My wife and I are having a baby! I haven't been around babies very much, so I'm a little nervous I won't know what to do. What books/resources are available to help someone like me (the Dad) feel more prepared to be a parent?
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Not reading, but since you're a several-thousand-rep user on SO/SU, you might find this question quite relevant to your interests. :)– AarthiSep 21, 2011 at 13:23
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On these Stack Exchange sites, questions are usually about specific problems you are facing. This is a very broad, generalized poll of the community and not really appropriate for this type of Q&A site. I have to close this, but if you have other questions about parenting, please feel free to try again. Thanks.– user420Sep 21, 2011 at 14:14
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Don't sweat it. No one is ready to be a parent. It just happens. As long as you care (and as someone asking this question, you appear to be someone that cares) you'll figure things out. Besides, once the kid is born, you'll be reading books like crazy every night before bed. ;)– DA01Sep 21, 2011 at 16:27
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2 Answers
I lead a new father's course offered by our local hospital system. You should check to see if the hospital you plan on delivering at has something similar. Below are the suggested readings from my presentation materials.
Books
- Bleidner, L. (2006). Mack Daddy: Mastering Fatherhood without Losing Your Style, Your Cool, or Your Mind. New York: Citadel.
- Goldman, M. (2000). The Joy of Fatherhood: The First Twelve Months (2nd ed). New York: Three Rivers.
- Greenberg, G. (2004). Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads. New York: Simon & Schuster.
- Jana, L. A., & Shu, J. (2005). Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality. Elk Grove Village: American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Sears, R. (2006). Father's First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know. Cambridge: Harvard.
- Walsh, D. A. (2007). No: Why kids — of All Ages — Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It. New York: Free Press.
Web Sites
American Academy of Pediatrics, Parenting Corner Provides answers to a variety of parenting and child health questions, including immunizations, sleep and development www.healthychildren.org
Baby Center, Dad’s Page Articles and expert answers that are written specifically for fathers www.babycenter.com/advice-for-new-dads
Beaumont Hospitals – Health Library Includes a vast library of health-related articles, as well as information on local classes and support groups www.beaumonthospitals.com/health-library
Dad Labs Funny and sometimes irreverent coverage of issues affecting fathers of children of all ages though videos and forum discussions www.dadlabs.com
Fatherville Written by dads for dads, site includes special situations like new dads, stay-at-home dads, special needs, fathers of teens and divorced dads www.fatherville.com
The "What to Expect" series of books are a great resource! They have a lot of information, and there are chapters in there specifically for dads! Here is a link to the "What to Expect When You're Expecting." They helped me out a lot, I hope it helps you too.
