The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. Of course, this poundage depends on the woman's starting weight. If she is overweight, then she should gain less and if she is underweight, then she should gain more.

If you were one of those dads who checked out when you had a parenting partner in the house, now that you’re a single dad you have no choice but to check back in. Depending on your level of involvement in the parenting before you became single, this can either be a somewhat smooth transition, nightmarish task or somewhere in between.

IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY...We drive long distances, we live in busy cities, we walk around at night, we fly all over the world...

The reality is that we do not live in a particularly safe world. I always knew that, but (possibly due to my naïveté and belief that we were all invincible) I never gave much thought to how the whole safety issue. That said, I am much more safety conscious now that I am a parent.

Work to pay the bills, get the kids off to school, make dinner, get the kids to bed, soccer games, dance recitals, piano lessons …with everything you have to do for your kids as a single dad, who has time to date? Well, you better make the time because soon your kids are going to grow up and move out, and all you'll be left with are about a billion plastic soccer trophies displayed proudly on your mantle.

Like many other first time fathers (and first time mothers, for that matter) you are probably wondering how pregnancy will affect your sex life. The good news is that sex is safe during ALL stages of pregnancy. The bad news is that, as the pregnancy progresses, the big bulge your partner is carrying in her tummy, her hemorrhoids (!) and her swelling may put a damper on what used to be a sex life.

Car seats - essential, but pretty darn ugly. They get even worse when you transition from the infant car seat to the monstrous toddler seat. As if it wasn't bad enough that we had to lug a stroller, diaper bag, toys and baby around! You would think that car seat manufacturers would have put some more thought into aesthetics. Oh well. I guess I should just be grateful that the seat is safe and will protect my baby.