Reddit reviews Dad's Expecting Too: Expectant fathers, expectant mothers, new dads and new moms share advice, tips and stories about all the surprises, questions and joys ahead...

My wife came into the living room while I was playing guitar, stood there shaking for a moment, and when I asked her what was wrong she shoved the pee stuck at me and started crying. I was so confused, then I realized what it was and I started crying too.

That last face? Every guy that finds out he's going to be a father makes that face before the baby is born. To all the people commenting about the light leaving his face or how he looks miserable, this is a big realization and for a lot of guys, especially ones who don't expect it, it's a huge shock. I was happier than I'd been in months when my wife told me, but that didn't stop my panic attack and minor existential crisis later that day when she wasn't around.

To OP, congratulations! Don't let the haters bring you down. The next few months of your life are going to get absolutely insane. You're going to be tired, frustrated, and just plain worn out. You'll have some of the best sex you've ever had in your marriage. You'll have some of the most awkward sex you've ever had in your marriage. You're going to grow closer to your spouse, you're going to laugh, and you're going to cry. Once your kid is here, you're going to lose sleep. They don't smile right away, either, because they don't know how. Be supportive of your wife and patient with your child. She's going through some huge changes right now, and they're learning everything there is for the first time ever.

Remember that you're not alone, and that tons of other dads have been exactly where you are. There's a lot of "bad dad" stereotyping in the world, at least in the US, where every dad on TV is either obnoxious and oblivious or a bumbling idiot that can't do anything right. People will make jokes at your expense. You will hear "aw, is daddy babysitting today?" A LOT (I've found that replying with "No, I'm a father not a babysitter" shuts that shit down real quick). Don't let it get you down. It's the toughest job there is, but its also the best thing that'll ever happen to you.

There's a lot of literature out there to help you, but a lot of it feels patronising and condescending. This book was a huge help for me, I can't recommend it enough. There are several books in the "For Dummies" series that tell it like it is and don't talk down to you. The more you know, the easier it is to be supportive.

Edit: added a line break to break up the wall of text.

A specific book recommendation - Dad's Expecting Too

This one contained a lot of good information for guys about how women feel during pregnancy and how to be more understanding and a supportive partner through it. My husband found it a lot more readable than some of the other books, and I think it did wonders for his perspective on what I was going through.

I'm a Dad, and my friend suggested Dad's Expecting Too! for me. It was broken down in to quick time-frames and was most valuable for the period leading up to and including childbirth. I had never had a close family member go through it before, so I was completely in the dark. The problem with most dad books, that I found anyway, was that many of them were too campy. Some either went the "snowflake" route: "daddy's have feelings too," and others were too "HEY BRO ITS A BABY, TIME TO STEP UP."

This one was a good balance. Though I took issue with how the book tended to treat expecting mothers as being made of fragile glass, both physically and mentally. Every woman is different, I suppose. I did love how it included personal anecdotes from actual readers of the book that were submitted over time. Those real bits were the gems.