Rating: 
Summary: If you know nothing about babies - this book's for you!
Review: A mate gave me Peter Downey's book after my wife and I found out we were pregnant, we were in a restaurant and (much to the consternation of those around the table) I started reading a bit of it. Talk about laugh! For the next few minutes I kept interrupting the conversation by reading a few lines from the book. Mercifully, all the other people found Downey's humor pleasing.As I got into the rest of the book, I found that as a bloke who knew virtually nothing about babies I understood what was going on. The book is written for the average bloke, who has a fairly dry sense of humor. It does not put off prospective fathers with a whole lot of technical jargon that no-one outside the medical field understands. It just tells it like it is. And yes, Peter Downey - those nappies that start when the teeth break through the gums are quite simply, unbelievable. If you are going to be a dad, but are a bit nervous about what lies ahead, get this book and read it. When you've finished, you'll know a little more than you did when you started, although in reality, nothing prepares you for what you are about to see (provided you are conscious for the birth), or experience as your baby becomes an infant; your infant a toddler and so on. And on the way, you'll have a dammned good laugh, even moreso when you read it again when your baby is three and you are reminded of all those wonderful (smelly, putrid, nay, rancid) things you have seen and done in the last few years. I would recommend this book to anyone out there who wants to read of a typical bloke's experience of impending fatherhood - and who doesn't mind a good laugh along the way.
Rating:
Summary: It only hurts when I laugh...
Review: A must read for expectant parents (yes, mums too!!!!). I am currently seven months pregnant with our first child and some good friends of mine who have just had their first baby lent me this book. They said, however, that I should read it as well as my husband, as it was so good. I cried laughing. In all honesty, I have not read a book that made me laugh so much in ages. At one stage I was laughing so hard that my husband was quite alarmed and thought I was crying. He is also reading it now and I hear him laughing while I'm trying to sleep with a watermelon rolling around inside me. Well done to Peter Downey - down with other super-serious books that frighten, and up with laughter. A thousand thanks for making me feel human again - there is nothing more joyful than a good belly laugh, particularly after months of dire morning sickness and wanting to die.
Rating: 
Summary: Serious advice presented in a fun, informal manner
Review: Downey's book is fun, but it gives the reader the low-down on most of the important stuff about a pregnancy from a MAN's point of view! I was prepared to be critical of this book -- after all what can a guy POSSIBLY know about pregnancy and childbirth? As it turns out, a lot. Downey did his serious research but delivers it in a humorous style. He writes like he talks (I should know; they were our neighbors for a while) -- from the hip with no holds barred. It helps that his wife Meredith supports his work since there is some rather intimate information about her in the book too!
I recently revisited Peter's book after a long hiatus (i.e. I was busy having and raising three children) and two pages into it I was laughing all over again. Oh yes, what's in there is all true! (I'm a woman; I lived it.) Even my husband, a father of two at the time we first read the book, found insightful info. I also caught him chuckling to himself more than once as he was reading.
I've read many of the "serious" pregnancy and childbirth books and they are indispensible, but they are 1. usually written from a woman's point of view or are for women and 2. often a bit clinical and serious-sounding. It's wonderful to finally have a book for guys written by a guy who's been there. A great gift particularly for a first-time father.
Rating: 
Summary: Juvenile
Review: I found this book neither helpful nor humorous. It crams three pages of useful information into 190+ pages. The humor is childish and the advice is useless. It reminds me of a bad teen exploitation movie or a poorly written National Lampoon piece.
At least, I didn't buy it, but got it as a gift. Unfortunately, my wife was the one who gave it to me, so there goes money that could have been better spent on diapers or something useful.
Rating:
Summary: So Glad I Bought This Book for My Husband!
Review: I gave this book to my husband as the way of telling him we were expecting! He says it's definitely geared toward a male audience, but he is sharing some excerpts with me. He laughs out loud a lot, but he's also learning some great biological information, tips on how to deal with me while my body changes, and info. about parenthood in general. It's been good for both of us, and I strongly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: So Glad I Bought This Book for My Husband!
Review: I gave this book to my husband as the way of telling him we were expecting! He says it's definitely geared toward a male audience, but he is sharing some excerpts with me. He laughs out loud a lot, but he's also learning some great biological information, tips on how to deal with me while my body changes, and info. about parenthood in general. It's been good for both of us, and I strongly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointing - Do Not Buy This Book
Review: I read the first couple chapters of this book because my wife gave it to me. (I guess the cutesy title and nice cover caught her eye.) I felt bad, but I had to tell her the reason I stopped reading was because the book is useless. The author seems like he spent very little time writing this. The stories are unrealistic and he still can't make them entertaining. You wonder what publisher actually allowed this to go to print. Hopefully, you're reading this before you spend the money and aren't just another sucker like my wife was. No offense sweetie :)
Rating:
Summary: Can I Get a Refund?
Review: I will never get that hour of my life back!!! I should have put the book down after the first few pages of mindless drivel, but felt like my wife would be insulted. If you hear anyone you know is contemplating purchasing this book or taking time to read it, stop them immediately. Not funny. Not helpful.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this book for the soon-to-be-dad you know
Review: My Dad bought me this book when we announced that my wife was pregnant. Now that we are within a couple weeks of the big day, I realize how true much of the advice in the book is even if it is written rather tongue-in-cheek. This is a great present for the 'dad to be' and one of the few baby books that I found worth the time invested in reading it. Thanks Peter for sharing your experience for the rest of us wide-eyed soon to be dads. By the way, I removed the carpet from my Jeep based on page 97 - just in case!
Rating:
Summary: Do Not Buy This Book
Review: Over half of the reviewers here give this book 1 or 2 stars and there is good reason why. This is a horrible waste of time. Please spend you money on something more useful such as a fancy pet rock.
| 
