The Girlfriends’ Guide to Baby Gear by Vicki Iovine and Peg Rosen
I liked the common-sense approach to product reviews in this book, along with useful shopping lists and recommendations. While not purely a bargain-hunters’ bible (for that, try Baby Bargains), this book still gives good advice about what you need, what you don’t need, what’s worth spending more on, and what isn’t. And some recommendations for what’s just fun.
Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense by Ellyn Satter
This book about feeding your child addresses topics from breastfeeding through picky toddlerhood. I like Satter’s philosophy, especially her reassurances that parents can only control certain aspects of a child’s eating habits. She writes equally and non-judgmentally about nursing and formula-feeding, which was nice to read during I time when I felt pressure on both sides. Now that my son is at a stage where he sometimes flings even his favorite foods away as though I were trying to feed him dirty socks, she has great advice about getting the right food in his tummy without driving myself insane.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Mark Weissbluth
There are hundreds of sleep books out there and I considered buying every single one of them at some point because I thought they might contain the magic incantation that would allow me to get more than three hours of shuteye at once. Alas, I never found that particular voodoo, but I was glad I’d read at least one book about sleep before the baby came and I was unable to concentrate on anything but old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy. I liked this book because it contained a lot of information and studies about how human sleep works. It (along with almost all its brethren) does contain some scary case studies (“Bluto and Olive had to clutch their baby with their toes while doing handstands in order to get him to sleep! But the day after they came to me, he slept through the night and was speaking in full sentences by morning!”) and I can’t say we used all the techniques espoused by Dr. Weissbluth, but I do recommend it as a reference for some good ideas and background information.
Baby Play by Gymboree
Fun, simple ideas for engaging your infant when he’s tired of the bouncy chair and you’re tired of blowing raspberries on his belly but too sleep-deprived to come up with anything else.
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year by Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott describes the helplessness and hopefulness of the daily job of parenting a newborn like no one else I’ve ever read. She is funny and wise and will remind you that even when you’re doing it wrong, you’re still doing it right.
What are your favorite new-mom books?
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I know this is supposed to be books we liked, but I have a lot that I didn’t like! I have a severe dislike for Weissbluth and his most referred to (extinction) methods. As an attachment parenting advocate, I found him and all the CIO books to be harsh and inconsistent with child development. I preferred The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley or Dr. Sears The Baby Sleep Book. I also dislike What to Expect The First Year (anti-cosleeping, pro-early weaning). I actually tolerated the book until around six months… early-weaning… no thank you!
Books I did like–
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
The No-Cry Sleep Solution (Baby and Toddler versions)
The Baby Sleep Book
How Weaning Happens
The No-Cry Discipline Solution (a lot of information on how to communicate and understand child development)
I know there are more, but they are slipping my mind. As I remember, I’ll come back!
Marias last blog post..Diva Cup– Early Impressions
I liked “The No-Cry Sleep Solution” and “The Attachment Parenting Book” (this one taught me to listen to what my instincts were telling me and forget all the advice other people give), also “What’s Going on in There: How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First 5 Years of Life,” and “Breastfeeding Made Simple: 7 Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers.”
I like the concept of “Baby Signs,” but the book is just okay, actually, kind of unnecessary, just get a print out of the signs with instructions. “Baby Minds” was not my cup of tea either (“What’s Going on in there?” is SOOO much better).
I’m halfway through “Parent Effectiveness Training: The Proven Program for Raising Responsible Children,” and it seems to be pretty good. I’d recommend it to attachment parenting parents.
I just ordered “How Weaning Happens,” “The No-Cry Discipline Solution,” “Mothering Your Nursing Toddler,” and “Parking Lot Rules & 75 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Children.” My mom is bringing them over, I’ll have to let you know how they are later.