Is there a book....

[GinIsIn]

That tells you what the fuck to do with a baby once you've had one, please?

I've read a few of the pregnancy books now, which were helpful to varying degrees, but is there one that tells you what to do once you get the tiny, screaming person home?!

Starting to feel a little bit panicked that I have no idea what to do with a baby!

I had a book about your baby week by week which was great as I had no clue what I was doing! Although tbf DD hadn't read the book and didn't always follow it, but I felt better having it to refer to!

It was this one

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0091910552?vs=1

Seems to have mixed reviews but I liked how it told me what to expect in terms of sleep and crying and feeding, also a bit about how I'd be feeling too.

I preferred the practical down-to-earth books that pointed out that there are several ways to approach most baby care issues.

Baby Love by Robin Barker

First Time Parent by Lucy Atkins

One piece of advice from me: If you do buy a "parenting" book, please do not become fixated on what the book says.
I spent many a day and night in tears, absolutely exasperated because my baby wasn't doing what the book said she should be doing, or the solutions the book presented weren't working Looking back, I was being a fucking idiot to think that my baby would be born and just "fit" into this mould that was outlined in my book!
The only book I've read that o actually found helpful, and gave a realistic idea of normal, newborn behaviour, was "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by the La Leche League. Don't be fooled by the title - it's not all about breastfeeding. It give an excellent insight into what is biologically normal behaviour for a newborn - definitely made me realise how skewed western society's idea of a "normal baby" have become over the years!

I've got a really old DK one by Penelope Leach called your baby and child, not sure if it's available still. Found it useful in the sense it helped me consider things from the baby's point of view, why they might be reacting/behaving is certain ways, how to read their cues. I would steer clear of the prescriptive 'your baby should by following x routine by week x' type of thing. Unless there is a good reason you need a strict routine it's just a whole load of unnecessary stress trying to force it.

Robin Barker is good, very sensible advice.

Just go with your instincts. Hold it. Feed it. That's about it. Have you heard of the 4th trimester? The Gentle Sleep Book has loads of info on normal infant behaviour.

Another vote for just following your instincts. They're pretty easy in the early days, basically the same as a tamagotchi.

I agree that first time baby by Lucy Atkins is good. I also thought www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0091954886/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr3_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1476138296&sr=8-2-fkmr3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=trust+your+instincts+baby this was really sensible.

We were given a massive NHS book but I've never really read it.

I got a copy of Your baby, week by week. By Dr Caroline Fertleman.
It is pretty good and gives a good idea on what to look out for week by week but as someone above mentioned, I did find myself becoming a bit fixated and stressed because I was constantly measuring up against what it says in the book... in the end I decided to stop using it and just went with my instincts which overall made me (and probably baby!) a whole lot happier.
You'll be fine!! X

The problem with books is that whichever one you get, the only guarantee is that your baby won't have read it...

Did you not get one from your midwife? I’m in Scotland and I realised the other day that it isn’t just a pregnancy book, the first third is pregnancy, the next third is labour and the last is actually what to do once it is born