New dad guide for pregnancy

First thing I want to say is Congratulations!

I know how it feels to get the announcement of being a brand new dad. When I got that announcement, I wasn't quite sure how to react but I just knew that I was proud, happy, clueless, excited, and a million other emotions all at the same time.

Being a typical man, I wanted to beat my chest like a gorilla and howl from the rooftops with pride over my new baby.

Normally, the full weight of having baby number 1 doesn't hit a man until he's holding the little bundle of joy in his hands for the first time. The other thing is the fact that life is never going to be the same!

Now you've got some remaining months on her pregnancy and this will feel like you're whitewater rafting, having to navigate the waters around steep drops and sharp rocks as you come across them. Half the time you won't know what to expect, so it's a good thing to educate yourself now.

There's things financially, emotionally, and physically that you must do to be ready for that big day.

For all of you first time Dads-To-Be out there, here's a guide to helping you prepare!

• Buy or make mementos for each month that passes of the pregnancy.
• Go with her to pick out maternity clothes at the mom and pop consignment shops (My wife and I went to one of these and got her 5 sets of clothing for $50, instead of $250.)

Responsibility - the state of being accountable to somebody or for something.

That's a very short definition but simply put, it means you need to man up and take charge for the consequences of having this baby, good or bad.

Is this baby a blessing? Most definitely! Will this be hard? Absolutely! Will it make you a better man? If you are willing to be humbled.

As time goes on, your wife is going to be able to do less and less in terms of movement. Her moods are going to be up and down a lot and her body will be changing significantly, so you will have to take up the slack where she can't anymore.

What does this mean?

Time to take on some more chores - She can still do some, but you need to be the one who's taking the load off her feet as much as possible.

Be even more patient - I'm not giving the ladies a pass on their behavior but when a woman is pregnant, her hormones are going nuts.....hence the mood swings. Love her unconditionally. 1 Corinthians 13.

Making extra grocery runs - Trust me, she will get wild cravings that need to be satisfied.....so this will happen quite often.

Pray - Utmost importance. Pray for the mother, pray for the safety of your child, pray also that the Lord will give you the wisdom to be a good father.

It's time to work out a realistic budget - This baby will cost quite a bit of money....but the build-up to it, including doctors visits and the like, will rack up costs.

Become a professional foot-rubber - Her ankles will be swollen sometimes and she will want you to massage the parts that are getting sore from all the extra weight.

Become a professional chef - You don't have to turn into Rachael Ray, but you need to start cooking more often for your lady.

Take walks with your lady - While it's good to keep her off her feet in terms of a lot of working, she needs to take a daily walk to stay healthy. This will also help to prevent any kind of pregnancy diabetes.

Go out together now - Make sure you're going out on as many dates as possible while you still have the time to.

• Start registering with all the baby companies online RIGHT NOW! Companies like Pampers or Similac will send free samples.
• Wal-Mart. Check the free sample portion of their website frequently for new deals.
• Check with your local doctor's office about free samples.
• Websites like StartSampling.com will send you free samples if you'll just go ahead and register for it.

You're about to enter the twilight zone of baby products. Some things are essentials that you will need to start stockpiling on now.

Essentials:

• Changing table
• Diapers man, tons of diapers....begin stocking up now!
• Same goes for the baby wipes! You can't get enough of these!
• Bassinet
• Baby crib
• Car seat
• Stroller
• Baby swing.
• 4 receiving blankets.
• Baby monitor
• A copy of the book, "What to expect when you're expecting."

A great way to get a lot of these is to set up a Baby Registry:

Babies R' Us, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

Register with any of these places or more and you'll see that some of your nursery needs will be taken care of for you at the baby shower.

I don't necessarily mean relationship counseling (unless of course you guys are in dire need of it already, then by all means, go), I mean baby counseling. This means anything from normal sessions to birthing classes!

Also, another good source of counseling are people that have been good parents in your eyes. Find these people and learn from them.

You will need to be of one mind with your beautiful lady on everything. You'll need to be mentally prepared for what lies ahead, trust me. Even if you don't like counseling (who does?), this one is mandatory.

There are many places that offer this, including churches, government facilities, and standard counselors.

This goes without saying, but way too many men have dropped the ball........dang near deflated the thing, stomped on it, and left because of the load of responsibility for another life gets dropped into their laps. We weren't created to be pansies and leave, we were made to be men, so let's act like it.

If this sounds too harsh to you, good. Honestly, we as men need a good swift kick in the rear sometimes to own up to things and get our hearts and manhood in gear! This isn't to crush you or make you feel bad, it's to challenge you.

There's an awesome movie called "Courageous" that actually tackles the hardships and solutions of fatherhood. No matter what your background is, it'll definitely encourage you to stand up and take notice as a father about how much your children will need you to be the example they look to.

This is a challenge to all the men out there about to be fathers. You were made to be courageous. It's time to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. Let's be men of moral and virtuous character that's so lacking in our world today.

In the end, just be a good father.

That is all.

Thank you so much for reading!

Kasman will be back with another hub soon.