For pregnancy-related books, I have the usual What to Expect. It's a classic! I also have Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth. I find that one to be pretty empowering (but I still asked for the epidural 😁).
I'm curious if others have good baby/kiddo raising books. I have Baby 411 which is a helpful resource but I feel like I could probably use another one.
I HIGHLY recommend sweet sleep by La Leche and books/ info by Dr. james j. mckenna
these two things literally saved my life when my first was about 4 months. Sleep training culture can be toxic If you don’t have a super easy going baby and these books explain the reality of infant sleep and how to get the most rest for the whole family. I also highly recommend following HeySleeyBaby on Instagram!
If there is one thing I wish people were transparent about it it’s how hard infant sleep can really be. A lot people lie and say their babies sleep through the night by like 12 weeks but this just is not true for a lot of babies and it was SO hard to deal with the sleep deprivation and a new baby but I’m much better equipped this time around!
Also I highly recommend avoiding buying the taking Cara babies course. Myself and everyone else around me who attempted to implement it had zero success lol
@tryingktogku totally agree...the sleep deprivation was an a level I never imagined. And even if they sleep through the night at 12 weeks, it could change at any minute! (Mine was great at first, terrible at 4-6 months, then after that consistently up 3 times/night until...over 12 months? I can't even remember, brain cells gone due to lack of sleep )
This isn't a pregnancy- or even infant-specific recommendation, but I *highly* recommend the Simple Families podcast (and her book--Simple Happy Families). It is a breath of fresh air. Somewhat along the lines of minimalism, but it's broader than that--simplifying family life, not overscheduling, taking joy in "slow," etc. Some of the earlier episodes also cover very specific topics about child behavior (e.g., eating, hitting/biting, whining, choosing great toys, managing screen time) that are short, sweet, and helpful. The more recent episodes are broader and often focus on parental and child mental health topics. The episode called something like "Things I Say to my Kids" is a great introduction, but you can start anywhere. I swear I don't work for her but just can't recommend her enough for all things parenting/life!
Expecting Better by Emily Oster is a great book when you’re expecting. You may or may not agree with her take on wine drinking but she does a good job of going into data.
I know there are a fair number of people expecting twins on this board and When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads by Dr. Luke is the multiples bible. You can just read what pertains to you if you feel overwhelmed. I did find her info was scant on monochorianic pregnancies but I think most here are di/di.
I would agree that sleep books are probably the most sought after category for infants. I read Happiest Baby on the Block and I don’t think it was that helpful. I did really like Precious Little Sleep (written by a woman who had a terrible sleeper) - there’s also a peer support FB group that’s free and very helpful.
@tryingktogku Interesting on Taking Cara Babies - I actually know at least 6 moms who have used it with success. I found it helpful myself but once we were ready for real sleep training I preferred Precious Little Sleep. However, Cara’s political contributions raise some flags for me so not sure I would pay for it again. I think the biggest thing with sleep is every baby is different and a one size fits all approach is not going to work. I really liked that about Precious Little Sleep - she breaks down the sleep crutches babies have and how to teach independent sleep to each type of baby. It was work, but my son was down to one wake up by 6 months and from about 8 months or so slept 10 or so hours a night. He is still a great sleeper now at almost three and takes a big chunky nap every day too.
@L1C4gal Ou I’m def going to be checking this out!
@zamoraspin I’ll have to look into precious little sleep! I want to attempt to sleep train this next one but my first had a barrage of issues sleep training would have never resolved (tongue tie clipped at 15months due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids = sleep apnea …. He would have never slept no matter what I implemented with it!) I also just really felt like TCB culture sucked. If your bay wasn’t following her “perfect” guidelines it was like YOU were doing something wrong! But I absolutely agree every baby is their own person and has their own unique sleep needs!
I think I would also like to add the book “how not to hate your husband after kids. I know FTM here are like omg no I love my husband and we’re so excited for this baby but the reality is babies tend to prefer their mama HEAVILY for that first year and it can be hard not to resent your partner when you feel like you’re doing more of the work!
@tryingktogku I totally agree about the TCB community....I never paid for it myself but I heard from a friend who found it to be toxic. Anybody who says they have a magic silver bullet to fix any baby's sleep is a lunatic.
I actually also read The Happiest Baby on the Block too @zamoraspin and used every trick in there for my daughter. I thought it was very useful. With my son, though, I wouldn't have needed to bother. He was not a fussy newborn at all.
I really hate what to expect when you’re expecting. It doesn’t read well. More like an FAQ document that I just can’t get behind.
Love podcasts as I can listen to them on my walks. Anyone have more podcasts for FTM or geriatric. All of the new moms around me are at least 10 years younger and being at a different stage of life and career makes it hard to relate.
Re: Product Spotlight: Pregnancy Books/Books on Infant Topics
I'm curious if others have good baby/kiddo raising books. I have Baby 411 which is a helpful resource but I feel like I could probably use another one.
these two things literally saved my life when my first was about 4 months. Sleep training culture can be toxic If you don’t have a super easy going baby and these books explain the reality of infant sleep and how to get the most rest for the whole family. I also highly recommend following HeySleeyBaby on Instagram!
I know there are a fair number of people expecting twins on this board and When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads by Dr. Luke is the multiples bible. You can just read what pertains to you if you feel overwhelmed. I did find her info was scant on monochorianic pregnancies but I think most here are di/di.
I would agree that sleep books are probably the most sought after category for infants. I read Happiest Baby on the Block and I don’t think it was that helpful. I did really like Precious Little Sleep (written by a woman who had a terrible sleeper) - there’s also a peer support FB group that’s free and very helpful.
@zamoraspin I’ll have to look into precious little sleep! I want to attempt to sleep train this next one but my first had a barrage of issues sleep training would have never resolved (tongue tie clipped at 15months due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids = sleep apnea …. He would have never slept no matter what I implemented with it!) I also just really felt like TCB culture sucked. If your bay wasn’t following her “perfect” guidelines it was like YOU were doing something wrong! But I absolutely agree every baby is their own person and has their own unique sleep needs!
I actually also read The Happiest Baby on the Block too @zamoraspin and used every trick in there for my daughter. I thought it was very useful. With my son, though, I wouldn't have needed to bother. He was not a fussy newborn at all.