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September 2013 Moms
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Parenting book recs?

Bamgal25Bamgal25 member
in September 2013 Moms

Hi everyone, I am looking for some parenting book recommendations please!  There are so many out there that it's hard to choose.  I am mostly interested in books that deal with the first year or so.  I have had some friends recommend Baby Wise, so I am planning to read that.  I remember a post from a while back where several were anti-Baby Wise, so I do plan to take it with a grain of salt.  I know my parenting style will tend to be on the authoritative side, but I want to have perspectives from other styles to make sure I am being as well-balanced a parent as I can.  Also, I realize that a newborn's needs are much different than that of a 1 or 2 year old and that a newborn needs as much nurturing as possible.  Basically I want to get a well-rounded perspective from different "schools of thought" so I can be the best parent I can for my child. 

Side note:  I am pretty nervous about the first few months with baby.  I feel like that is something I have no experience with and I am scared that I will not know what to do.  As she gets older and can communicate with me about her needs, I feel like I can handle that stage better, but the newborn phase has me pretty nervous!

Thank you in advance! 

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Re: Parenting book recs?

  • BellodomaniBellodomani member
    I love the whole Love Logic series, I recommend it to the families I work with all the time, but it sounds like it might not quite jive with your style of parenting. Happiest baby on the block is great, esp if you're nervous about the first few months. Happy Baby, Healthy Sleep Habits is also a good one.
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  • katiezabkatiezab member
    Baby Center has a free app that gives facts and what not every day for the first year. It's really cool actually! It's like the pregnancy app they have. I wish they had one for year two!
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  • Bamgal25Bamgal25 member
    imagescatteredtrees:

    Please do not read babywise, or at least counter it with something else, of an opposite method. It goes against every instinct you will have as a mother and putting a seven week on a rigid routine is absurd. 

    I read and enjoyed The Happiest Baby on the Block (and then The Happiest Toddler on the Block) both by Harvey Karp. I have The First Year Week by Week, which is a fun reference book, but it's not super scientific or medical. It's by Glade Curtis and Judith Schuler.

    I'd suggest reading books written by pediatricians or child therapists, behaviorists, etc. Any Jane Doe can write a book, and sometimes they aren't the best points of reference.  

    I appreciate your thoughts.  What you suggested is what I was intending to do- read Baby Wise and also read something on the other end of the spectrum and hopefully find a happy medium.  I just don't know what is considered to be on the opposite spectrum from Baby Wise?  I've seen several people recommend The Happiest Baby on the Block in the past so I guess I'll get that one also.

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  • 214198214198 member
    The baby whisperer is on a somewhat similar page to baby wise but tempered down a bit. If you think you might want to be a more "scheduled" mom its a great book. I think babywise gets a bit more bad press than they deserve but is a little on the "extreme" end. I have several loving friends who swear by it though. I did everything on demand with my DD and it was great except that with baby number two I won't have the same flexibility/time and my daughter now is on a schedule and it is so much easier on both of us and I would like to start the next baby on more of that mindset from the start (taking newborn needs into consideration of course) it seems easier to train from the start than try and retrain later. Everyone has a diffrent parenting style though and you have to learn to take everything with a grain of salt. What was normal 20 years ago is considered oftentimes "terrible" today. Who's to say 20 years from now all the experts won't be telling us that todays trends are "harmfull"?  just be reasonable and go with your mommy gut. Reading up gives you a nice base to work from though.
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  • beatingIFbeatingIF member
    imagescatteredtrees:
    Please do not read babywise, or at least counter it with something else, of an opposite method. It goes against every instinct you will have as a mother and putting a seven week on a rigid routine is absurd.nbsp;I read and enjoyed The Happiest Baby on the Block and then The Happiest Toddler on the Block both by Harvey Karp. I have The First Year Week by Week, which is a fun reference book, but it's not super scientific or medical. It's by Glade Curtis and Judith Schuler.I'd suggest reading books written by pediatricians or child therapists, behaviorists, etc. Any Jane Doe can write a book, and sometimes they aren't the best points of reference. nbsp;


    I'm finishing Babywise... Would you say The Happiest Baby on the Block would be a good counter book?
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  • PatternPattern member

    When I had my son... I read all of the above mentioned books and a few more...

    My two favorites..

    Baby 411, it is simple and instead of reading all the other books it summarizes the books.  It also has a clear simple way to deliver info.

     AND

    Bright from the Start.  It is filled with activites and info about your babies development. 

    https://www.brightfromthestartthebook.com/

    Happy reading!

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