Baby Books

DisneyG2

What is everyone reading? I know of the traditional "what to expect when your expecting" but I was wondering if there was anything else I could pickup.  Also, I see a lot of "Belly Books"?? anyone documenting their bump in a book?

whoberry

I read/am reading:

Pregnancy, Child Birth & The Newborn - this was the most comprehensive and I def. recommend it.

The Mayo Clinic Guide to Healthy Pregnancy- lots of good info and the beginning goes week by week so we read a new paragraph each week as I progress.

The Pregnancy Book, Month by Month by Dr. Sears (it's a little dated but still good)

When we first started TTC I read a few other books so I would know what I was getting myself into:

Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy- short read, would not recommend

The 2nd Nine Months by Vicki Glembocki. This is about one woman's experience after she had her first baby.  I thought it was a good read, amusing, and interesting.  I guess it's more of a memoir.

I am not documenting my bump.  

bayareagirl2011

I second the Mayo Clinic baby book if you're looking for plain facts. It's nicely organized and very informational! 

liz4paws

I got this for bringing baby home and I have found it really helpful. I originally got it on the kindle but ended up getting a hard copy for DH to read too.

Heading Home With Your Newborn

ball.and.chain

For a general pregnancy reference book, I got the Mayo Clinic book mentioned above as an alternative to What to Expect because a few people had told me they hated WTE.  I ended up getting a hand-me-down copy of WTE anyway, so I have kind of been reading both.  I prefer the Mayo Clinic one but I don't find them THAT difference in the end.

I also enjoyed reading the following.  They are not comprehensive pregnancy books but were each an interesting take on pregnancy:
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong -- And What You Really Need to Know by Oster
Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives by Paul

On childbirth:
The Birth Partner by Simkin (really good, very very informative, also good for your spouse/partner)
Easy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth by Camann (also a thumbs up, written by an obstetric anesthesiologist, gave me more information about epidurals, pain meds etc than I got from books that focus on natural childbirth)
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth -- HATED.  Could not get past the first section.  So glad I borrowed from the library and did not spend $ in it!

On babies:
Currently reading Baby 411 and really enjoying it.  It's by the author of Baby Bargains but was co-written with a pediatrician.  They also have an Expecting 411 that I wish I'd known about earlier and a Toddler 411 that I may buy down the line.

ajlmom

Just a random thought, do you girls think all the info we now can get online replaces books?  Or you think it's still helpful to read one or two?  Thanks!

marnief

@heleng5 - I like having a physical book (I have the Mayo Clinic Guide which my ob/gyn used during her own pregnancy) because it's easy to grab and check and feel like I've gotten a definitive answer. There is do much info on the web, but some if it is sketchy or just plain wrong...and even some reputable sites might have kooky comments in their forums. And with google, it's so easy to get yourself all worked up when you're bombarded with info (much of it worst-case scenarios and horror stories). So I have tried to stay away from Google except for very specific things (e.g., which fish have the least mercury?).

ball.and.chain

heleng5 said:

Just a random thought, do you girls think all the info we now can get online replaces books?  Or you think it's still helpful to read one or two?  Thanks!

There is a lot of misinformation online, whereas with books you can more easily assess who the author is and what their qualifications are.  For basics like "what is happening to my baby/body at 20 weeks," you are probably OK online as long as you are going to a good source (for instance, many people have mentioned the Mayo Clinic book; they also have a website).

However, for more in depth information on a particular topic (like The Birth Partner), I don't feel like there is anything comparable online.

ajlmom

Thanks ladies! I have my first US on Thursday if all goes well I'll be heading to the book store