Help! What is the best baby book?

[ManhattanBabe]

Hi!

First baby and do not feel ready or prepared and he is due in about 3 months....any ideas on the best book to buy for a first timer? Just feel a little unprepared....

Thanks. Any suggestions would be great

There is no such thing as the "best" baby book, only the best for you and your baby. There is a spectrum of lots of different ways to manage your parenting which seems to me to have Gina Ford at one end (teach your baby a routine ASAP in order to keep your sanity and give yourself confidence in parenting with tried and tested methods for perfect result) and William Sears at the other (learn your baby as an idividual, keep your baby in your arms or in a sling virtually allou the time to develop a deep emotional trust between you and thus become the perfect parent through intuition).

In between these two extremes come two of my favourites, the Baby Whisperer (have a loose-ish structure rather than a routine, taking some cues from your baby but keeping some control yourself) and Penelope Leach (a bit too detailed to read once you actually have a baby - but for each situation she tends to give a spectrum of possible different ways to deal with it and generally recommends that the middle way is best).

I have friends who swear by Ford and friends whose bible is Sears - and in each case you can see that that was the right choice for them, you need to work out what is right for you. I thought I was going to be Sears all the way but it did't actually suit my personality really.

Mumsnet in babies was good because there wasn't one particular way of doing things just lots of reassuring tales

The Food Of Love by Kate Evans if you plan on breastfeeding - fantastic down to earth but great advice in there about all aspects of parenting (but mainly focuses on BF)

Stick around mumsnet - better than any book IMO! Click on the different sections, parenting, behaviour and development, breastfeeding, and then click on titles which sound interesting or relevant.

Start a thread titled "What do I need to know about newborns?" - you'll get loads of great tips. I think there have been some old threads about "What do you wish people had told you before you had a baby?" etc - do a search for wish told newborn, titles only, and you'll find a few.

They are different and different books will suit different people. None are about you and your baby, and your baby hasn't read any of them.

I've got everything I ever needed to know about babies and parenting from Mumsnet and the NHS website for health things.

there will be replies saying ignore all books
but depending on what experience you have of very young babies they can give you various ideas to try.
I would say buy a few books from the carry them around for 6 months to stick them in a cot and let them cry, and with those varied books you can form your own way.

Thank you all for the advice and it helps me a lot. I guess it's the usual worry when one becomes a new mum

I read the OP as you wanting a baby book for a baby rather than about babies,

When I was expecting my first I got Gina Ford and the Baby Whisperer, read them both, and then did my own thing, but I am glad that I read them, I think they are both good. I thought GF would be quite good for somebody who needs the control of being in a quite a routine. Baby whisperer also has quite a bit of routine but there is more on picking up the baby's cues. On balance I preferred that one.

And as for first books for baby, may I suggest a nice, soft usborne rag book, they are lovely

The NCT breastfeeding book is very good. "Breastfeeding for beginners", recommmend that one. All the rest I would take with a pinch of salt, although I read loads first time round to ditch them all second time. Another good one is "Teach your baby to sleep" from the Millpond sleep clinic. I passed that one on to my friend who has got newborn twins. It's got a variety of approaches to try and goes from 0-6 years. It also sets out what sleep each age baby/child needs which is very helpful.

Have you chosen yet MT?

GF put me in a mother and baby unit.

I never read another 'baby' book was was partial to 'toddler taming' - worked for mine! Though my kids are creeping up on the teens I used MN mostly (looooong time ago) and it worked !!

weegie so sorry to hear that but I can see why. Unfortunately when books offer seemingly magic solutions with strict routines it can lead to a lot of depression in new mothers whose babies won't comply.

I much prefer my information on babies evidence based and written by a parent

I found Supernanny's baby book pretty useful - we did end up following her routine, but actually 90% of the book is just hints and tips.

Actually, though, the best one is Lucy Atkins' First Time Parent. It's got no 'opinions' in, it's just how-to guide about all the practical stuff. I found that indispensable in the beginning when I didn't have a clue what I was doing.

If you do like reading books it's probably best to get a few that cover a range of opinions. Some babies want to be carried all the time and fed on demand, and then some babies actually want a routine. If you do a bit of reading around then you might feel you have an idea of what might work/help depending on how your baby is.

Have a look at Babycalming by Caroline Deacon too. It's not a how to, but explains why your baby is doing what they are doing and helps you to find your own way.

I read it before having dc2 and really, really wished I'd read it before having dc1.

There is information whether you want to bf or ff and the information is evidence based and he author IS a parent

Was just about to come on and recommend First Time Parent, but i see Nelly's beaten me to it. It has practical advice and step by step guides with pictures. I used it more than any other book.

I had a stack of baby books when DS (now 4 years) was born but the one I found really useful was Your Baby Week by Week by Dr Caroline Fertleman and Simone Cave. It has lots of practical advice and a section on sleeping, feeding, what's happening to Mum etc for each week. When DD (now 7 months) arrived this was the only book I bothered with, re-read in weekly chunks to recap.
Good luck and trust your instincts, I reckon they serve you best anyway

Oh if you are honking of bfing, try googling kellymom books to avoid. Kellymom is an evidence based website all about bfing

Thinking of bfing. Don't even know what honking bfing is

Another vote for the 'week by week' book mentioned by clothfairy. Realistic, flexible approaches and v helpfully laid out. I've dug it out again for no. 2!

Thought you might like this threadOP

This is all great! Now to find the books