Taking a Poll on Favorite Pre and Postnatal Book

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp

1 mom found this helpful

Preconception/Fertility/Infertility
"Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler

Pregnancy Journals/Week by week
"Great Expectations" - can't remember the authors

Birthing Books
"The Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birth" by Henri Gocer
"The Birth Partner" by Patty Simkin (I can't recommend this one highly enough - great for moms AND dads-to-be!)
"Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" - Ina May Gaskin (another #1 pick that EVERY pregnant woman should read)

Midwifery/Doula
"Ina May's Guide to Childbirth"

Edited to add: I actually really dislike the "What to Expect" books. I think they cause a lot of worry in moms and moms-to-be by listing all the possible things that might be wrong and implying that developmental milestones in kids are "requirements". Many hospitals have now switched away from recommending the "What to expect when you're expecting" book and instead are giving prenatal patients a copy of the new "Our Bodies Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth" book, which I think is great. This book, and the ones that I listed, are incredibly positive and instill a lot of TRUST IN YOUR BODY'S ABILITY TO GIVE BIRTH, which I think is really important for pregnant women.

Ok done with my rant... :)

1 mom found this helpful

What to Expect....the entire series...(When You're Expecting, The First Year, The Toddler Years...)

Baby Bargains by Denise Fields

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, La Leche League International

I second The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp! This is an awesome book - really helpful and so supportive and encouraging!

Also - What to Expect When You're Expecting/What to Expect the First Year

and

The American Academy of Pediatrics Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5.

Another vote for Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child!

AAP's Caring For Your Child Birth Through Age 5 by Shelov.