labor and delivery books

Reading Material for Pregnancy and Parenthood

May 7, 2011

The short list. If you aren’t a big reader, but want the basic coverage: 1) Labor & Delivery. a) The Big Book of Birth, Erica Lyon; (an overview of labor and delivery options) b) The Birth Partner, Penny Simkin; (preparing your partner) and c) Husband-Coached Childbirth, Dr. Bradley (partner as coach). 2) From birth onward. a) The Baby Book, Dr. Sears; (the Bible of babycare) and b) HappyBaby: the Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months, Dr. Bob Sears (scientific specifics about “green” babycare). _____________________________________________________________ The long list, which includes all of the above, offers greater depth on various subjects: 3) Pregnancy and Prenatal Care. a) Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn, Penny Simkin et al; b) Mayo Clinic’s Complete Book of Pregnancy and Baby’s First Year, The Mayo Docs; and c) Healthy Eating for Pregnancy, Amanda Grant. 4) Natural Childbirth, Educated Decisions on Medical Interventions. a) Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin; b) The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth, Henci Goer; and c) Your Pregnancy and Childbirth, Month-to-Month, American College of OBGYNs. 5) Breastfeeding. a) The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, La Leche League; b) The Breastfeeding Book, Dr. Sears; and c) The Nursing Mother’s Companion, Kathleen Huggins. 6) Infant Sleep. a) The Sleep Book, Dr. Sears; b) The No-Cry Sleep Solution, Elizabeth Pantley and Dr. Sears; c) Sleeping With Your Baby, a parent’s guide to co-sleeping, James McKenna; and d) Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler, Ann Douglas. 7) Child Development. a) You Are Your Child’s First Teacher, Rahima Dancy; b) Naturally Healthy Babies and Children, Aviva Rahm; c) Boys and Girls Learn Differently, Michael Guerin; and d) Theories of Childhood, Carol Mooney. 8) Homemade Baby Food. a) Super Baby Food, Ruth Yaron; and b) The Petit Appetite Cookbook, Lisa Barnes.

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