The father's guide
Most pregnancy advice written for men is a list of ways to be nicer. These are the parts where you actually have something to do, and a decision to get right.
- Her mood in pregnancy: what is normal, and when it is depressionHow to tell ordinary emotional change in pregnancy from depression or anxiety that needs treating, and what a husband is actually able to do about it.
- Sex during pregnancy: the question most couples don't ask out loudA plain answer to a question most couples feel awkward asking out loud — and why the real answer depends on her specific pregnancy, not a generic rule.
- The 20-week scan: what it checks, and what to askThe 20-week scan checks for signs of 11 specific conditions. What it looks at, what it cannot rule out, how long it takes, and what happens if something is found.
- The baby's movements: what actually matters, and why counting is not itWhen movements start, why the NHS says you do not need to count kicks, what a change in pattern means, and why home dopplers are dangerous.
- The newborn budget: what the baby actually needsThe published list of what a newborn needs in the first weeks, the cot and car seat safety standards, and the items that are cheaper to skip because they are not safe.
- The hospital bag: the father's listWhat the birth partner packs for himself, when the bag should be ready, and why the published advice is to divide it into two bags rather than one.
- A safe place for your baby to sleep: what to set up before birthWhat the NHS actually recommends for a newborn's sleep space: room-sharing, the mattress, what to keep out of the cot, and room temperature.
- Signs of labour: when to take her to hospitalThe signs labour has begun, how to time contractions, the point at which you call the hospital, and what changes if it happens before 37 weeks.
- Soothing a crying baby: why he cries, and what to doThe common reasons a newborn cries, practical steps to soothe him, and what to do if you're the one who's overwhelmed.
- The father's own head: the part nobody asks aboutFathers and partners can develop depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the first year. What the published figures say, the signs, and where to take it.