Best Pregnancy Books (Grads Welcome!)

[Dogpaddle29]

Hi Everyone,
I come from the land of IF/TTTC so I am unfamiliar with most of you over here, but had a question and wanted the opinion from a bigger pool than just PAIF. Not sure if there is already a thread out there for this (and if there is please just point me in the right direction), but who can give recommendations on first time pregnancy books. I would like something easy to read, but that has the facts of things to watch out for, development of the baby at each stage, things I should be asking my doctor about, things to stay away from and things I should be doing.

Thanks everyone! Here are some cute baby goats in sweaters for your help.

[Deleted]

Omg congrats Dogpaddle29!!! So excited for you!

I got Your Pregnancy Week by Week.. I'm pretty meh on it. I learned a lot from my Ovia pregnancy app, and found it helpful.

MH has been reading The Expectant Father since I got pregnant and he seems to like it and found it informative.

[Dogpaddle29]

@easilyunamused, Thank you! We haven't made it to the first US yet so I haven't jumped over to PAIF quite yet. I am hoping I feel more comfortable after that. I will need to check out some apps I guess. MH does not read.... If he has a question or concern he will just google it. Unfortunately he questions everything I eat/drink/do and has been uber bossy. I know it's all for a good reason but still, back off boy.

[Deleted]

Jul 6, 2017 17:47:02 GMT -6 Dogpaddle29 said:

@easilyunamused, Thank you! We haven't made it to the first US yet so I haven't jumped over to PAIF quite yet. I am hoping I feel more comfortable after that. I will need to check out some apps I guess. MH does not read.... If he has a question or concern he will just google it. Unfortunately he questions everything I eat/drink/do and has been uber bossy. I know it's all for a good reason but still, back off boy.

Oh no! Try to nip that in the bud asap or it'll be a long 40 weeks for you. Plus, most of that thinking is pretty outdated. I'm sure you're more then capable of making healthy decisions on your own. Lol

[cakewench]

I'm a FTM and so far I've liked the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. The Amazon reviews said it was more informative and less touchy-feely than What to Expect, something I agree with after seeing the weekly videos they have on their app. (I do use the WTE app, as well as Ovia).

[Dogpaddle29]

Jul 6, 2017 19:36:15 GMT -6 cakewench said:

I'm a FTM and so far I've liked the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. The Amazon reviews said it was more informative and less touchy-feely than What to Expect, something I agree with after seeing the weekly videos they have on their app. (I do use the WTE app, as well as Ovia).

I have heard good things about that one. It's on my list!
Thanks!

[Taitai]

Congratulations Dogpaddle29! Happy to have you over here!

+1 to the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. I really liked it and found it informative. I also recommend Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina. DH loved that book as well.

Finally, while not really pregnancy related, we read the Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, and it was really helpful in getting us through the first three months with a newborn. I'd recommend reading it while pregnant, so you have an idea of what to do before baby arrives.

[Dogpaddle29]

Jul 6, 2017 21:54:29 GMT -6 Taitai said:

Congratulations Dogpaddle29! Happy to have you over here!

+1 to the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. I really liked it and found it informative. I also recommend Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina. DH loved that book as well.

Finally, while not really pregnancy related, we read the Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, and it was really helpful in getting us through the first three months with a newborn. I'd recommend reading it while pregnant, so you have an idea of what to do before baby arrives.

Great suggestion for a newborn book. I'll look into that. Thanks!

[joy]

I did the FertilityFriend pregnancy tracker and was very happy with it.

I also am going to recommend "Happiest Baby on the Block" for pregnancy reading. You won't have time once they're born so read it before birth and start prepared!

[Nymeria]

I liked the FertilityFriend pregnancy tracker and the Ovia app.

I also had the Mayo Guide to Pregnancy on my Kindle and liked it, but preferred the apps because it was easier to keep up on my phone.

[grumpycat]

Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy was amusing. I also liked What to Expect. I use the Ovia app for my current pregnancy. I liked Baby 411 for once baby is born. I've sent it as a gift too lol.

[ldubhawksfan]

Jul 7, 2017 12:10:51 GMT -6 joy said:

I did the FertilityFriend pregnancy tracker and was very happy with it.

I also am going to recommend "Happiest Baby on the Block" for pregnancy reading. You won't have time once they're born so read it before birth and start prepared!

Definitely this!! I read my darn pregnancy book, but didn't read anything about what to do when the baby was here with my daughter! Lol. I have a week by week pregnancy book that is fine, but the online trackers are just as helpful.

[jftb]

I didn't actually read any books. I had the Ovia app and would google information that I wanted/needed.

Happiest Baby on the Block was definitely a helpful read when she was born, but you could read it now to prepare.

[teachermomtobe]

I liked "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" more than "What to Expect". My H is also not a big reader. We watched the weekly videos together from the What to Expect app and it gave him a good overall understanding of what was going on. I also liked the Ovia app.

[Deleted]

teachermomtobe! Where have you been? How's life? Did you have your baby?!

[teachermomtobe]

Jul 12, 2017 12:34:33 GMT -6 @easilyunamused said:

teachermomtobe! Where have you been? How's life? Did you have your baby?!

Hi!! My BMB stuck around the other place for awhile since we were all giving birth/about to give birth. Now we moved to a private group and I joined a FB group but I was starting to miss all these familiar names so I decided to jump right in and play

I did have my baby. Victoria was born 6/8 and is perfect!

[Deleted]

Jul 12, 2017 13:39:48 GMT -6 teachermomtobe said:

Jul 12, 2017 12:34:33 GMT -6 @easilyunamused said:

teachermomtobe! Where have you been? How's life? Did you have your baby?!

Hi!! My BMB stuck around the other place for awhile since we were all giving birth/about to give birth. Now we moved to a private group and I joined a FB group but I was starting to miss all these familiar names so I decided to jump right in and play

I did have my baby. Victoria was born 6/8 and is perfect!

Congrats!! It's pretty slow here for us non parenting posters. Seems like most of the girls went to a FB group. Hope you'll stick around here too! I think the infant board has a little action.

[alwayscheese]

I've been following. Thanks for all the ideas. 😊 someone mentioned the Fertility Friend pregnancy app. Is that part of the reg app? Is it free? I can't figure out what people are talking about.

[piratecat]

Jul 6, 2017 17:47:02 GMT -6 Dogpaddle29 said:

@easilyunamused, Thank you! We haven't made it to the first US yet so I haven't jumped over to PAIF quite yet. I am hoping I feel more comfortable after that. I will need to check out some apps I guess. MH does not read.... If he has a question or concern he will just google it. Unfortunately he questions everything I eat/drink/do and has been uber bossy. I know it's all for a good reason but still, back off boy.

Expecting Better might be a good one for you (or you H if you can get him to read it) to read. It looks at research, or lack thereof, behind common pregnancy do's and don'ts and I found the food section helpful. It's a quick read and you should draw your own conclusions and decide on your own comfort level but it was helpful to see the slightly different point of view.

[alwayscheese]

Jul 13, 2017 6:58:05 GMT -6 alwayscheese said:

I've been following. Thanks for all the ideas. 😊 someone mentioned the Fertility Friend pregnancy app. Is that part of the reg app? Is it free? I can't figure out what people are talking about.

Quoting myself to bump this. Still hoping someone can answer

[Nymeria]

Jul 14, 2017 7:45:30 GMT -6 alwayscheese said:

Jul 13, 2017 6:58:05 GMT -6 alwayscheese said:

I've been following. Thanks for all the ideas. 😊 someone mentioned the Fertility Friend pregnancy app. Is that part of the reg app? Is it free? I can't figure out what people are talking about.

Quoting myself to bump this. Still hoping someone can answer

Missed this before so I'm glad you bumped it. When on the FF website, if I click Menu in the top left corner under the Charting Apps category at the top I have an option to click Pregnancy Tracker.

From the app on my Samsung Galaxy, I click the 3 lines in the top right corner to show the menu, then scroll down to Pregnancy Tracker towards the bottom.

I do have a VIP membership. I found mention to a "Pregnancy Membership" on the site, but since I already have a paid membership I can't seem to find where to sign up for this to see how much it may cost www.fertilityfriend.com/TechFaqs/Pregnancy-Membership.html

[alwayscheese]

Thanks! It works in the free version also, not sure why I didn't find it before. It's minimal, I'm guessing VIP has more stuff. Anyway THANKS Nymeria

[Nymeria]

Jul 14, 2017 8:17:26 GMT -6 alwayscheese said:

Thanks! It works in the free version also, not sure why I didn't find it before. It's minimal, I'm guessing VIP has more stuff. Anyway THANKS Nymeria

Glad you found it! You're welcome.

[Risscaboobs]

+however many for Happiest Baby on the Block. Helped so much the first few months of her life and helped my husband feel confident with a newborn.

[addymac]

Did anyone get the "Happiest Baby.." DVD? I mentioned the book to my DH and he was looking around on Amazon and google and said people also recommended the DVD. I haven't looked into it but figured I'd ask if anyone here got it and what they thought?

[Taitai]

Jul 16, 2017 9:34:56 GMT -6 addymac said:

Did anyone get the "Happiest Baby.." DVD? I mentioned the book to my DH and he was looking around on Amazon and google and said people also recommended the DVD. I haven't looked into it but figured I'd ask if anyone here got it and what they thought?

We didn't get the DVD, because I found some videos on YouTube from the author that basically demonstrated and described his whole philosophy/recommendations. I would look up the YouTube videos by the author first, and then see if you need the DVD. I think the YouTube one I watched was like 20-30 minutes, so really informative and free!

[pepperpottsj]

Jul 16, 2017 9:34:56 GMT -6 addymac said:

Did anyone get the "Happiest Baby.." DVD? I mentioned the book to my DH and he was looking around on Amazon and google and said people also recommended the DVD. I haven't looked into it but figured I'd ask if anyone here got it and what they thought?

The nurse who ran our birthing class recommended the DVD over the book, however our doula, prefers the book. We ended up getting both but I know MH will watch a DVD, no way is he reading a book.

[jewel]

I have the Mayo Clinic book as well, it was good general info, but definitely dry more like look things up than sit there and read it. I also have the baby version of that book.

For other books I feel like it depends a lot on you. I read so many books, maybe like 20. My two favorites and the only two I will be re-visiting this time around are expecting better (cool statistics based books that explores the guidelines given to pregnant women and whether there is data to back it up) and Natural Hospital birth (which has a lot of birth stories and labor coping methods and is targeting going med free inside a hospital)

[bethers]

+1 to Mayo. In general, try to keep your DH off of the internet/ make sure he sticks to reputable websites! Also a +1 to Girlfriends' Guide for some humor.

[Leaf 🌱]

Expecting Better is the best book ever. Some people find it to be too much information but I loved learning about the how and why behind everything you're told (not) to do. It was amazing scientific research in easily digestable chapters/sections. It put my mind at ease when I started to spiral about eating a piece of sushi or going for a major test and made me feel more confident and in control of my decisions.

www.amazon.com/Expecting-Better-Conventional-Pregnancy-Wrong/dp/0143125702

The author was raked over the coals for telling women they can have a small, occasional drink in later pregnancy and replied with science and peer reviews studies to support her stance. I knew she was my people.