Best 'newborn' books?

[Laura27]

Hi ladies, I'm after some recommendations for books about the first few weeks / months and how to cope!! I've got all the baby books and found them pretty rubbish as they're all about symptoms etc and I've had a very unremarkable pregnancy. When I skip to the end they brush over the newborn bit pretty quickly and I don't feel like I know enough!! I'm aware that I can't know what it will be like until it happens but I'd like to do at least a bit of reading so I feel sort of prepared!!

 

[Izzie74]

I found these forums better than any books for new borns, also the sign up websites which send you regular updates. Nhs is good and I like baby centre. The best book I have read, though not specifically for new borns is Wonder Weeks. It tells you about different developmental leaps, when your child will be cranky and what to do about it. They have an app and website too.

 

[AK89]

I agree with pp. These forums are invaluable!

But as far as books about the newborn phase go, I loved The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp. It's all about the "fourth trimester", I loved it.

 

[Izzie74]

Also, have you joined a group on here of people expecting in the same month as you? These groups often continue after births and you can ask questions, share experiences etc with people going through the same things at the same times as you.

 

[MindUtopia]

I found the Dr. Sears Attachment Parenting book to be really affirming. Also, he does a Baby Book (literally it's called The Baby Book) which has literally every single thing you could ever want to know about a baby in it. It's like the size of the Bible! But personally, I'm not really a book person. I think there is no book that can prepare you for parenting. It's just immersion in it and finding ways to cope. But the Baby Book was a really good reference, for instance, if you're having symptoms of an earache or for help with teething. But the Attachment Parenting book (if you are of that persuasion) was really affirming. I didn't feel like I read it and learned something totally new, but it helped me to feel completely confident in what I was already doing naturally as a parent because I was just following my instincts.

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

Friends bought us Baby 411 and I found it helpful! Otherwise I just followed DD's cues.

 

[LoveCakes]

I read the books when pregnant but didn't find them useful. Babies are so different and even midwives, books, friends, health visitors will give you conflicting advice

I found other mums and instinct were the best. You're not a mum till you have talked to someone in depth about what poo is normal