I’m a big fan of curling up with a good book of any kind -romance novels, business books, biographies, and now most recently ……. pregnancy/baby books!
I haven’t had a chance to read all the books I wanted to, but here’s a list of a few that I really enjoyed and would recommend.
Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine
I read this book early in my pregnancy and even though I don’t agree with the author’s views about everything, I found the overall message useful about how crazy things happen while you’re pregnant and that it’s all pretty much normal so take it easy on yourself. It was fun to read and Vicki Iovine is a talented and hilarious writer. It’s a great alternative to reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting (although I felt like I needed to read that one too, and I did).
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
I’m not totally wedded to natural childbirth, although I’ll be attempting it! I can report back more about how helpful this book truly is once I’ve actually given birth, but there’s a few chapters at the end especially that I think were great! I’ve witnessed 6 natural births while photographing them so I feel lucky in the sense that I’ve seen it’s possible. We’ll see what happens!
Breastfeeding with Confidence by Sue Cox
I haven’t had the chance to take a breastfeeding class, so I made it a priority to read at least one breastfeeding book. This book was good in giving a general overview of how to establish a good latch from the very, very beginning. I think I’ll have many more questions once I get started with breastfeeding and I anticipate googling a lot and calling my mom.
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
I’ve read this book a couple times already and love it. During newborn sessions, I use the 5 “S’s” strategy of how to calm a crying baby and they honestly almost always work! Swaddle, Side/Stomach, Shhhh, Swinging, Sucking. It will be interesting to see if I can calm my own baby!!
Are there any pregnancy/baby books that you found really helpful? Please share! I might have time to read ONE more … or maybe I’ll just watch Downton Abbey?
