Which baby/parenting book do you like best?

jellyhead

apart from the baby booklets in the bounty packs etc. i don't think i had a baby book, not until i needed toddler taming. lack of sleep is horrible, babies need to get enough sleep but whether that means teaching them to fall asleep on their own and have regular naps, or just rocking them to sleep when they want it, and co-sleeping at night, whatever suits you works best. sleep to begin with will all depend on the baby's feeding - a tiny tummy needs feeding often. also, you can't expect a baby with health problems to behave like one without - reflux, colic and lactose intolerance (thought by some to be the cause of colic, some babies don't produce their own lactase enzyme until around 4 months old) may mean baby needs to be rocked, held in a certain position, massaged etc. for hours. if that's fine by you then no problem.

we don't really use any routine, it keeps changing as the baby goes for longer periods without milk. he does have his own internal routine though, wanting feeding at set times, naps at set times and they just adjust a little as his tummy holds more. he decided for himself to have a long sleep at night. he does always fall asleep after a bath, so anyone having sleep problems might want to try bath at bedtime rather than morning or throughout the day. routines can be gentle, they don't have to be regimented, just a pattern to let the baby know what's coming next. bath, sleepsuit, etc. before bed.

MeMe

What a relief to know that there are different opinions out there.. I fully respect both the routine and non-routine viewpoints. A couple of friends recommended I had a look at Gina Ford's book, which yesterday I did (bought cheaply from the sale at Ottaker's!) I have to say it absolutely terrifed me.. I ended up with a very fractious 7 week old last night which I put down to the fact that I was convinced I was doing everything wrong instinctively. Now reading everyone's comments I see that some like the routine way and some of us just have to wing it!

Something I have found useful is the Miriam Stoppard book, but that may be because I had her pregnancy one too, I liked the similar layouts (not that I fear change or anything!)

jellyhead

lol! i have a 'babycalming' book by the NCT which says not to use a proper routine until baby is around six months. well, a gentle routine maybe but it advises against leaving baby to cry at all, it says to pick up baby and give all the attention he asks for - apparently it makes babies more secure so they cry less as they get older. i did agree with the 6 month advice but i think that you could probably start a little earlier. my 22 week old baby does seem to be a bit manipulative, that's fine, it's the only way for him to get what he needs, but at 22 weeks i can definitely see him playing me up lol! at his age he should be calmed if i'm in the same room, but he glares at me with an expression that says 'i DEMAND to be picked up'. tonight he was whinging while we were eating but he was laughing at the same time, as if he knew he was being a whingebag for the sake of it, out of habit because that's what always happens when he sees us eating lol!

jellyhead

there's a free (if you buy the mag and pay the postage) chris green first year book with a magazine at the moment, i'll dig out the details and start a thread in 'grabbit'.

Gingham_Ribbon

The 'what to expect' books are good for general info and useful as a guide, but it IS only a guide and you shouldn't take the 'what they should be doing by this month' too seriously. We found that our son was months ahead on some of them and well behind on others.

I liked Penelope Leach's 'Your baby and child'.

But the Dr Green's Toddler Taming is right by my seat on the sofa for a quick check and is used a LOT!

mum26

Hi When my first baby was little I bought Libby Purves "how not to be the perfect...." series and they are really really good, they combine tips with "been there" knowledge and gave me masses of confidence, we've now got six children aged 10 and under (10, 6, 4, twins of 2 and a nearly 1 yr old) and this is the only parenting type books for that age range i still dip into

purplepurple

wow! 6 children.... you should be writing your own book for the rest of us! :snow_laug

mum26

lol, you really really wouldn't wanna hear my stuff, lol!
1) buy ear plugs

2) use em

lol

*Louise*

Well, I've never bothered buying any baby books, because I get any info I need online.

Try https://www.bounty.com

it has loads of info, and even has forums divided by chldrens' ages so you can chat to mums with babies of the same age.

bylromarha

I do find it amazing that everytime someone on here recommends Gina Ford as a good parenting book to read, there are always people who succeed in insulting us Fordies.

I have my own opinions about why I don't like "What to expect...", Miriam Stoppards books and others that are out there, however, I will not warn people off them when the poster asked for good parenting books to read. My opinion is Gina Ford gave my family and I our sleep from 9 weeks after birth. I love her.

We are all different people with different opinions on how to raise our children in the best way we possibly can. The OP is her own person and by pointing her in the right direction of books we have found invaluable, I'm sure she is capable enough for making her own decisions that are the best for her and her baby.

So can we stop Gina bashing now? Forever?!

PS: I haven't read this book, but a friend is raving about it. Apparently it's a relaxed version of Gina.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971453209/qid=1136207314/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1_1/202-6923172-0377405