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How to Have a Baby and Still Live in the Real World
by Jane Symons
Reviewed by Jane Moulder
This is an extremely informative book yet there is some light hearted humour thrown in which helped to keep me entertained when I was ten days past my due date!
It is written in a way that is aimed at the modern woman so in some stages an open mind is required but it does seriously deal with everything you need to know about pregnancy. It also tells you about the nitty gritty stuff that not everyone tells you about so truly prepares you for pregnancy/birth.
What to Expect When You’re Expecting
by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
Reviewed by Jane Moulder
I found this book very helpful for my first pregnancy and a great reference tool. It is straightforward and very well indexed so is easy to find the information that you need especially at those panicky moments that all first time Mums have. There are separate chapters on each month so you get detailed information of what to expect in pregnancy with all the changes that take place. I definitely would recommend this book.
What to Expect - the First Year & What to Expect: the Toddler Years
by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
Reviewed by various
There are mixed feelings about these books:
- Very good and very pragmatic.
- Great chapters on managing illness which I am sure has helped me manage my anxiety in those first months without rushing to the doctor all the time. It gave me the confidence to see an illness through and not over react.
- Certainly never made me feel inadequate or guilty.
- My baby never seemed to do things in the order given in these books. I felt it made me worry unnecessarily.
The Fat Ladies Club
by Hilary Gardener, Andrea Betteridge, Sarah Groves, Annette Jones and Lyndsey Lawrence
ISBN number 0-141-01701-5
An excellent read while you are expecting, but be warned it is sad.
That's Not My Truck
by Fiona Watt
ISBN number 0-746-04813-0
It is a touchy-feely book which my son loves, along withe "That's Not My Puppy" in the same series.
The Rough Guide to Pregnancy and Birth
by Kaz Cooke
A friend lent me this book. It was a great find as every chapter is a week of your pregnancy and it tells you what to expect in a very funny way. The 'Amazon.co.uk' review for the book is as follows:'The book sets out to offer "the soundest, sanest, wittiest advice you'll ever get" about life as an expectant mum. Covering "the scary parts, the funny parts and your private parts" the author counts down to motherhood using a week-by-week format, at each stage explaining what's going on with you and baby, exploring common health complaints, suggesting remedies and looking at what will happen at antenatal visits.'
From Here to Maternity
by Mel Giedroyc
ISBN number 9780091897505
This is a light hearted and amusing antidote to all the serious pregnancy books! It's all about 'Mel's' pregnancy and birth and the dramas that ensue. I could relate to Mel's experiences, particularly as her baby was overdue and it made me laugh, at a time when I was both excited but apprehensive about the impending arrival!
The Blokes Guide to Pregnancy
by Jon Smith
Reviewed by Huw Jones
A measure of success in the world of advertising must surely be the introduction of a strap line into common parlance. Many have made it into the vernacular of popular culture but few can have been as successful Ronseal's assault on the "exterior protection from the elements" market. If ever a book title "does exactly what it says on the tin" then The Blokes Guide to pregnancy is it.
Having been bought the book as a gift from my wife (whose capacity for speed reading suggests to me that she only reads every other line) I felt that I had better get started right away. After all, she was the one whose body had been hijacked and was being held hostage for nine months. In addition to this she was doing more reading than I did for my finals. It was time for me to show some willing.
We both opened our publications at the same time, Jo with her sizable publicaiton - and me with my new gift. Two minutes later the bed starts shaking as I chuckle to myself, five minutes in I'm laughing out loud and within ten minutes there are tears running down my face, Jo's shut her "text" book and is asking "What..., what...., what's so funny?"
Over the next three weeks (I think I've already mentioned I'm not quick) I found it difficult to put down. I read about what I might expect during each trimester. I received insight into issues such as money and sex (and the possible and varying responses from Jo). I was given an explanation of the options available and terminology relevant to the build up to labour, as well as the borth process itself. The final sections of the book address what may happen in the immediate aftermath of the birth and what could go wrong. Most importantly, this bbook provided me with numerous "light bulb" moments - "...ah so that's why she's done/said/screamed/thrown that".
Having a baby is serious, becoming a father is serious and pregnancy is serious. There are times when having a baby is amusing. This book addresses all aspects of pregnancy from a prospective ftaher's viewpoint and offers an insightful and concise heads up of what's in store as well as providing an explanation of what you've seen (and why).
A good read for all expectant fathers!
The Water Birth Book: From the World-Renowned Natural Childbirth Pioneer
by Janet Balaskas
ISBN-13: 978-0007108176
I found this book really useful when researching my ideal birth. Janet Balaskas is not pushy in any way, she gives you all the information you need in order to make an informed decision about your birth plan.
I Want My Potty
by Tony Ross
ISBN number 0-00-662687-4
This is a lovely book based on the character 'The Little Princess', as per the TV series. It makes the whole subject of potty training amusing and not at all daunting. My daughter will sit herself happily on the potty (fully dressed of course!) and read this whilst I am getting ready in the morning. I'm not saying that it will necessarily make potty training any easier, but anything that encourages voluntary sitting on the potty cannot be a bad thing.
A Lift the Flap Potty Hunt
by Colette Hiller
ISBN number 1-84461-203-1
All children love 'lift the flap' books, so this is a good way to keep interest in something relatively uninteresting for children!
Ten Tiny Tadpoles
by Debbie Tarbett
ISBN-10: 1845063546
I love reading this book to my son as the pictures are fantastic and he gets so involved shouting out the numbers. It's colourful, fun and a simple learning tool for counting. The final 3D page when the tadpoles turn to frogs is fantastic.
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