Book to advice on the practicalities of caring for the baby.

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The one thing that I dread about giving birth is being in the hospital and all my family/freinds have gone home and I am alone with a screaming baby!!! Can anyone recommend a book that gives you advice on what to do/how to feed the baby/bath the baby/keep calm! etc...

the green & purple NHS Pregnancy book is actually pretty good

have you been to / are you going to any antenatal classes?

re feeding, gettign in touch with a local NCT bf counsellor before the birth (try a Baby Cafe if you have one) can be invaluable.

DO NOT buy 'what to expect - the first year' as it is utter shite and will scare you silly.

I could recommend the one that worked for me, but this being Mumsnet, I think I won't.

"What mothers do" by Naomi Stadlen

It's a great idea to be prepared by reading up in advance but please try not to worry too much about the hospital stay itself. I remember having similar concerns (ie that I wouldn't be able to settle my screaming baby and that we would keep everyone else awake) but - as someone reassured me at the time - newborn babies tend to just sleep. That first night my DD was settled fairly easily with a feed, cuddle or change of nappy.

You read all sorts of scare stories about poor care from overstretched staff on postnatal wards, which added to my anxiety. But I found that the nurses at my hospital (which didn't have the best reputation in this respect) were happy to help with any questions/problems I had and were proactive at making sure I was comfortable breastfeeding. One of the healthcare assistants also did a 'live demo' of how to bathe a baby the following morning. I really resisted staying in overnight but am so glad that I did, as I was really clueless about the basics of looking after a newborn.

It's easier said than done but don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it, whatever time of night. One friend of mine pressed her 'call' button every time her baby needed feeding so a nurse could help check she was latching on properly - I thought this was a good idea and borrowed it myself.

All the best for your new arrival!