Did you/do you use parenting book's

[Peaceangels]

A friend of mine has just had her first baby and I was thinking about buying her the 'Baby Love' book by Robin Barker, it got me thinking whether mum's do still use these (I know I did and got a immeasurable amount of information from it - not as much as from Bubhub of course!!:D ).

So my question is - did you/do you use a parenting book as a reference during your babies first year (or beyond)? If so, which one?

[spring]

I havn't used any parenting books really though I would love to get my hands on a copy of The No Cry Sleep Solution For Toddlers.

[Rainbowbrite]

I did, & I think it helped a great deal.....though I didnt get it till MJ was a few months old. Next time though, I will be using it from day 1 :yes:

I have read Baby Love, but it wasnt for me, I much prefered "The Happiest Baby On The Block" - By Harvey Karp, M.D.

[aardvark]

I had a book for #1, referred to it often.

Glanced at same book for #2.

With #3, I don't have a book, don't know where it is even!

[annsam]

Absolutely!!:yes: I had no idea which way was up on a newborn. I owe my sanity to Robin Barker. Dont know if I'll need them this time around but they are good to keep handy as Im sure Ive forgotten more than I remember.

[mum2peanut]

Baby Love is my bible, a friend bought it for me for my baby shower (she was already a mummy) and it's the only one i've used. I think it was one of my best baby shower pressies.

[mikaylasmummy]

No I have never used them. I have always been told that no amount of parenting books can prepare you for motherhood. Every mum makes her mistkes here and there but we lear from them. As time goes by we learn how to be a mother and then these things come naturally.

[~rambox~]

No I have never used them. I have always been told that no amount of parenting books can prepare you for motherhood. Every mum makes her mistkes here and there but we lear from them. As time goes by we learn how to be a mother and then these things come naturally.

:thumbsup: As long as you can learn from your mistakes you will be right. No mum is in anyway perfect oh except me :laughing:

Some of those books can be contridicting to others and more confusing then helpful.

[mikaylasmummy]

Some of those books can be contridicting to others and more confusing then helpful.



yes well must admit when I 1st found out I was preggers I did get some, but I foun alot of conflicting infomation, that is another reason why I ould not reccomend them, but I guess it's up to each and everyone and what they choose

[mumofcaleb]

Yes I use "The Baby Book" by Sears and Sears

[HugsAndKisses]

I havent bought any books but i love getting all the parenting mags....but i often go into bookstores and look at some books for parenting but they are a bit expensive so id love it if someone else bought it for me:laughing:

why not buy her a gift voucher for a bookstore instead and tell her the book you had in mind and she may buy it or find something else she's interested in reading:D

Good luck with it...let us know wat u do:yes:

[Scout]

BabyLove has been the bible in this house. For me, Robin Barker speaks simply and it is so easy to reference things in the back of the book.

I'm a prolific reader and tend to take what I need and ignore what I don't. I don't think that I've ever found bad advice in Robin Barker's book (I also have her Baby and Toddler Meals book and will get the Mighty Toddler).

At the end of the day though, it really is each to their own.

[draught]

Baby Love was my bible.
I was given mine and have now given it to a number of people I know and they all love it.

[mum2bubba]

I have got "what to expect when you're expecting" (not really a parenting book but anyway) and "the complete book of mother and baby care" they are both good books to get ideas from.

[kiah]

When preggers i read "what to expect when u r expecting" and hav "What to expect i the first yrs". I just use them as a reference point to see how my bub is developing.

Experience has taught me much but i do luv to read. Every week i get between 5 - 10 books to read.

[MummyCharmzy]

I did and still do occasionally.. I have almost every one i've ever heard of lol Up the Duff and Kid wrangling.... the set of 'what to expect' books, Baby Love and the mighty toddler.... the no cry sleep solution.... sleep time.... how to discipline without shouting and spanking.... and so many more...

through my pregnancys it was a life saver and any time I have any concerns that I havent experienced before its nice to have a little back up for advice!

[Frazzled]

Robin Barker is my angel from above. I just found myself reading Baby Love at every opportunity I had when Elliot was a small baby, and now we are reading/using Mighty Toddler. She is just so nonsense, and being anti-CC and all those regimented regimes, she just is for me. The best gift i was given and I now buy it for everyone!

[faery]

"the fussy baby book" by Sears and Sears.
saved my sanity

[lukaelmo]

I will probably be shot down in flames for this, but I loved The Baby Whisperer, by Tracey Hogg...

I didn't follow it to the letter, but I had had no experience with bubbas before my own, and I am not the most maternal type, so I needed all the help I could get :laughing:.

[motherhoodlmb]

Yes, I'm an avid reader of parenting books and take from them what I will. I read What to expect in the first year and thought it was a good reference plus I got great info from my maternal health centre. But I have heard wonderful things about Baby Love and think it's a great gift - even just a reference for a thing or two which may be challenging her.

However, now that my kids are older my bible is One Step Ahead Raising 3-12 year olds by Michael Grose.

[Bibs]

I've consulted several books and still do. I read the books and take the bits which work for bub and us and ignore bits which don't.

Baby love by Robin Barker
baby and toddler meals by robin barker
Babies by Christopher Green
No cry sleep solution
The complete book of mother and baby care by Elizabeth Fenwick (lots of photos)
The secrets of the baby whisperer
Raising Girls by Gisela Preuschoff
Steve Biddulph's raising happy children

[Kaylene]

A friend of mine has just had her first baby and I was thinking about buying her the 'Baby Love' book by Robin Barker, it got me thinking whether mum's do still use these (I know I did and got a immeasurable amount of information from it - not as much as from Bubhub of course!!:D ).

So my question is - did you/do you use a parenting book as a reference during your babies first year (or beyond)? If so, which one?

I never found time to sit and read them. I have a huge collection but cant recommend one as they are all unread.

K

[oleander]

I read the 'What to expect book" and "Up the Duff" while pregnant.

I read bits and pieces from various parenting books and magazines. I like Kaz Cookes humour in "Kid Wrangling" - makes it easy to read and understand.

[~mia&ryan~]

I love babylove!!!! Its great, other than that I just read parenting mags..

[m0nal1sa]

The Robin Barker books are great. Unlike other books, you don't have to read it all the way through. Just refer to the appropriate section when you need to look up something.

We used Baby Love over any others that I had bought, and now use the Mighty Toddler. Brilliant stuff!

m0na

[Jenko]

I love Baby Love - used it with DD and i've got it back out this time for tips with DS.

I also have the Mighty Toddler and Robin Barkers "Baby and Toddler Meals"

I also have "what to expect in the first year" but i haven't used that as much as Baby Love.

[MariaO]

I probably used Baby Love the most in the first year but I had a host of parenting books that I read. I utilized some of the advice and ignored the bits that did not suit me. I also used my intuition (rightly or wrongly) rather than following anything too religiously.

[ourfirstbubba]

I will probably be shot down in flames for this, but I loved The Baby Whisperer, by Tracey Hogg...

I didn't follow it to the letter, but I had had no experience with bubbas before my own, and I am not the most maternal type, so I needed all the help I could get :laughing:.

I love this book! She is wonderful I think!

[SassyMummy]

Not really.

I DO have the 3 "What to Expect" books... (one about preg, one about babies and one about toddlers...), but I just use them as a 'guideline.' They tell me what DD should be eating, should be able to do skill-wise, etc etc. Also tells me what to do if emergency strikes. I look them up occassionally, but otherwise I just go with the flow.

I don't bother with books, because IMO, kids can't possibly have guidebooks! I would laugh if DP had a book called, "The Happy Girlfriend" book...and followed it to try and make me happy. What works for one, does not work for another, IMO.

The main baby-books I use are cook books...

[Brenda]

Yep, it was Baby Love for me too in the first year and The Mighty Toddler beyond. Have found them both invaluable.

[Little_Toad]

Absolutely!!:yes: I had no idea which way was up on a newborn. I owe my sanity to Robin Barker. Dont know if I'll need them this time around but they are good to keep handy as Im sure Ive forgotten more than I remember.


And your occupation is... ??? :laughing: :laughing:

I bought baby love and loved it. Also just finishing off "Save our Sleep" which Dp picked out and strongly suggested we read.

[susiehomemaker]

Baby Love (Robin Barker) & Mighty Toddler (also R.B.) I love these books- esp Baby Love. I dubbed it our baby bible. I disagree with her saying that "teething" doesnt affect babies though... :-D It was good to have a sort of reference book to give us some idea's etc, and for things like how much formula to feed bub's & a sort of guide to a babies development. I also had a book for during my pregnancy (packed away- cant remember what it is called) that was fabulous- I would read the development section every week to see what my little bub was up to :-) lol- I read the labour stuff but skipped the c-section stuff as I didnt want to know & then ended up having an emergency ceasar. I think I was better off not knowing :-D

[Duchessa]

I read everything I got my hands on. It can only help. I was not selective, taking stuff from both sides of the parenting fence. I have thrown some in the bin though, I thought they were such ****, like the "What to expect..." one and the Christopher Green one. Kid Wrangling gave me the ****s too - I was VERY disappointed with Kaz's approach after the first one, which I bought for my hb.

The best one by far that I read was "Mothering Multiples", an American book that was very pragmatic and gentle in its approach.

[pookiesossige]

I read all Dr Sears' online stuff and brought 'Parenting the Fussy Baby and High-Need Child'- man, I needed that book!! Dr Sears and his wife have the most wonderful approach to parenting :)