Panic is setting in for me. I’m in the home stretch and now starting to get a little fidgety knowing my sweet baby girl will be here in 10 weeks (here’s to hoping that I’m right on schedule with my due date!). So much to learn. So little time. Having a kid should come with a manual.
Since finding out I was pregnant, I’ve immersed myself in absolutely everything I can get my hands on. I spend countless hours on the Internet from the message boards and articles. Throw in some trips to the library and borrowed books from friends and family, I’ve been reading so much dealing with pregnancy, breastfeeding and parenting — with so much out there to read, it can be hard to figure out what the best books out there really are.
Here are my top five books for new moms (and dads) to be. There are certainly others that top my list, but these books were the best commuter companions:
1. Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth by Jenny McCarthy
I read this laugh out loud book in like a day. This no-holds-bar memoir does not hold back on ALL the changes you will experience, and Jenny does so eloquently in her belly busting handbook.
2. Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
Learn about “the pause” and other ways to be a hands-on parents without being a smothering mother! Other major takeaways touch on the emphasis the French put on establishing a “cadre” or framework of discipline and responsibility for their children; the importance of manners (it’s not just please and thank you but hello and goodbye for the French); instilling a child’s independence (i.e., not hovering over them on the playground) and teaching them how to behave at the dinner table, all the while eating food that vastly trumps our “chicken tenders friendly” U.S. kids’ menus.
3. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
There is a long-awaited new edition! If you are choosing to breastfeed, this will become your best friend and bible. I am still working my way through this one as well, but have found it very informative - from preparing for breastfeeding during pregnancy to feeding cues, from nursing positions to expressing and storing breast milk.
4. The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp
Ok, so I cheated and watched the DVD, but its the thought that counts here! I’ve heard both good and bad with this book/DVD. In this book, the author describes a fourth trimester that a new infant experiences and how to deal. He recommends a series of five steps designed to imitate the uterus. These steps include swaddling, side/stomach position, shhh sounds, swinging and sucking.
So there’s my list ladies, I hope you find them as useful as I did.
What movies and books did you rely on?
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