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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Which baby book would you recommend? Need end of pregnancy reading and advice!

15 replies

CornishFirstTimer22 · 27/09/2013 15:43

That's pretty much the question really...

I'm 35 weeks and looking to move on from the pregnancy books to the newborn books, but am at a complete loss as to what to buy! There are so many!

I'm a first timer so I really would like something I can read in the lead up to the birth and also to help me through the first few months!

Thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BlackberrySeason · 27/09/2013 15:45

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ScottishDiblet · 27/09/2013 15:51

The sensational baby sleep plan by Alison Scott wright. Worked wonders for us. Good luck!

MarketingMonkey · 27/09/2013 16:00

I've got Your baby Week by week which was recommended to me and seems good (with the disclaimer that baby isn't out yet so haven't been able to 'test it' yet!)

ZingWantsCake · 27/09/2013 16:07

The Baby whisperer by Tracy Hogg.

sensible, level headed advice and the methods she suggests do work

and check out Priscilla Dunstan baby language on the Oprah show on YouTube! can't link, but you'll find it easily.

Please watch it. and re-watch it after your baby's born.
it changed my life and I wish I had known about this with my first!

PuddingAndHotMilk · 27/09/2013 16:15

The food of Love by Kate Evans if you plan on Bf'ing
What Mothers Do by Naomi Stadlen - this book saved my sanity and helped me avoid (just) the slippery slope to PND

KatAndKit · 27/09/2013 16:19

My opinion is to avoid the routine by the clock based books. I know lots of people swear by them but they simply don't work for huge numbers of babies especially if you are breastfeeding. If you get a fairly contented baby who is happy to take big feeds spaced apart and settles well you can always read one of those books then. If you don't have one of those babies you can end up making yourself miserable trying to make a round peg fit a square hole.
my top book recommendation is The Wonder Weeks. Explains how your baby is developing and learning and how it may affect them
what to expect the first year is very thorough in its coverage and an excellent reference if you are worried about minor illness. It is a bit American in some aspects (baby's doctor giving the go ahead for eating tomatoes!) and the weaning advice is out of date compared with current guidelines, but the book is very informative.

the mumsnet book about babies is a good read and has a bit more sense of humour than other books and doesn't tell you a right way or a wrong way like some of the other books do and gives you a realistic idea about life with a newborn

GoingToBedfordshire · 27/09/2013 16:27

I liked Birth and Beyond by Yehudi Gordon

Also found the Mumsnet guides useful. Try a few from the library in case they are not your thing. So many differing opinions, and what you think you will be like as a parent may change completely once the baby arrives. You don't have to follow any book to the letter, so take on the bits that chime with you and disregard the rest (except putting the baby on its back to sleep and waiting til 6 months ish to wean IMO)

All the best with your baby.

Booboostoo · 27/09/2013 17:29

I quite like the BabyCare Bible (despite the awful title):

www.amazon.com/Your-Babycare-Bible-Tony-Waterston/dp/1904760511/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380299131&sr=1-5&keywords=baby+care+bible

It covers a huge number of practical topics so you have an easy guide to common questions (e.g. what temperature should bath water be at) but it is non-prescriptive when it comes to parenting style and science based. So when it comes to vaccination it explains that there is no scientific evidence against vaccines and summarises the evidence for debunking some common claims, but when it comes to sleep training it gives you the positives and negatives of different approaches and concludes that you should do what works for you.

CrispyFB · 27/09/2013 20:06

That's the problem - pregnancy is "textboot" compared to the actual babies once they arrive! So many different babies, so many different people with different ideas on parenting. You may think you know what sort of parent you are going to be, then find it all changes as well!

"What Mothers Do" is an excellent book though that fits in well with most parenting styles as it's more about you and adjusting to being a mother. It did wonders for my sanity as with a previous poster.

"Wonder Weeks" is good, as is "Happiest Baby on the Block" - these are particularly good if you have a fussier baby than normal.

You'll probably find yourself not following any particular book to the letter, but picking up ideas from several, unless you end up as somebody who likes a very strict routine (and have a baby that complies with this..!)

My first baby had horrendous colic and was very, uh, spirited. Hardly anything worked, but I read so many methods (mostly leaning towards the crunchy..) I learned a heck of a lot.

Second baby I was surprised to have a lot more success with the methods in those books, mostly because DC2 was, sleep issues aside, just not as hectic.

DC3 just slotted right in and any book would have worked on him! By this point I knew all the tricks to try from my studies first time round so that probably made him seem like a dream baby. Although the less said about him as a two year old the better, ha ha.

Best bet is to get some of the more general ones (like the ones I've mentioned above maybe) and then once baby is here, pick books that you find are more relevant to your situation e.g. a problem you may have like sleep or colic, or the parenting style you find yourself falling into.

SomethingOnce · 27/09/2013 20:21

Another vote for Yehudi Gordon's Birth and Beyond.

BrianTheMole · 27/09/2013 20:24

What to expect the first year is good.

AidanTheRevengeNinja · 27/09/2013 20:30

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CornishFirstTimer22 · 27/09/2013 20:34

Thanks everyone for the advice! There are so many to choose from!! Looking at 'Secrets of the Baby Whisperer' and maybe 'What to expect' I've had the pregnancy version of this and it's been pretty good.

I think I need to spend an hour in Waterstones and flick through a few to see what sort of style suits me...

Then look to get them cheaper on Amazon :-)

OP posts:
RosesInTheRain · 27/09/2013 21:07

Lucy Atkins' First Time Parent is good too- DH found that one useful as well.

Definitely the Naomi Stadlen book and Wonder Weeks.

A book about common childhood illnesses is handy too.

Try ebay secondhand business sellers- I've had a few 'childcare' type books at very reasonable prices.

Mumzy · 27/09/2013 21:11

'Life after Birth' by Kate Figes. Less of a baby manual more emotional support as yours and your dps life completely changes when baby arrives.

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