Book about childbirth / babies for DH

[BonaDea]

We're expecting our PFB. Obviously I'm on mumsnet every day, have iphone pregnancy apps and have read 'What to Expect' and several other pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby books.

DH hasn't read anything. Anyone have any tips for something which might be aimed at first time dads from their perspective and which isn't either too American, too fluffy/ lightweight, and not entirely preachy?

the only book worth reading (i bought him quite a few!) was commando dad. quite cheap on amazon.

the rest are all a bit for lad's that drink and telling them how their life is just never going to be the same again! which was not really suitable for us.

There is a guy called Jon Smith who has done a few books aimed at dads to be. I think I got my DHs one from amazon blokes guy to pregnancy I think it's called.

Anyone else have a DP that is allergic to books? Mine can spend hours (in the loo) reading magazines but wouldn't touch a book!

What I need is someone to magically create a car magazine on the cover, but once opened its all about being a dad, and magically can't be put down until finished!!!

DH and I both enjoyed this -

www.amazon.co.uk/Pregnancy-Men-whole-nine-months/dp/190541062X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353618060&sr=1-1

It is very lighthearted but accurate too and quick and easy to dip into - you can just read the relevant chapter for each month.

It may not make him an expert - we did NCT as well which DH felt he learned a lot from.

It did make him start to offer to look after me a lot more proactively - and do spontaneous things like changing the bed linen so that was a bonus too!

I bought mine the Haynes Baby Manual. Just like the car ones, it has lots of diagrams and the bits he likes best: fault identification checklists.

www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Manual-Conception-Haynes-Workshop/dp/1844257592/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353618759&sr=8-1

www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Manual-Conception-Haynes-Workshop/dp/1844257592/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353618759&sr=8-1

I got mine the blokes guide to pregnancy. Light, but informative and funny

DH liked "The Expectant Father" - quite American (we do live in the US now) but he found it really useful during my first pregnancy.

In terms of dealing with a newborn, beg, borrow or steal "The Happiest Baby On The Block" - get the dvd if your DH doesn't read. The Dvd is about 30 minutes long, and DH said that that half hour definitely saved his sanity in the first 3 months of DS's life - he had a few 'dad tricks' up his sleeve (swaddling, shushing, and side-positioning worked for DS1 - who knows what DS2 will like in Jan!) for when I was at the end of my rope and/or BFing wasn't working - it made him so much more confident and calm with a newborn DS, and I think that has helped build the amazing bond they now have (DS is 2). So, erm, in terms of getting your H to be a confident and involved new dad, I can't recommend that book or dvd enough.
And I'm not really a 'parenting books' kinda person.

For non-readers, you may want to try this too
www.essentialparent.com

I didn't get any special Menz books. I looked at a few in the shops but to be honest I didn't think he would appreciate the tone of them - he is an intelligent grown man not "one of the lads".

What I did do was to leave my pregnancy books in the bathroom. I left "what to expect" as I thought that might appeal to him and it had a dad's section too, and I left the Mumsnet guide. In general conversation it became apparent that he had been dipping into them during toilet trips instead of the usual Focus magazine. The Mumsnet one actually seemed to go down particularly well. I think if I had given him a special men's book and asked him to read it he might well have not bothered but just leaving the info in front of him he read it when he wanted to of his own accord.

Have just bought the car manual one thanks to this thread as a christmas pressie.
Will use KatandKits strategy and read it myself and leave it strategically open on different pages in the downstairs toilet - and hope that some of it gets looked at!

Lad to Dad was something DH read when we were expecting DD.

The Haynes manual was amusing but not much more than that.

He found 'Your Baby Week by Week' very helpful.

DH was very interested and involved in the pregnancy and babies but he would not read a book about it.

Just wouldn't.