If you could recommend one book to a first time mum...

[bumperlicious]

Due in about 5 weeks or so and I have read a few comments on MN about people who wished they had read a little bit past all the pg and labour stuff to the bit at the back of the books that tells you what they hell you do with the baby when you get home!

In light of this was having a look at some parenting books e.g. Contended little baby, the Sears Baby book and a miriam stoppard one and was wondering which to get. Don't want to spend loads at this stage so was just wondering if you could recommend one book to a first time mum what would it be?

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Anopther vote for Penelope Leach (although even that I got from the library, myself
As mother of two crap sleepers, The No Cry Sleep Soln was the book that made me understand that my kids weren't freaks (& neither was I) - before MN came along...

Oh, and the hungry caterpiller!

Rachel Cusk on becoming a mother

The Mumsnet Pregnancy book was the only one I really liked and of course it led me here

Parenting for Dummies: the UK edition is new and very funny.
AND goes all the way up to 9 years old

What to Expect in the First Year has been my bible.

The Contented Baby book by Gina Ford.

Libby Purves was the only book that made me actually look forward to having a baby instead of feeling rather overwhelmed by it all so that's the one I buy for friends.

Naomi Stadlen has some hugely important insights and really helps you to feel good about what you're doing, but if you're not naturally at the attachment end it can feel very judgmental (she makes some pretty harsh assumptions about the reasons why parents do controlled crying, for instance).

And the NHS book for practical basics.

Penelope Leach. I still love that book, even though DS is now 5.

'Three in a Bed' by Deborah Jackson.

And the American Association of Paediatricians' Book of Baby and Child Care. Known as 'the baby manual' in our house. It's fantastically comprehensive and, as it's by US doctors, you can be assured that all the medical advice is 100 per cent bulletproof (cos otherwise they would be soooo sued).

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Penelope Leach is my longterm favourite, not least because it's the one that's not just left me out on a limb now that DD has turned 3! Libby Purves' books have made me feel less of a freak/failure cos she's so pragmatic and funny.

I gave the Baby Whisperer away, to someone who I suspect found it about as unhelpful as I did. It's not as prescriptive as some, but it really didn't work for a baby who liked to eat a LOT more than she liked to sleep!

Pruni - I nearly posted that I wanted penelope leach to be my Mum!
She does seem like the calm, re-assuring, wise voice we'd love to have in the background.

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this one

My best friend bought PL for me - she had three children before I embarked on motherhood, and is a very sensible and loving mother, so I felt I could trust her judgment.
I did find The No-Cry Sleep Solution helpful, mainly to reassure me that DS wasn't unusual in being a total no-sleep freak, and Marc Weissbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, because it's very scientific in its approach to sleep problems.
I still have copies of Three in a Bed, How Not to be a Perfect Mother, and The No-Cry Sleep Solution, and am happy to send them on to anyone who would like them for themself or for a first-time mum friend, for the price of postage.

Muminbrum I wish I'd read your post yesterday before I got How not be... from ebay! (well it was only a couple of quid) but if you are still offering the other two books I would love them. My email is bumperlicious (dot) mn (at) hotmail (dot) co (dot) uk. Thanks

I agree, the mn books are fab. But also, you've got mumsnet so I honestly think you'll find most things you need here so I wouldn't worry too much about a book.

Libby Purves and Deborah Jackson. And What to Expect...unless you're the sort of person who's easily made to feel inadequate!

Another vote for PL here

I read a chapter when DS was about 5 weeks at a friends house immediately went and bought it

I would agree she is quietly reassuring

WWW I totally agree about MN for advice, and to the annoyance of my DH I take all your opinions much more seriously than most books and indeed his (example: why would mothercare sell things that you don't need or aren't very good for your baby?).

But asking on here is more helpful in an on the spot question kind of way. I want to prepare myself with answers to question I don't even know I need to ask yet! (Spot the control freak!)

Another vote for the 'What to Expect' series

I think you have to work out what kind of parenting style you're likely to have. Are you big into routines? Do you just know that you're not going to be able to leave your baby crying for longer than it takes to get to it at a medium to fast trot? How important is breastfeeding to you? Because if you know you're going to be bloodyminded about it (like I was!), then there are quite a few that you'll need to steer clear of - CCLB and the Baby Whisperer for a start, and even What to Expect gives somewhat dodgy BFing advice.

Mind you, sometimes you only find out what your style is once the baby arrives.

TBH, I found the Social Baby to be marvellous - a non-prescriptive, non-judgmental book, that really helped me work out what DS was trying to tell me. It's not so great if you want an idiot's guide to changing nappies though! For that, Penelope leach's Baby and Child was really useful - good photos, good advice.

And you just cannot beat MN for answers to those questions that have more than one right answer!

What to expect is good as a sort of encyclopedia type book but I loved Jules Olivers -9 to 1 as a bit of an eye opener...