Table of Contents
Introduction 7
Chapter 1 Preparing your partner for pregnancy 9
Lifestyle changes 9
Things to buy 14
Pre-pregnancy nesting 16
Understand her feelings 18
Understand your feelings 20
Pre-pregnancy sex 20
When things don't go according to plan 22
Telling people you're expecting 29
Chapter 2 The first trimester: 0-12 weeks 32
Facts about your baby's development 32
What happens to your partner's body? 35
Dealing with first trimester health conditions 36
Prenatal care 43
Prenatal classes 47
The 'eating for two' myth 47
The dangers of dieting in pregnancy 51
Foods to eat and foods to avoid 51
Alcohol in pregnancy 54
Exercise 56
Sex 59
Travel 62
Pets and pregnancy 64
Chapter 3 The second trimester: 13-27 weeks 66
Facts about your baby's development 66
What happens to your partner's body? 69
Dealing with second trimester health conditions 70
Prenatal care 81
Foods to eat and foods to avoid 83
Alcohol 84
Travel 85
Exercise 86
Sex 87
Paternity leave and pay 90
Things to buy 91
The birth plan 96
Chapter 4 The third trimester: 28-40 weeks 103
Facts about your baby's development 104
What happens to your partner's body? 105
Dealing with third trimester conditions 106
Prenatal care 110
Prenatal classes 111
Food 112
Alcohol 113
Exercise 113
Sex 115
Travel 116
Things to buy 117
Paternity leave 121
How to prepare for labor day 121
Chapter 5 Birth And Beyond 126
The three stages of labor 126
Inducing labor 127
Labor signs 128
Labor day 129
The birth 135
What happens next? 136
How long will my partner and baby stay in the hospital? 138
Home birth 140
Chapter 6 Life with a Newborn 142
Facts about your baby's development: 0-3 months 143
Check-ups and appointments in your baby's first three months 146
Dealing with your partner's post-childbirth health conditions 148
Feeding your baby 155
Top foods for breastfeeding 157
Getting your baby to sleep 163
How to tell when your baby is ill 166
How to change your baby's diaper 167
How to wash your baby 169
More things you'll need for your baby 170
Playing with your baby 171
Travelling with your baby 173
Your relationship with your partner 176
Conclusion 179
Index 180
About the author 184
