Ok, moms. We’ve had our go at parenthood. We’ve moved the finish line forward on reading before private school pre-k applications are due and potty training before age two.

Plus we’ve stressed the importance of bringing only handmade patisserie quality cupcakes to school bake sales.

Now it’s time to let dads take over.

Now here’s a concept that would have made my '70s mom spit out her martini: Dads who kvetch about the frustrations and joys of changing diapers, setting up playdates, and the best products to use to clean vomit off a highchair.

What would have amazed her even more: hundreds of these dads gather annually at daddy conferences. The get-togethers are just as glitzy as marketing-to-moms conventions, with the dads’ events sponsored by mammoth brands such as Honda, Dove, Kraft and Huggies.

Men do not have to experience the swollen ankles, night-time cravings and abundant back pain that commonly accompanies pregnancy, but the impending birth of a child does have an effect on them. Provide the father-to-be in your life with a book about the ups and downs of pregnancy, encouraging him to play an active role in the process of pregnancy.

Doubts regarding the paternity of an unborn baby can transform a joyous pregnancy into a time of stress and strife. If you are pregnant and unsure as to the father of your child, or you simply want to prove to the man in your life that he has a baby on the way, you can accomplish this task in several ways. While potentially more complex than waiting until the arrival of your child, paternity testing while pregnant could, in some cases, prove the best choice.

It takes two to make a baby. And two can work together to achieve a happy and healthy pregnancy. Although women bear the brunt of pregnancy, an expectant father is invested in the health of his partner and baby. By getting involved in the pregnancy process, fathers can become a critical part of the experience.

Fathers-to-be get congratulated about the upcoming arrival, but that doesn't mean they don't also feel lost and ignored. Although it's true that women deserve all the attention and care they are getting, this can cause strain and tension in the partnership when dad is left out. Once a father-to-be understands what to expect during his wife's pregnancy, he can become more involved and not feel so left out, says clinical social worker Leonard Boulanger.

Comedian Rita Rudner was right on point when she said, "Life is tough enough without having someone kick you from the inside." Although women share the bulk of the physical burden during pregnancy, men face their own set of challenges. Expectant fathers with a little bit of knowledge and a willingness to pitch in where needed can play an integral role in the nine months leading up to the baby's arrival.

I had an interesting talk with two moms yesterday while at my children's picture book writing group session. One of the ladies was pregnant with her first child, the other lady had a son already. All of our creative juices were flowing. We were throwing ideas back and forth, adding and editing things to the next great children's picture book, UNTIL one of the mothers said something about breast-feeding. For 15 minutes, I sat there listening to detailed and somewhat graphic explanations of the benefits to breast-feeding.