Short and sweet, Don’t Just Stand There is filled with useful advice for the father-to-be. He can read the entire book in less than an hour if he sets his mind to it! Written by Elissa Stein and Jon Lichtenstein – a husband and wife team of authors – Don’t Just Stand There offers everything from massage techniques and a list of what to say (and what not to say) to visualization exercises and suggested items to bring to the hospital.

Advice from the dad’s perspective, printed in an alternate color than that of the mom, is humorous and gives the book a down-to-earth tone. He reminds dad not to “go overboard with the ice chips” because mom “can use them as projectiles,” of course!

All humor aside, Don’t Just Stand There may be extremely helpful to women who have less-than-prepared partners, highlighting several details about the experience that even the most aware father should know in advance. Moms-to-be will appreciate the helpful prompts for dad in the back, including “To calm me down, I want you to say…,” “These people are allowed in the delivery room…,” and “Don’t ever say this...”

Overall, Don’t Just Stand There is a basic but helpful guide for any father-to-be looking to provide support for his laboring partner. Pick up a copy here.