Recommendations for a baby book

[purplewoofer]

Can I please have some recommendations for baby books. I have pregnancy ones but have no idea what to actually do with a baby!!

Thanks :)

[AlisonL1981]

I recently brought first time patent by Lucy Atkins. I haven't read it fully yet but seems very good. Basic, to the point information.

[Iggly]

Something like "what to expect inthe first year"? Or the wonder weeks - great book.
Don't bother with any of the routine ones eg baby whisperer/gina ford because they will make you feel like a failure. Wait until baby is here and pop to the library to have a browse (plus a reason to get out of the house!)

[AlisonL1981]

That should have read 'first time parent'!

[Liveinthepresent]

The ones I enjoyed most -

Your baby week by week - newborn phase especially
Wonder weeks - when a few months in
What mothers do ( especially when it looks like nothing) - anytime you can dip in and out

Have to say I also enjoyed the baby whisperer - you have to have the confidence to read these sorts of books 'with a pinch of salt' but as a clueless first timer with no close friends or family with small children - I enjoyed kind of knowing what I was aiming for in terms of what feeding/ sleeping/ crying patterns were normal..

I have to stay though I love reading about children / parenting / pregnancy I will soon have my own expensive extensive library ( though of course mumsnet is probably the most useful actual resource you can find!)

[squidgeberry]

The Food of Love by Kate Evans is lovely for realistic breastfeeding advice and is a very easy read (with cartoons), Dr Sears The Baby Book is a great go to book for all sorts of things, and is very child centred.

[Missingthemincepies]

First time parent for before baby reading. Very sensible advice on how do cope with a new baby. Week by week for during the mad first months! Neither have any particular agenda and give sensible rounded advice

[Snowflakepie]

The What to Expect series I found very good and a lot of it is online if you want to look first. I have the first year and toddler years ones and they did help understand what the heck my DD was up to. Might be worth looking in your local library as ours has a big parenting section, then you can decide if its worth buying. Also we seem to have a lot at our NCT sales for only a £1 or 2, so if you have a sale near you have a look there. I would hold off on anything too specific until you are in a situation where you might want help, say with sleeping, feeding, etc, because they actually come across quite scarily until you know what the dark side is like lol! You also need to get to know your own parenting style, Gina Ford is far too regimented for me but I know a few people who loved it as they wanted someone to dictate to them. Others are more relevant for bottle feeding or breast feeding so you need time to work that all out first really!