Pregnancy/baby Reading Material

I also found the Dr Sear's books to be the most informative and even handed. I absolutely hated the What to Expect books.

Good for you for being a supportive friend!! I know many of my no kid, not pregnant friends found it wierd or difficult or whatever, good for you though.. Keep it up she will need the support of a good friend.
I found the "What to Expect" books though very educational, a bit scary. They all go through the "oh no's" of pregnancy and when things go wrong - "Pregnancy for Dummies" was not only fun, but super helpful.. Plus, there are tons of websites that will show you a week by week development and will email to you on your specific markers. If you have this sent to both, it will be a great way to be supportive as well as knowing what is going on inside that tummy.

I have to admit, I love all of the books and agree with what the moms before me have said. I have to say that I love the magazine subscriptions my sis-n-law got for me. American Baby is free, and I truly enjoy getting Parents every month. Just another idea.

The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, Belli Laughs...these two were just awesome and kept me laughing even though I was sick the first three months! I read them over and over! Dr Sears Pregnancy Book had the best medical advice and his other books were great for parenting and breastfeeding.....

L.,

A favorite book of mine is "What to Expect when You're Expecting". Then the next book, "What to Expect the First Year."

A.

I have "Your Pregnancy Week By Week" and "The Unofficial Guide to Having A Baby." I liked them both very much and felt they were very complete. We also have the father's version of the week by week book. My husband wasn't that impressed with it because he felt a lot of it was common sense - like tips on taking care of your pregnant wife :) He felt they were talking down to him, but I expect it would be good for some men! I just had my second baby so I am willing to sell them if you are interested - say $5 each. Message me if you are interested.

Baby 411 is an excellent book. It was recommended to me by my OB and I gave it to a girlfriend when she was pregnant and she loved it too.

Best Books:
Your Pregnancy Week by Week
What to Expect When You're Expecting (kind of boring and scary at times, but a good quick reference)
The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy (hilarious)
The Unoffical Guide to Having a Baby (reads well)
Belly Laughs (will crack you up!)

Best Books to Read for Newborns (in the last weeks of pregnancy):
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer
The Happiest Baby on the Block

I have enjoyed all these books! They helped a lot.

I am not a reader...at all! I love People magazine and the gossip magazines, so the thought of reading pregnancy books was overwhelming.

I am a bit of a funny girl, so I loved the funny pregnancy books that were real and very funny...but educational.

So, my favorite (and very appropriate for a good friend to give) were The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy and Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs. They were both so great! I had so many other books and they were just too much information! You can get information overload! But the two that I recommended were great.

What a great and supportive friend you are!!!

After 5 pregnancies and many books looked over, I think the Dr. William Sears books are the most thorough and well balanced out there. I used the "What to Expect" book with my first and I wasn't prepared for anything that came my way. The Dr. Sears prepared me for my subsequent VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section) in the hospital, another hospital birth, and two home births. Home birthing may not be her desire but these books are balanced for both sides. They are thorough enough that there is "The Pregnancy Book" and "The Childbirth Book". "The Baby Book" is also one of the best childcare books I have seen. It's tops over the "What to Expect" books. If she is more alternative in her approach to birthing then "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" is also a really good read.

God Bless,

K.

The best thing my sister gave me for my first is the "What to Expect When You Are Expecting Pregnancy Planner and Journal". It is an organizer that gives you places to note the results of tests, notes about each doctor's appointment, lists of things to remember to ask at the next appointment, birthing plan, notes for seeking a pedicatrician, a hospital, a doula (if so desired). It also has a tracker for items that she would need for her suitcase, and a place to keep track of everything she needs for the baby. It also has a place to record exercise and a place to track what you eat. My doctor didn't like the diet they recommended, but you can still track what you eat, even if you choose not to follow that diet. I felt a little scatterbrained at first, trying to remember everything. With this book, everything was written down in one place, which help me a lot. I liked it so much, I bought another one for my second child.

The "What to Expect When you are Expecting", "What to Expect the First Year" and "What to Expect The Toddler Years" are all helpful. But, if she was like me, I wanted a more detailed account of what was happening to me. So I would recommend a week by week book vs the Expecting book, which is month by month. However it does answer a lot of questions, even the ones you might find too embarassing to ask.

My absolute favorite book is called "Your Pregnancy week by week". It has great illustrations and as the title says it is week by week, not by month like the "What to expect" books.

Hi L.,

Does she have internet access? If so, tell her to go to a site called http://babycenter.com.

It is more than helpful with every subject related to having a baby and after having a baby.
Good luck to your friend!

I LOVED the Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy - and it's appropriate for you to give her! :) I would also highly recommend What to Expect - First Year (but NOT the pregnancy one, it's not nearly as helpful.)

Also there's a new book coming out called "The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy" by Erika Lenkert that looks like it will be good (I'm a contributor to this one so I am biased. The lists of what to bring to the hospital and the newborn essentials are pretty much mine.)

Ways you can be there for her - well, the biggest is just listen to her. As her first time, she's going to be slightly obsessed and just having someone who seems interested is a good thing.

Congrats to her!

Dr. William Sears' books are the best! I highly reccomend them.