What is the best pregnancy / childbirth book ?

[Oblomov]

For someone who has just found out that they are pregnant ?

Is there, like, a 'Rough Guide', that gives detailed, yet not too detailed infotmation, that would guide someone all the way through ?

Dr Miriam Stoppard springs to mind - but never read any of her stuss - is she any good ?

Which one would you recommend ?

what kind of parent are you going to be?

I found dr sears pretty good and his website comprehensive. He follows attachment style parenting.

Yeah Dr Stoppard's "what to expect when expecting" is very good, I have referred to it the whole way through. The book has a chapter per month which is good.

Rough Guide to Pregnancy by Kaz Cooke - v down-to-earth and funny, not at all precious.
I found Miriam Stoppard ridiculously precious and factually some of it dates from the eighties - not to mention the illustrations...
What to Expect (it's not by Miriam Stoppard though) is really comprehensive and though I didn't love it myself I know people who've spoken highly of it.
Yehudi Gordon gets a lot of votes too.
I can recommend loads of birth books, all tending towards the no-drug/active birth side of things. Active Birth Handbook (Janet Balaskas) is good.

I read Yehudi Gordon and still use it as a reference in my 2nd pg, it's great as I used it as much if not more after DS was born (it covers 9 months to 9 months) but if you want a week by week guide to what's going on it's not detailed enough in the "now your uterus is the size of an orange" kind of way. I also was loaned "The Rough Guide to Pregnancy" more amusing than a reference and The Best Friends' Guide to Pregnancy" kinda amusing but a bit American and "What to Expect when you are Expecting" -- I found this one a bit perscriptive but a useful reference.

agree with Pruni - \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1858287650/qid%3D1150786812/202-8888003-6382202\rough guide to pregnancy} is really good and funny.

Another vote for Kaz Cooke's Rough Guide to Pregnancy from me. Really made me laugh. Used Miriam Stoppard's Conception, Pregnancy and Birth as a kind of text book, for example trying to work out all the abreviations on your notes. It does seem quite old fashioned though.

I used Rough guide and Dr Yehudi Gordan's book Birth and Beyond (which IMO is the most fabulous book - informative, covers pretty much everything you can think of, not patronising and still used it after DS was born) - The best friend's guide to Preganancy is absolutely hilarious - a must read for a litle light relief.

Thank you everyone - it is for a colleague at work - she asked me and I didn't know what to recommend.

I loved \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1860492916/202-1289383-9189451?v=glance&n=266239\Becoming a Mother} by Kate Mosse (not Kate Moss!) - it had lots of quotes from real people, about how they felt about being pregnant, as well as practical information. Mind you, I didn't know about MN then, so maybe she could get all that here .

Best Friend's Guide to Pregnancy (and follow ons) by Vicky Iovine. Very funny, and very true. Still flick over them now as they still make me laugh! :)