My wife just had her first pregnancy doctor’s appointment and I am feeling under prepared. I am looking for worthwhile and hopefully empirically based books about pregnancy and parenting. I normally have no problems doing my own research and scourging the library to find out what I need but there’s so much it’s overwhelming.
So what books have you all read that are worthwhile? What is worth looking at?
I would highly recommend “Let the baby drive”, a super oversimplified summary could be “Nap when new baby naps”, but there is so much more in there.
I really liked Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman.
I don’t think it’s necessarily an accurate picture of parenting in France, but I appreciate the ideas she presents:
- mothers (and parents) should keep their lives and outside interests;
- teach your kids to be independent (don’t helicopter, etc);
- teach kids to exist in an adult world;
- socialized and properly funded childcare is necessary.
My wife and I went to a friend’s wedding in France to a French national in his small town. We were surprised and impressed with the small kids at the wedding. There was nothing child specific for them and they had a great time. Also I’m pretty sure they stayed up later celebrating than us. Good suggestion
I mostly went with my gut feeling and listened to the doctor, only when specific things came up I tried to google it, but I feel there was nothing special or unexpected.
We have been having babies through sexual reproduction for many miliona of years, it’s in our DNA, basically it’s an instinct. At least as long as long as there are no complications.
That’s true but I would still like to fill my brain with some knowledge for my guts to draw on.
We had a lot of help when my daughter was born, but when she was a little older and we were more on our own, my librarian wife read a bunch of books, and I went with “don’t do with what my parents did.” It seems to have worked out for both of us, but for me more than for her. I feel like leaning in on the idea that we’re 50% genetically identical and trying to see things from that perspective works better than “well, the book says X…”
I love to read many different valuable books so I can get some diverse ideas to come up with. If you can get some suggestions from your librarian wife that’s what I’m looking for
I will talk to her and see what she says.
Thank you. Reading things helps me feel calmer and like I am preparing.
Hey, I haven’t forgotten. She had a super busy day yesterday but she said she’d try to think of a few today.
No rush. One of the best things about Lemmy is how slow it is. We can have worthwhile threads and discussions for weeks
I liked Emily Oster’s cribsheet and expecting better. Simplicity parenting is good too (could read it later on).
Well Emily Oster’s crib sheets is at my library. So I’m adding it to my list
Heading Home With Your Newborn was probably the only useful one I read.
One interesting thing I noticed was that What to Expect and Mayo Clinic’s Guide and whatever else I read were really verbose whereas whatever book my husband had (targeted towards fathers) were more straightforward and to-the-point.
I considered reading the Mayo Clinics Guide but I will table it. Heading Home With Your Newborn is on my list now
