Crap advice from pregnancy books

[coastgirl]

I was reading a book today that earnestly counselled women in the third trimester to have a 15-minute nap at work - "even in your car if you need to!". Of course, like many people, I don't bring a car to work, and I'm a teacher, so time and quiet places for naps are rare. In fact I can't imagine many jobs where you'd have the chance to nap.

Just one of those tips where they clearly meant well, but come on, if I could nap I bloody well would be!

if only!!! I think I'm going to have to go back to having little naps in the toilets again.....

I've got one that advises liver is an excellent source of iron and to eat it regularly. No mention of Vitamin A or avoiding liver/liver products, it's the UK "translation" of an American book so I wonder if they overlooked that bit by mistake.

I had another one counselled me to save as much money as possible and avoid spending unnecessarily and then on the next page had a list of "baby essentials" that lasted the rest of the chapter. I was most conflicted so sacked it off and went shopping for shoes.

The MN book is apparently quite good.

i know what you mean....seems like every piece of preg advice literature i read lately suggests daytime naps. No can do! I get death stares if I walk in the office 5 mins late from lunch, can't see me being able to sneak off for naps! Its annoyingly unpractical advice!

"Get your partner to lift anything heavy"
What, like the 3 stone toddler when DH is at work?

Or all that stuff about getting DH to do all the housework. I mean, not that he wouldn't if I asked, and not that he's not doing his fair share, but we're both working full time - even at 7 months pregnant I don't see why we should get home at the same time after doing the same job all day and then I get to sit there being waited on hand and foot! Would be lovely but not really fair - I'm capable of making the tea or putting washing in the machine after all.

I'm also a teacher. Luckily, I have a cupboard with no windows tiny office though so i'm seriously planning on sneaking in over half term and putting a camp bed in there so I can nap!

My favourite book advice comes from (whisper it) Gina Ford, who says that after giving birth you should only let people into your house who know where the kettle is & how to use it. Makes sense to me!

Cbear I got the MN one and have already read through it, it's by far the most practical and well-written of all the books I've got.

As an added bonus I was absolutely weeping with laughter at some points, particularly on MNers weirdest dreams and craziest things they did on gas & air. Haven't laughed that much since I found MN classics and lost a whole weekend.

Love the MN book and was a good one for DH to read bits from too. Would love a kip in my classroom, have chilled in comfey book corner a bit but not great trying to stand up again. Did give in and get cleaner as was so ill to start with and did not have heart to make DH do it when he works longer hours than me (is my treat while I am still working) and have def taken advice on freezing some meals for after the birth. Some books tell you to have NO visitors not even grandparents for 2 weeks - harsh! try telling my family they can't visit their first grandchild.

Oh I love gas and air! DH reckons I got pregnant again just to get my hands back on that pipe! I was hallucinating and all sorts about a cat under the bed with a people face and was telling DH absolute rubbish for hours. It took two midwives to wrestle that pipe away from me when it came to pushing.

I might buy the MN book, is it aimed at everyone? Just many of the books seem to be aimed at first pregnancies.

Yes, it's definitely aimed at everyone. Though I don't have it in front of me I remember a comprehensive section on VBAC which can only be aimed at people who already have been through it once.

My favourite books so far has been 'My Pregnancy 2011' (which markets itself at being the only annually updated one on the market, hope I don't sound too much like an ad man), & Pregnancy for men; the whole nine months (a MN acceptable level of swearing in that one)!

I'd say the My Pregnancy 2011 book would be great no matter what pregnancy you're on, it doesn't seem to have any duff advice.
The Pregnancy for men one I'd only recommend to men who've not had kids before.
I may have to look into the MN one!