Well, it’s that time again! Time to review all the books I’ve been reading over the course of this pregnancy so far. Last time I talked about all the pregnancy books I read during my first trimester and before. Since then, I’ve been reading my fair share of “baby care” books. Here’s a quick round-up!
Baby Bargains, by Denise & Alan Fields
Alright, so this really isn’t a baby care book. But it WAS recommended to me by more than a few people, and with good reason. This is the baby gear bible. I read it cover to cover and now use it as a reference, when registering, ordering furniture, etc. Essentially, this book is like Consumer Reports for baby products. They review everything from furniture to clothing to diapers and anything in between, and offer great tips and tricks for saving money while stocking up for baby.
Verdict: If you are expecting, GET THIS BOOK. It has been hands down the most valuable book we’ve used so far!
Baby 411, by Denise Fields & Ari Brown, M.D.
Written by one of the authors of Baby Bargains and a pediatrician, this book is a quick and dirty guide to everything baby. I liked it because the information was organized in a way that was easy to look things up. I can imagine this being super helpful when you have a tiny newborn screaming their head off and you don’t know what the heck to do. It works with sort of a question & answer format, so it’s really easy to look up various ailments or behaviors your baby is exhibiting and see what it might be.
Verdict: A nice and quick read that will be helpful to have laying around when the baby actually gets here.
Heading Home with Your Newborn, by Laura A. Jana MD FAAP and Jennifer Shu MD FAAP
Much more comprehensive than Baby 411 and equally as good. This book is definitely more in-depth, and I liked it as a more specific “newborn” read. Good information all the way around.
Verdict: Great information geared specifically towards the newborn stage. I actually really loved reading this one and imagining being at home with our new baby!
The Girlfriends’ Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood, by Vicki Iovine
Ah, another Girlfriends’ Guide. You might remember that while I enjoyed the Pregnancy version, I found it to be kind of outdated and the author’s use of the word Girlfriend (capitalized, ugh) to be annoying. I felt the same with this book. Definitely funny, definitely makes you feel like even you—yes, YOU!—can handle having a baby, but definitely outdated on some of the information. Still, this was an enjoyable, quick & light read.
Verdict: Take the info with a grain of salt, but relish in the fact that you’re definitely not alone in feeling freaked the hell out by motherhood.
Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby’s First Year, by various practitioners from the Mayo Clinic
LOVE. The Mayo Clinic does it again. I absolutely adored their Guide to Pregnancy, and they knock it out of the park again with their Guide to Your Baby’s First Year. Great information, organized nicely, covers everything, but doesn’t scare the pants off you. Awesome.
Verdict: If you buy one baby care book, I say make this one be it. It’s the most comprehensive I’ve read so far and covers EVERYTHING.
Nursing Your Baby, by Karen Pryor & Gale Pryor
This was recommended by my OB/GYN. So, first off—yes, I am planning to give breastfeeding a go. I would love to make it to 6 months or longer, so I am really hoping that it will go well for us! This book was pretty dry and VERY textbook-like in nature in the beginning. However, the second half of the book definitely picks up and offers tons of great information, tips and tricks regarding breastfeeding. The first half of the book covers more of the science behind breastfeeding, which, while somewhat interesting, definitely made for a pretty boring read (sorry, science nerds). However, I definitely think it’s a valuable read if only for the second half of the book. I can see now why my OB recommended it.
Verdict: Get through the drier first half and you’ll be rewarded with some great information to help you in your breastfeeding journey.
The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp MD
Toted as the “Baby Sleep Bible,” The Happiest Baby on the Block is recommended by just about everybody. I’m actually about half way through this book right now and I can definitely see why. Tons of great tips & tricks for helping baby sleep, plus a lot of easy-to-read science behind baby’s brain & nervous systems and how that affects their ability to eat, sleep, communicate, etc. There is also a DVD of the same name, and I’m told that it’s just as informative, if not more so than the book.
Verdict: If you like reading, pick up the book. If you don’t like reading, you’re probably good to go with watching the DVD.
For The Dudes:
The Baby Owner’s Manual, by Louis Borgenicht MD & Joe Borgenicht MD
Hilarious. Quick and easy read. I think it’s specifically geared towards dads, as it’s set up like an owner’s manual for pretty much any electronic device you can think of, but I think it’s pretty cheeky too. Funny diagrams and descriptions are used as a way to get basic baby care information across.
Verdict: Easy and fun read with basic baby care info.
Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads, by Gary Greenberg & Jeannie Hayden
This was gifted to us by some friends of ours, and even though it’s labeled as a practical handbook for new dads, I read it too. It is hilarious, easy-to-read, and actually gives really great information. There’s funny pictures and anecdotes as well. We both highly recommend this one.
Verdict: Hilarious and awesome. Get it.
So, that’s it thus far! I’d still like to re-read The Best Birth, by Sarah McMoyler, and I’d like to pick up at least one more book on breastfeeding. What baby care or parenting books do you recommend?
All of the images are from Amazon.com. I am not an Amazon affiliate, so if you click on the links I’ve provided, I don’t make any money. They are there for your benefit only!
