I read Happiest Baby on the Block when I was pg. That's not really a parenting book IMO so much as techniques to soothe a newborn. We did all that swaddle/shush stuff and it definitely works. I recommend getting the video from the library to see it in action as it really helps you understand it.
Then I read a lot around 5-6 months when sleep was becoming an issue. I didn't want to sleep train but I tried reading the leading books to see what might help. I read The Baby Whisperer, Baby Wise, The No Cry Sleep Solution, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. They come from all different perspectives and I can honestly say I learned something useful from each of them. In the end, I digested all of that information and ended up following my gut on how to handle sleep with my little ones in a way that works for us.
Before I had DS, I read The Baby Whisperer and I'm REALLY glad I did. She talks about her E.A.S.Y. routine so I had that in my head as soon as we brought DS home. I think if I had waited until he was home from the hospital I would have been too tierd to think about it! But we did her routine from the start and he really responded well.
I didn't read any. I read BabyWise after she got here and didn't like it or agree with it at all.
Oh... well - I do read your baby week by week, but that isn't really advice as much as it is "your baby should be doing x, y, and z by now." Which isn't really helpful either : )
I started at like 12 weeks with my singleton but I was on modified
bedrest so I had lots of time.
I much prefer the Happiest Baby on
the Block DVD to the book- it really helped to see some of the
techniques. I swear by Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and, to a lesser
extent, Babywise, but it's not for everyone- they are both about putting
a baby on a routine which definitely worked like a charm for us but
which isn't for all families.
I
read alot of the sleep books too- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby;
Solve your Child's Sleep Problems and the No Cry Sleep Solution
(horrible book IMO).
Re: when did you start reading parenting books?
I read Happiest Baby on the Block when I was pg. That's not really a parenting book IMO so much as techniques to soothe a newborn. We did all that swaddle/shush stuff and it definitely works. I recommend getting the video from the library to see it in action as it really helps you understand it.
Then I read a lot around 5-6 months when sleep was becoming an issue. I didn't want to sleep train but I tried reading the leading books to see what might help. I read The Baby Whisperer, Baby Wise, The No Cry Sleep Solution, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. They come from all different perspectives and I can honestly say I learned something useful from each of them. In the end, I digested all of that information and ended up following my gut on how to handle sleep with my little ones in a way that works for us.
TTC #1: IUI #2 = BFP , Betas 550 (16 dpiui), 1523 (18 dpiui)
Hypothyroid, LPD, FSH 13.0, TTC 2 yrs B4 BFP
TTC #2: FSH 23, AMA, IUI 1, 2, 3 = BFN, IVF #1 = MC
IVF #2 = BFP - Betas 194 (14dp2dt), 366 (16 dp2dt), 841 (18 dp2dt)
(vanished twin ~7 weeks)
I didn't read any. I read BabyWise after she got here and didn't like it or agree with it at all.
Oh... well - I do read your baby week by week, but that isn't really advice as much as it is "your baby should be doing x, y, and z by now." Which isn't really helpful either : )
I started at like 12 weeks with my singleton but I was on modified bedrest so I had lots of time.
I much prefer the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD to the book- it really helped to see some of the techniques. I swear by Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and, to a lesser extent, Babywise, but it's not for everyone- they are both about putting a baby on a routine which definitely worked like a charm for us but which isn't for all families.
I read alot of the sleep books too- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby; Solve your Child's Sleep Problems and the No Cry Sleep Solution (horrible book IMO).Wait . . . There are books?!?!
I don't think it's ever too early to start reading, since you won't have much time to do in-depth reading once they're here.
I really only read breastfeeding books beforehand...I SHOULD have read some sleep books, but I didn't.
Get the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD...its great. Other than that, I have a stack of books I haven't had time to read ;-)