...............................42
Knowing the facts about infertility ..............................................42
Checking on potential problems when nothing’s
happening ......................................................................................43
Working through it when your partner needs treatment ........45
Exploring solutions when your sperm don’t stack up ..............45
Examining new developments in infertility treatments ...........48
Deciding how far to go to get pregnant .....................................49
Sharing Your Decision to Have a Baby ............................................50
Considering the pros and cons of spilling the beans ...............50
Handling unsolicited advice about reproduction .....................51
CHAPTER 3: Non-Traditional Dadhood ...................................................53
Becoming a Two Dad or Dad Alone Family .....................................54
Who’s supplying the egg? The sperm? The womb? ..................54
Looking at the legalities of surrogacy .........................................56
Involving a family member in egg donation or carrying
the baby .........................................................................................57
Finding a friend who’s willing to donate or carry ......................58
Working with an agency ....................................................................58
Drawing up a contract .......................................................................59
Deciding how involved you’ll be in the pregnancy .........................59
Becoming comfortable with a stranger......................................60
Maintaining boundaries with a friend or family member .......60
Being Involved When You’re Not Able to Be Around .....................61
Keeping up to date when you’re out of town — or country ....61
Dealing with the frustrations of long-distance pregnancy ......62
vi Dad’s Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies
PART 2: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: NINE MONTHS
(OR LESS!) TO BABY ....................................................................................65
Balancing Joy, Anxiety, and Nausea:
CHAPTER 4:
The First Trimester ...................................................................67
Baby on Board: It’s Official! ...............................................................68
Reacting when your partner breaks the news ..........................69
Making the announcement to friends and family ....................69
Overcoming your fears of being a father ...................................71
Early Prenatal Care: Kicking Off a Nine-Month-Long
Relationship ........................................................................................72
Finding a medical practitioner who works for both of you .....72
Attending the first (and longest) prenatal visit ..........................74
Going to the first ultrasound .......................................................75
Baby’s Development during the First Trimester .............................75
He may not look like much now, but . . . ....................................76
Amazing changes in weeks 7 to 12 .............................................76
Dealing with Possible Complications in the First Trimester ..........78
Miscarrying in early pregnancy ...................................................78
Understanding ectopic pregnancy ..............................................80
Coping with pregnancy loss .........................................................81
Reducing Early Developmental Risks ...............................................81
Smoking and development problems ........................................82
Drinking during pregnancy ..........................................................83
OTC and prescription drugs and their health risks ..................83
Autism spectrum risks and prevention ......................................84
Common First Trimester Discomforts — Yours and Hers .............84
Helping your partner cope with early symptoms .....................84
Getting used to strange new maternal habits ...........................86
Taking on your emerging support role ......................................88
CHAPTER 5: Growing into the Second Trimester ...........................91
Tracking Baby’s Development during the Second Trimester ........92
Growing and changing in months four and five .......................92
Refining touches in the sixth month ..........................................93
Checking Out Mom’s Development in the Second Trimester .......94
Gaining weight the right way .......................................................94
Looking pregnant at last! .............................................................96
Table of Contents vii
Testing in the Second Trimester .......................................................97
Preparing for the possible risks of tests and ultrasounds .......98
Understanding blood tests and amniocentesis ........................98
Following up on the test results ................................................100
Scrutinizing ultrasounds ............................................................100
Having Sex in the Second Trimester ..............................................103
Maintaining a healthy sex life during pregnancy ....................103
Addressing common myths and concerns ..............................104
Exploring Different Options for Childbirth Classes ......................105
Dealing with Insurance (or a Lack Thereof) ...................................107
Understanding your insurance .................................................107
Having a baby without insurance .............................................109
CHAPTER 6: Nesting, Registering, and Naming (Oh My!) .......111
A Guy’s Guide to “Nesting” ..............................................................111
Making the house spotless — and then some ........................112
Engaging in Instagram preparedness ......................................113
Setting up the nursery ................................................................114
Arranging the nursery for two or more ...................................116
Baby-proofing 101 ......................................................................117
Understanding the Art of the Baby Registry .................................118
Doing your homework ahead of time to get what
you want ......................................................................................119
Finding out what you need — and what you think
you won’t need but can’t live without! ......................................121
Navigating the online-versus-local-registry decision ..............123
Discovering five things you don’t have to have but
will adore......................................................................................123
Checking out five things you don’t have to have and
will never adore ...........................................................................124
Celebrating the Wee One’s Impending Arrival: Baby
Shower Basics ...................................................................................125
Opting into — or out of — gender reveal parties ...................126
Throwing virtual parties .............................................................127
Naming Your Baby ......................................................................127
Narrowing down your long list ..................................................128
Reconciling father/mother differences of opinion .................128
Discussing choices with friends and family .............................129
Preparing for What Could — But Probably
CHAPTER 7:
Won’t — Go Wrong ..................................................................131
Managing Pregnancy-Related Medical Issues ...............................132
Hypertensive conditions in pregnancy .....................................132
Gestational diabetes ...................................................................133
viii Dad’s Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies