AMERICAN BABY for expectant and new parents

The Thirteen Months of Pregnancy blends humor with practical advice, offering pregnant fathers reassurance as well as some important medical information. The book describes what happens at prenatal visits; details the purpose of ultrasound, amniocentesis, and various other screen tests; and walks men through the critical stages of labor. It also outlines some adjustments fathers can expect to make in the first four months of their child’s life.

THE DAILY REPUBLIC

Bill Atalla wrote the Thirteen Months of Pregnancy but he did not want the book to just reflect his own experiences, so he talked to about 200 couples and two dozen professionals. He said, “I wanted to get out the essential information any dad should have.” 

His book is supportive of men and how they read. Men are more interested in chapters rather than a continuum. Men have a greater affinity for graphics and bold headings. It’s laid out in a style that supports the way men read for maximum content absorption.

The book reflects the changing role of men in fatherhood, Atalla said. “There are fewer dads in the waiting room and more in the delivery room,” he said. “Involvement begins the day you learn you’re pregnant, not when the child is born.”

BIRTH & LIFE BOOKSTORE

This book is full of personal advice for the new father-to-be. It is highly readable, a good book for the new dad.  It’s written in a cozy, comfortable style, like a buddy explaining his impressions. Atalla has a heartwarming, easy way of sharing his insights and recommendations. 

The Thirteen Months gives solid, concrete advice from one dad to another—and moms will be happy to hear the ideas for fathers’ involvement in every aspect. 

This is a very refreshing book about the prenatal period, birth, and the first four months of new family life. Bill Atalla speaks from the father’s perspective, using his amazing wit and honesty to explain the experiences that a baby brings. This book left me with a warm feeling.  It had me laughing and crying at the same time!

This book is a gem for new dads-to-be, an easy companion to encourage and remind the dad of his exciting role. It is a welcome guide for a family-in-the-making.

Atalla does a great job of instilling confidence in new dads, and then sending them on their way, to discover their own delights in parenting.

NATIONAL PERINATAL ASSOCIATION

I reviewed the Thirteen Months of Pregnancy. As a new father with a 16-month-old daughter and a “father-to-be” again, I found the book delightful. I was most impressed that it spoke to me from the “male perspective”.  Notwithstanding the directed-ness to males, I was pleased to see so much discussion on sexuality during pregnancy. This book does an excellent job of talking about sexual activity each step along the way, giving a creditable understanding of why things are the way they are. I think the author did an outstanding job of dealing with such a sensitive subject.

All in all, I was very impressed. There is so much more I could speak of but suffice it to say it is an excellent compilation of the various stages of pregnancy and a “reality” check for the male partner. Even though I have been through this one time, I would, nevertheless, read a book such as this. Primarily because it was directed to me, not my wife.

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF NURSE-MIDWIVES

The Thirteen Months of Pregnancy provides a practical guide to emotional, social, and some physical aspects of pregnancy.  Practical information, such as how to calculate your due date, and how to help her cope with morning sickness, is presented clearly. And right from the start, the author encourages the expectant father to seek knowledge about pregnancy and parenthood and to work “with” his wife on everything from housework and cooking to communication skills.

This book may be enjoyed by first or fifth-time fathers. It might provide a little comic relief and reassurance for fathers-to-be when they are dealing with issues surrounding pregnancy and parenthood.

WOMEN’S HEALTH ISSUES

This is a fun and entertaining book to read. The sections are short, funny yet informative, chronologically well organize, and cover everything from naming your baby to surviving childbirth movies to sex with your pregnant wife (at all stages of the game).

The illustrated relationship updates throughout the book focus on the need for balance between the father, mother, and child-to-be, and the interrelationships that develop during and after pregnancy. The author emphasizes communication and patience which couples can always use more of, and he truthfully describes being tired. . . fatigued. . . and exhausted, and the longing for sleep which parent can always use more of.

Mr. Atalla, who seems to have learned some lessons the hard way himself, discusses a dad’s natural fears and apprehension but reassures the reader that the joy and love fatherhood brings far outweighs other emotions.

COTTON CONNECTION

The Thirteen Months of Pregnancy is a month-by-month compendium of medical and psychological research about the nine months of pregnancy and the first four months of adjustment after the baby comes—all from the father’s point of view. It covers sex, career, mood swings, labor coaching, birth, adjustment to being a family and more.

A wealth of useful information is liberally interspersed with anecdotal and humorous advice.  The book is clear, practical, witty and so honest that many an “expectant father” need read only a few pages before saying—“Hey, that’s me!”

The Thirteen Months of Pregnancy was named “Parenting Book of the Year” by the American Bookseller’s Association, (The Benjamin Franklin Award), and is recommended by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, ASPO/Lamaze, and the National Childbirth Education Association.

 AMAZON

Awesome book for the clueless Dad to Be. I bought this book for my husband. It’s a great book about the ups and downs of pregnancy that’s great for the dad to be. Unlike the 4000 books for the mom-to-be, this one deals with some of the clinical symptoms of pregnancy in a humorous fashion and explains what his wife is going through, and how he can best help.

As a pregnant wife, I highly recommend this book for new Dads who just aren’t sure what their pregnant spouse is going through. (Verified Purchase, Five Stars)