Books about baby care

cupcake queen

I am pregnant with my first baby and at 29 weeks I have realised that I'm spending all my time reading books about pregnancy and not reading anything that tells me how to actually look after an infant! I love reading up on things so while I know there will be a massive learning on the job element I was wondering if anyone had any titles they could recommend that I could be getting on with in the meantime? I have a friend who raves about Gina Forde but another who thought her methods were unworkable. Are there any "must read" titles (like What to Expect is for pregnancy)? TIA

fits

I had a completely sleepless night after reading Gina Forde. Not up my street at all.

Ive been reading the la leche league books and what to expect, first year. reckon thats enough for now.

Anne_cordelia

Ignore Gina Forde, the Baby Whisper and all those must-get-a-2-week-old-in-a-routine crackpots. You could do some research on parenting styles such as gentle parenting, attachment parenting etc to see if that's for you. If you plan on breastfeeding get the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. Find your local breastfeeding support group and go while still pregnant.

Also read up on the Fourth trimester so you are prepared.

Carlos Gonzalez has a couple of interesting books for 6+ months. Although go with your instinct and forget about the books is my advice!

mapaca

cupcake queen wrote:

Are there any "must read" titles (like What to Expect is for pregnancy)? TIA

What to Expect: The First Year. I found it great!

Cakerbaker

I didn't buy any parenting / baby books. I kinda just went with the flow and did what felt right for baby and me. Maybe I was being a bit over simplistic but I figured once they were fed, changed, comforted and slept when they needed that everything else would fall into place and to be honest it kinda did. I had my phn and breast feeding support group for the basic info. Google also helped for the odd emergency.

When my baby was about 2 months old someone showed me an article about the fourth trimester and attachment parenting. That's when I discovered the type of parenting we were doing had a name! I will say I had a very easy going baby who had no health issues and was never sick so that probably all helped with our easy going way of doing things!

jlm29

I bought "the rough guide to babies and toddlers", i don't remember opening it much, but it had some nice sections on what to buy and a few other useful, practical bits.
I wouldn't bother with Gina forde, it definitely wouldn't be my style. As someone else said, if you intend to breastfeed, prepare yourself well, do a day course, link with local groups etc.
Don't worry too much about books. Get the baby out first, and follow your instincts!

cupcake queen

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have never fed, changed or dressed a baby (neither myself or my husband have any nieces or nephews) and I hate the idea of being totally clueless! Plus I'm excited and would like to think I'm as prepared as possible presumably the ante natal classes will cover a lot of this too but I'm not doing mine til December.

pwurple

I read heaps of these. Baby was an exam looming! Lol.

Dr Spock's baby and child care was the one I found most useful... and I still have a check in there the odd time.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=qs&keywords=9780743476676

The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer (tracey hogg) was ok for understanding naps, but fairly limited to that.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Baby-Whisperer-Connect-Communicate-ebook/dp/B0031R5K8Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478935523&sr=1-1&keywords=tracey+hogg

I threw the Gina Ford one out a window it annoyed me so much.