Recommend some books!

krankykitty

Hi all,

Baby due in May but am a bit clueless about the bit that happens after

I'd love to hear if you read any books that helped with baby care/routines etc, their developmental stages or ones that give lots of tips you found helpful?

Thanks

How Strange

I love Penelope Leach's Your Baby and Child. She's clearly more into a gentle, baby led style of parenting but it's not preachy. There's no right or wrong way to parent but she's definitely very baby focused.

dublinlady

krankykitty wrote: »

Hi all,

Baby due in May but am a bit clueless about the bit that happens after

I'd love to hear if you read any books that helped with baby care/routines etc, their developmental stages or ones that give lots of tips you found helpful?

Thanks

I'm due number 2 in may I really like Tracy hoggs book the baby whisperer. I tried Gina forde contented baby first and she is good to get an idea of what a routine looks like but is a little terrifying in terms of implementing it - way way to rigid and regimental!!! Tracy Hogg gives an idea if routine patterns but the baby has the freedom to be an individual with its own likes and dislikes! I do like her approach a lot more!
I was totally clueless too when I had my first in feb - the antenatal classes also help a bit with info on how and when to change nappies etc etc!! But yeah for me - Tracy Hogg all the way!!

liliq

The Wonder Weeks book. They also have an app for iphone and android. It outlines the developmental leaps by biological age (so calculated from due date rather than birth date), the signs and skills with each leap.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, to outline what is normal behaviour... cluster feeding in evenings, coming up to growth spurts- great for reassurance that even when you feel lost, you're more than likely doing just fine.

pwurple

I liked the Baby Whisperer as well, but I have to say I ignored some parts of it when they didn't suit us. The Eat - Activity - Sleep thing just never worked here, the baby always fell alseeep straight after a feed, could not wake them up. So it was Activity, Eat, Sleep for us. Otherwise the book seemed reassuring enough. Gina Ford book, I hurled out the window in middle of the night frustration, it was way too bossy for me, felt like I was in bootcamp.

I would also highly recommend the 8th edition of Dr Spock's Baby and Child Care. I found this very handy at the start, and I still refer to it once a month or so. It's general message seems to be 'you know more than you think you do'. Make sure you get the latest edition though, the earlier editions have outdated advice. The book is around since 1946, and is second place world seller after the bible. The 1946 advice of putting baby to sleep on their back is long changed though, so make sure it is only the newer version you use, rather than your mums old one.

littlemissfixit

I got What to expect the first year, after I got what to expect when your expecting. I think it was good because its not preachy and it very practical kind of book. I also found there was many website very good with a lot of forums where parents put up their experience.

After being so obsessed with the routine thing with my first, I really had a different approach with my second, following my baby for the first 4-5 months because sometimes, whatever you do or the book tells you to do, your baby might have a totally different idea. so I would say the books are great for guidance but i would definately recommend being relax and following instinct!

pushkii

Any of Dr sears books on attachment parenting are fab !! Esp if you intend to breastfeed :-)

scrgirl

pushkii wrote: »

Any of Dr sears books on attachment parenting are fab !! Esp if you intend to breastfeed :-)

I agree got the "baby book" by dr sears just last month as I just had my first baby too and I really love his approach. Covers co sleeping and baby wearing as well As beast feeding and basic baby care and health up to age two. I think it will be referred to a lot over the next 2 years.

Rosy Posy

littlemissfixit wrote: »

I got What to expect the first year, after I got what to expect when your expecting. I think it was good because its not preachy and it very practical kind of book. I also found there was many website very good with a lot of forums where parents put up their experience.

I have to say that I found this book dreadful- I had to give it away. Imho it is incredibly over cautious and gives you way too much very unlikely stuff to worry about. It was also very americanised.

I loved the Penelope Leach book.

Also I found Michaela Glocker's Guide to Child Health invaluable for babyhood and beyond.

For something a bit lighthearted I enjoyed Kaz Cooke's Kidwrangling (as a sequal to Up the Duff).

Glowing

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0091910552

Great book. Practical and straightforward - handy that you only need to read a small section at a time which pertains to your babys current age.

dublinlady

Glowing wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0091910552

Great book. Practical and straightforward - handy that you only need to read a small section at a time which pertains to your babys current age.

Oh yes I have this one too - very good!

NextSteps

liliq wrote: »

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, to outline what is normal behaviour... cluster feeding in evenings, coming up to growth spurts- great for reassurance that even when you feel lost, you're more than likely doing just fine.

I found this good too - I didn't need most of it but it was nice to have it in reserve in case something came up. It's a bit of a tome, though.

I liked Sears' Baby Book, but some of it is quite American and I ignored some of it - the weaning chapter, for example. I did baby-led weaning instead. Overall I think Penelope Leach's Your Baby and Child was the best. The Rough Guide to Babies and Toddlers is useless - far too flippant and no actual information.