By now I’m sure you’ve heard that Natalie Portman gave birth to a baby boy last week. (For some reason, I knew she was going to have a boy!) The next day, a writer from the Los Angeles Times put together a reading list of new mom books for Natalie “to ease any pain of brand-new motherhood” because even though she is a celebrity “that doesn’t mean she will be spared the hormone-induced self-doubt and anxiety that everyone feels right after they give birth.”
Love that.
As I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t read many advice books during my pregnancy besides the classic “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Now I’m wondering if I need to start flipping through some parenting ones. Or is it premature to begin reading about sleep schedules and such?
What parenting books, if any, should I add to my must-read list?
{parenting advice image via Babble}
I am about 20 weeks pregnant and have yet to have an inclination to read many pregnancy books (I am about half way through WTEWYE) and while it is interesting, I have found that a lot of it doesn’t apply to my particular pregnancy. I think parenting books are probably way more important, but that is just my thinking…
I highly suggest “happiest Baby on the block.” It also comes in a DVD version for the non reader types (AKA Dads). Its funny my friend read tons and tons of books on pregnancy and had the baby and was like, “oh crap./ Ididnt read any on the baby!” A lot of people like ” 12 hours of sleep in 12 weeks” (or somethign along those lines.” and “Eat, Poop, sleep”
Good Luck. being a mama is the best! My little man turned 1 this week. I cant believe how the time has flown
I didn’t read any “real” (the Tiger Mom book was 100% entertainment) pregnancy or parenting book until this week. I’m reading (while breastfeeding) Simplicity Parenting and I really love it. It totally reflects my values and goes exactly where I want to go with baby Alice.
I haven’t yet read these, but I’ve heard they’re good: The Happiest Baby on the Block, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, What to Expect the First Year.
I have a ton of pregnancy books and didn’t really use them at all this pregnancy (I have a 4 month old and an 11 year old). I also have quite a few parenting books but haven’t really used them so far.
I get most of my parenting information from the daily/weekly emails sent out from the same websites that sent me the pregnancy week by week emails. They pretty much have covered most of my questions or issues as they have come up. 🙂
If you want one to have as a reference book then I would recommend the What to Expect the First Year. That is the one I used the most the first time around and have also used it a few times this time.
Recently I bought The 90-Minute Baby Sleep Program which has been a life saver because my baby girl won’t nap but you may not have that problem. 🙂
Good Luck PJ!!!! Your sweet boy will be here before you know it!
We really liked “Happiest Baby on the Block”….the 5 “S’s” (shushing, swaddling, swaying, sucking, side-lying) for techniques on how to calm a baby. For sleep, I recommend “Good Night, Sleep Tight” by Kim West. Good luck sweetie!