So, we're having a baby
May 22, 2015 8:38 AM Subscribe
It's too early to share with parents, friends, and colleagues, but just the right time to open up to a bunch of internet strangers. Mrs. BJW and I are 9 weeks pregnant. (YAY!!) I would like to ask the hive for help finding 2 things: First, a website that I saw referenced here but can no longer find. Second, the current best "What to Expect" book out there.
The website was a lighthearted, illustrated list of what's going on during each week of pregnancy for both baby and mom. Something along the lines of "Week 2: Nugget is the size of a split pea. You don't even know you're pregnant, but, wow! you're sure getting tired quickly these days." Might have been part of a more extensive Mommy site, but the list was the only thing I looked at. The first time I looked at it, it was from following a link from AskMe, but it's now hiding.
Second, what's the most excellent, calming, informative, non-preachy "What to Expect" type of book out there these days?
Thank you!
The website was a lighthearted, illustrated list of what's going on during each week of pregnancy for both baby and mom. Something along the lines of "Week 2: Nugget is the size of a split pea. You don't even know you're pregnant, but, wow! you're sure getting tired quickly these days." Might have been part of a more extensive Mommy site, but the list was the only thing I looked at. The first time I looked at it, it was from following a link from AskMe, but it's now hiding.
Second, what's the most excellent, calming, informative, non-preachy "What to Expect" type of book out there these days?
Thank you!
As for books, I had the Sears' Pregnancy Book and found it informative, comprehensive, and non-preachy. I don't always agree with the Sears' parenting advice, but the pregnancy book is fine.
Expecting Better is a good counterpoint to all the "omg you ate a frozen yogurt your baby is in DANGER" paranoia you'll find. It's not a complete pregnancy guide, but it's worth a read if you start feeling overwhelmed by all the pregnancy scaremongering.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:47 AM on May 22, 2015 [2 favorites]
Expecting Better is a good counterpoint to all the "omg you ate a frozen yogurt your baby is in DANGER" paranoia you'll find. It's not a complete pregnancy guide, but it's worth a read if you start feeling overwhelmed by all the pregnancy scaremongering.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:47 AM on May 22, 2015 [2 favorites]
It sounds like the tone of the "What to Expect" app... but similar to the Baby Center stuff (which really annoys me because they advised you only eat 2-300 extra calories a day and ONLY in the 3rd trimester- what a bunch of bollocks!) I bought The Panic Free Pregnancy after seeing it advised on Ask... but my personal BIG TIME favorite is the Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Lovine... its the BEST! Congratulations!
posted by catspajammies at 8:47 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by catspajammies at 8:47 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hey, congratulations! I found the AlphaMom pregnancy calendar through AskMe, I'm pretty sure, and loved it. ("Week 9: Is about the size of a grape, or perhaps a cocktail olive, the kind that’s marinated in vermouth and stuffed with blue cheese.")
I read a ton of books and but basically discarded anything scare-mongery within a few pages. Seconding the Sears pregnancy book and adding the Mayo Clinic book, which describes the medical stuff pretty well.
posted by SeedStitch at 8:48 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
I read a ton of books and but basically discarded anything scare-mongery within a few pages. Seconding the Sears pregnancy book and adding the Mayo Clinic book, which describes the medical stuff pretty well.
posted by SeedStitch at 8:48 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's not a "what-to-expect," but the hospital gave us a copy of Your Baby's First Year, which we found very helpful and non-scary.
posted by uncleozzy at 8:51 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by uncleozzy at 8:51 AM on May 22, 2015
T. Berry Brazelton, The First Two Years, broken down in months. This book is a great roadmap for curing worries and simple info. Under the name Brazelton, you should find the accurate book name.
Don't buy any baby clothes for under nine months in size.
posted by Oyéah at 8:58 AM on May 22, 2015
Don't buy any baby clothes for under nine months in size.
posted by Oyéah at 8:58 AM on May 22, 2015
I prefer non-cutesy books. These were my three:
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
The Big Book of Birth
Heading Home with Your Newborn
posted by typecloud at 8:58 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
The Big Book of Birth
Heading Home with Your Newborn
posted by typecloud at 8:58 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Zero to Forty was it. Thanks! Keep the book rec's coming!
posted by bluejayway at 9:01 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by bluejayway at 9:01 AM on May 22, 2015
Seconding Expecting Better. It was a tremendous help in not getting completely overwhelmed by the internet (or advice in general).
posted by DrJohnEvans at 9:03 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by DrJohnEvans at 9:03 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
BabyCenter does awesome weekly emails that walk you through the whole process.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:12 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by blue_beetle at 9:12 AM on May 22, 2015
I like Expecting Better, The Panic-Free Pregnancy, and thebump.com and babycenter.com for the week-by-week stuff. I also like the Mumsnet Pregnancy discussion site, although a lot of the information there will be UK-specific.
posted by Anne Neville at 9:44 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by Anne Neville at 9:44 AM on May 22, 2015
Our youngest child is 13 so my memories of pregnancy books are a but hazy, but as I recall Your Pregnancy Week By Week was chock full of "It's week 16! You should worry about this, this and this!", while What to Expect While You're Expecting was more "It's week 16! You may experience this, that and the other. The first two are totally normal and nothing to worry about, and the other might or might not indicate a problem so you should probably mention it to your OBGYN."
posted by Gelatin at 10:28 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by Gelatin at 10:28 AM on May 22, 2015
Baby 411 is useful while pregnant and VERY useful once the baby arrives.
posted by Silvertree at 10:53 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by Silvertree at 10:53 AM on May 22, 2015
This book is the BIBLE for first time parents, written by the American Academy Of Pediatrics, so you know it's going to be serious, informative and well-researched. First published decades ago, now in its 5th edition. I get a copy for each of my breeder friends :)
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 5th Edition: Birth to Age 5
I mean, read just the first couple reviews. GET THIS BOOK PLEASE.
posted by intermod at 11:04 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 5th Edition: Birth to Age 5
I mean, read just the first couple reviews. GET THIS BOOK PLEASE.
posted by intermod at 11:04 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
I came in to recommend Zero to Forty, too. I've been reading it since about week 16 and loving it. Almost 26 weeks along here. Congratulations and good luck with everything!
I've been going through the pretty standard ones (What to Expect, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, etc), but also gave this book to my husband as a bit of a joke since he's a techie, and it's actually quite a bit more detailed and informative than I expected it to be.
Personally, one of my favorites was From the Hips, which was a completely random find at a used book store.
posted by meowf at 11:23 AM on May 22, 2015
I've been going through the pretty standard ones (What to Expect, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, etc), but also gave this book to my husband as a bit of a joke since he's a techie, and it's actually quite a bit more detailed and informative than I expected it to be.
Personally, one of my favorites was From the Hips, which was a completely random find at a used book store.
posted by meowf at 11:23 AM on May 22, 2015
Though I think I should add, From the Hips isn't necessarily calming, but does fit the informative, non-preachy elements well.
posted by meowf at 11:27 AM on May 22, 2015
posted by meowf at 11:27 AM on May 22, 2015
When my wife was pregnant with our first, I read and appreciated The Birth Partner. Calm, clear, non-preachy.
You didn't ask, but a great blog for new parents is The Science of Mom. It is great, and the author also wrote a book, due out in July, also called The Science of Mom.
posted by that's candlepin at 11:46 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
You didn't ask, but a great blog for new parents is The Science of Mom. It is great, and the author also wrote a book, due out in July, also called The Science of Mom.
posted by that's candlepin at 11:46 AM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Baby Bargains was an extremely helpful book -- it's about what you need to buy, what you don't need to buy, etc., with product/company reviews as well.
posted by trillian at 12:32 PM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by trillian at 12:32 PM on May 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes to Alpha Mom, yes to Expecting Better, also, if you like science-based stuff then check out Evidence Based Birth, interesting blog on the subject. It will become more relevant as the pregnancy progresses.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2015
posted by treehorn+bunny at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2015
The Kid by Dan Savage and Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions are two of my favorites. Both are less (or not at all) about being pregnant and more about becoming a patent.
posted by vespabelle at 1:00 PM on May 22, 2015
posted by vespabelle at 1:00 PM on May 22, 2015
On a humorous note: Let's Panic About Babies!
To be re-read for #2, if such is in the cards. Even better then.
posted by mfu at 6:22 PM on May 22, 2015
To be re-read for #2, if such is in the cards. Even better then.
posted by mfu at 6:22 PM on May 22, 2015
I loved the AlphaMom calendar linked above, and would also recommend Lucie's List when you start thinking about all the gear you need (or don't need!) to buy. My favorite books were Your Pregnancy Week by Week - I had an older hand me down version and I loved it because it was weekly whereas most of the other books are monthly - and the Mayo Clinic Guide to Pregnancy because it was straightforward and not cutesy like some of the others.
posted by echo0720 at 7:18 PM on May 22, 2015
posted by echo0720 at 7:18 PM on May 22, 2015
Nthing the Mayo Clinic guide. No nonsense, not panic-inducing as so many of my friends have warned me that the What to Expect series is.
posted by vignettist at 8:56 PM on May 22, 2015
posted by vignettist at 8:56 PM on May 22, 2015
Multimedia suggestions:
the Babycenter app
One Bad Mother, a podcast
posted by Night_owl at 4:53 AM on May 23, 2015
the Babycenter app
One Bad Mother, a podcast
posted by Night_owl at 4:53 AM on May 23, 2015
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Congratulations!
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:40 AM on May 22, 2015 [5 favorites]