Men becoming fathers these days appreciate that there's a completely different set of expectations than their own dads had just a generation before.  It used to be that a father-to-be only thought about a loss of sleep and paying for college, but lots of new issues have opened up.  

Here are a few that veteran fathers have found important: 

You have no idea how important you will be to your baby.  Men are usually surprised by the impact they have on their kids.  Too many years of seeing dads as dopes in the media has set up the expectation that men are not competent parents.  Not true!  Hands-on fathers increase a child's confidence, willingness to explore their world, their self control and much, much more.  And since play time is critical to baby brain development, dad's tendency to play & roughhouse makes that beautiful little mind go into full gear. 

You have no idea what your baby will mean to you.  It's like trying to explain to a 10 year old boy what it would feel like to fall in love with a girl.  Hard to do it justice, but trust us on this one.  It may hit you the minute she's born and it may be a slow build.  Either way, you'll be shocked at the bullets you would take for her. 

"In my day job as a trauma center consultant, I was asked a few months ago by a couple of surgeons why they missed their babies so much when they were at work.  That's not something you would have heard from a dad 20 years ago." 

You can connect with your baby before birth.  Most dads-to-be say that when they see the first ultrasound, it all becomes real to them.  After about six months, you'll be able to put your hand on mom's belly and feel your baby kick.  Later on, you'll probably be able to see or feel limbs, or a little foot, stretching.  New fathers also report that after months of talking (or singing -- for better or worse) to mom's belly, when their baby was born they would talk to them and their baby would relax and strain to turn his head towards "that voice."  

Raging hormones will steal your wife.  You'll get her back, but be prepared to roll with the punches for a while.  Veteran dads report that they were unprepared for the hormonal changes the mom-to-be/new mom in their life went through.  She was even unprepared.  One minute she's happy, the next crying.  Hang in there and don't take it personally.  One new father in Boot Camp said he got his wife back after about 18 months. 

Make your fatherhood your own.  Men often connect with their babies by imagining things that they'll do together.  Maybe you love to surf; if you do, get your baby ready for the water by splashing in the bathtub.  If you're a car buff, take junior to the car show in a front carrier and see if he has Chevy or Ford blood.  If you're a tech buff, spend time with him on the computer and you may raise the next tech billionaire.  No matter what your interests, imagine sharing them with your little one as they get older.  Fantasize about what your baby will be like and all the things you will do together.  Life doesn't get much better than that. 

You'll probably spend time worrying about whether you're doing a good job as a dad.  None of us are perfect and know that there will be good days and bad days.  If you care enough to worry, you're on the right track.