YOU'VE BEEN PROMOTED TO DAD

A film producer and writer offers a guide to pregnancy and parenthood from the male perspective.

Golebiowski makes two important disclaimers in the foreword to his debut book: He is not a doctor, so don’t look for medical advice, and he hates to read, so don’t expect long chapters. He holds true to his promises, prefacing anything remotely resembling health care counsel with additional disclaimers and keeping most of the chapters in the two- to four-page range. Divided into two sections—“Before Baby Is Born” and “After Baby Is Born” (logically enough)—the manual is aimed primarily at men who may not wish to read What to Expect When You’re Expecting or who are seeking frank answers to the less medically oriented questions (for example, the chapters entitled “To Have Sex or Not to Have Sex… That is the Question” and “Is Mom Really Going to be a Bitch?”). The author relies entirely on his personal experiences through four pregnancies with his wife—two that resulted in miscarriages and two that led to the births of his son and daughter. He focuses on his emotional responses to these events, hoping to help other men come to terms with the unfamiliar routines. He reassures readers that it is perfectly all right not to feel immediately bonded to a new baby—that the infant is an individual each parent must get to know. Told with humor, good cheer, and, most of all, relatability, Golebiowski fills a void on the shelves of pregnancy guides. Most of the information he provides can be found elsewhere—magazine articles and other books about pregnancy—but he delves into how men feel (a brave undertaking for any writer), emphasizing that fatherhood is the most fulfilling job he has ever had. Without giving medical tips or going too deep into any subject, he explains common tests and complications in easy-to-understand language and with considerable humor.

A heartfelt parenting manual from the father’s point of view.