Andrew Cullen has been talking about his book,
From Here To Paternity (The Diary of a Pregnant Man)
on these radio stations...
Andrew Cullen: "I remember the first time that I had to go to my baby's cot because she was crying. I was thinking: what do I do now? I put my hand on her back and said softly: "Sssssssssshh, sssssssssshh." Magically, miraculously, she stopped crying and fell asleep. I felt like Jesus."
Simon Mayo: "You have healing hands?"
Andrew Cullen: "All dads have. And all mums."
 | "There's a sort of mystique that goes with all of this, and if you've seen your wife giving birth, it's kind of gone forever?" "Well, I think those men who say that and think that...what they should do is take all their clothes off and have a look at their own genitals...it's not the most photogenic thing...if men are willing to inflict that on women, we can't complain about what a vagina looks like." |
 | "I bet you haven't done this one. You haven't fallen asleep while you're feeding them and they've dropped on the floor." "Not that one. I can top that one. I'm ashamed to say...my one-year-old fell down the stairs. I was so horrified. I didn't know that she could do a backward flip from a sitting position. What I did in my panic, I threw myself after her down the stairs. She stopped two steps down and I fell all the way to the bottom. This is true. I think every parent has these nightmare moments where something horrific happens." |
 | "One thing I've realised is that everything we hear about parenthood and about children is very negative. There was a report last week saying that a child will cost you £23.50 a day. Every week there's a report saying how much sleep you will lose...I remember one saying that the crying of a baby is as loud as a pneumatic drill. No wonder people are wary about taking that leap into parenthood. It comes as a shock when your children are born and you realise that it's a joyful thing. However hard it is to raise a child, you get back far more." |
Some of these interviews can still be heard via the Listen Again facility
on BBC local radio websites.
BBC World Service - Outlook Thurs 2 November 2006
Radio Europe (REM FM) - Mary Harboe Weds 8 November 2006
BBC Radio Bristol - Dave Barratt Thurs 9 November 2006
BBC Radio Jersey - John Uphoff Friday 10 November 2006
BBC Radio Humberside - Gloria Johnson & Carl Wheatley Mon 13 November 2006
Ocean Radio, Hampshire - Steve Randall Mon 13 November 2006
BBC Radio WM (West Midlands) - Jimmy Franks Mon 13 November 2006
BBC Radio Merseyside - Tony Snell Tues 14 November 2006
BBC Radio Solent - Richard Cartridge Tues 14 November 2006
BBC Radio Newcastle - Julia Hankin Thurs 15 November 2006
BBC Radio Cleveland - Alex Hall Mon 20 November 2006
BBC Radio Five Live - Simon Mayo Thurs 23 November 2006
BBC South Counties Radio - Gordon Astley Tues 28 November 2006
BBC Five Live - Anita Anand Friday 8 December 2006
BBC Radio Newcastle - Simon Hoban Sat 9 December 2006
Click here for more info about books, plays & films by Andrew Cullen