Expecting

Those paternal instincts may not kick in until your baby is born, but your partner’s pregnancy is still guaranteed to be an emotional rollercoaster. That’s why it’s good to stay focused on the basics.

As a dad-to-be, your job is to understand what your partner’s body is going through and help her stay fit, healthy and calm in preparation for the big event.

This guide will take you through the most important aspects of getting ready for your baby, covering pregnancy, preparing for the birth and the birth itself. For more, sign up for our free monthly email essentials with Dr Mark Hamilton, as heard on Radio 1.

It will also provide details of the legal bits and pieces you’ll need to sort out and give you an idea of what can go wrong – as well as how you can fix it.

Pregnancy     Getting ready    Birth

Legal stuff      Troubleshooting

From here to paternity

So you've just found out that you're going to be a dad. But what happens next? Accompany the novelist Rob Ryan on a life-changing journey from the first month to the big day via breasts, breathing and Braxton-Hicks.