Since I got pregnant I have been so focused on my pregnancy, reading about how our baby is growing inside of me and the changes I will undergo. I have been following my pregnancy by reading pregnancy sites on the net such as:
I check on the development of our baby on a weekly basis so I always have something to look forward to every week. I thought I was reading enough and then my mom friend and even dad friends told me about books I need to read. I felt like a student caught unprepared for the finals. I realize now that I still have much reading to catch up on. So I have to give my novels a rest for a bit to focus on these books during my free time.
A friend of mine lent me this book and it has been great because it answers most of the questions that I have. This book is a New York Times Best Seller and has been for 25 years already, considered as one of the most influential.The very copy that I was lent has been used by at least five women already.
A friend from Canada recommended that I start reading this book. I realized that I have not read anything yet on how to survive the first year so this is a must-read.
Parenting Guide to Your Baby's First Year by Anne Krueger
A mother of four recommended this to me so I am guessing this is a really useful book. I am also fortunate that she is lending me a copy.
Mothercare New Guide to Pregnancy and Babycare by Dr. Penny Stanway
I was told that this book has a list of things I need to get for the baby. It also has pictures (yey!) of how to carry and bathe the baby.
Happiest Baby on the Block
This book was recommended to me by a new mom. She says it's super helpful. The book teaches the reader how to calm the baby. I need this. I remember helping out my brother and my SIL for a few hours with my niece and it drove all of us crazy that she would not stop crying. There were many times we just could not figure out how to make her stop. This worried us because she cried so hard at times that she threw up.
I read some reviews about this book and learned that many parents thought that the book's content can just be summarized into one pamphlet. The entire book, they say, just repeats the 5 S's. Moreover, what is stated in this book may only be used in the first three months. Regardless, I think it is helpful if I put in here the 5 S's as the parents did say they were effective in calming the baby.
Swaddling - just ensure that the swaddle is tight enough so it simulates the environment in the womb. Tight enough but not too tight that the baby ends up with hip dysplasia. To be safe, I am really getting the Halo Sleepsack. I plan to get the 2 in 1 version for newborns. Swaddling is not recommended once the baby can already roll over and flip as this becomes a danger to them already.
Side Laying - allow the baby to lay on his side or on his tummy. Do not leave the baby to sleep this way as this has been found to be a danger for SID. The author says lying on his or her back gives the baby a sense of falling hence, baby feels insecure and so baby cries.
Swaying - while the baby is in the womb, the baby feels the gentle rocking in the womb. The swaying must be rhythmic but gentle to avoid the shaken baby syndrome.
Shushing - when the baby was in the womb, the baby heard shushing sounds. Actually, a closer sound is that of a washing machine's but sushing will do. Some recommend using white noise like a recorded washing machine or a vacuum cleaner. I hear this is available on Spotify.
Sucking - allow the baby to suck on a pacifier or your nipple so that the baby may calm himself or herself. I do not know about the pacifier as this may cause nipple confusion. I would think nursing would still be better.
In the end, after reading all the reviews, I ended up not reading this book anymore as I already know all the 5 S's.
My Baby Sleep Guide
This site provides guidelines on how to help the baby sleep: Swaddling, Sitting and Shush-Pat. I have not tried any of these to my niece before but who knows, this might work for our baby! Any help is really welcome when calming the baby.
Parenting Guide to Your Baby's First Year by Anne Krueger
A mother of four recommended this to me so I am guessing this is a really useful book. I am also fortunate that she is lending me a copy.
Mothercare New Guide to Pregnancy and Babycare by Dr. Penny Stanway
I was told that this book has a list of things I need to get for the baby. It also has pictures (yey!) of how to carry and bathe the baby.
Happiest Baby on the Block
This book was recommended to me by a new mom. She says it's super helpful. The book teaches the reader how to calm the baby. I need this. I remember helping out my brother and my SIL for a few hours with my niece and it drove all of us crazy that she would not stop crying. There were many times we just could not figure out how to make her stop. This worried us because she cried so hard at times that she threw up.
I read some reviews about this book and learned that many parents thought that the book's content can just be summarized into one pamphlet. The entire book, they say, just repeats the 5 S's. Moreover, what is stated in this book may only be used in the first three months. Regardless, I think it is helpful if I put in here the 5 S's as the parents did say they were effective in calming the baby.
Swaddling - just ensure that the swaddle is tight enough so it simulates the environment in the womb. Tight enough but not too tight that the baby ends up with hip dysplasia. To be safe, I am really getting the Halo Sleepsack. I plan to get the 2 in 1 version for newborns. Swaddling is not recommended once the baby can already roll over and flip as this becomes a danger to them already.
Side Laying - allow the baby to lay on his side or on his tummy. Do not leave the baby to sleep this way as this has been found to be a danger for SID. The author says lying on his or her back gives the baby a sense of falling hence, baby feels insecure and so baby cries.
Swaying - while the baby is in the womb, the baby feels the gentle rocking in the womb. The swaying must be rhythmic but gentle to avoid the shaken baby syndrome.
Shushing - when the baby was in the womb, the baby heard shushing sounds. Actually, a closer sound is that of a washing machine's but sushing will do. Some recommend using white noise like a recorded washing machine or a vacuum cleaner. I hear this is available on Spotify.
Sucking - allow the baby to suck on a pacifier or your nipple so that the baby may calm himself or herself. I do not know about the pacifier as this may cause nipple confusion. I would think nursing would still be better.
In the end, after reading all the reviews, I ended up not reading this book anymore as I already know all the 5 S's.
My Baby Sleep Guide
This site provides guidelines on how to help the baby sleep: Swaddling, Sitting and Shush-Pat. I have not tried any of these to my niece before but who knows, this might work for our baby! Any help is really welcome when calming the baby.
Things I know about breastfeeding I learned from the television and hosptal pamphlet and posters. I remember seeing a feature on the Oprah show many years back and the testimonies of the mothers are burnt in my memory forever. I have also many friends who breastfed and they really make it look so easy that if it were not for the horror stories I saw on Oprah, I would believe that all was really peachy and perfect in the breastfeeding land. The person lending me this book breastfed all her four kids. This book has been recommended to me twice already.
In Search of the Perfect Latch
This link enumerates things to watch out for so a breastfeeding mom can tell if she needs additional help. This also identifies indicators that will allow the mom to tell if the baby is indeed getting some milk. It's a short and easy read. This is actually from the blog The Leaky Boob which offers other interesting entries on breastfeeding and baby care. This was recommended to me by another mommy friend.
In Search of the Perfect Latch
This link enumerates things to watch out for so a breastfeeding mom can tell if she needs additional help. This also identifies indicators that will allow the mom to tell if the baby is indeed getting some milk. It's a short and easy read. This is actually from the blog The Leaky Boob which offers other interesting entries on breastfeeding and baby care. This was recommended to me by another mommy friend.
I have been also advised to read this blog. I already started and it features many useful links on breastfeeding. I like that though the author has been blogging for a while already, she has kept links to the very important posts that new moms must read.
The Wonder Weeks
This is actually a best selling book turned into an app. This was recommended to me by a friend who says that the most challenging stages are the growth spurt stages of an infant. Suddenly, the pattern of an infant will be altered and you have to figure everything out again. Hopefully, this app or book will be able to aid me in figuring things out.
Baby Rules for Baby by John Medina
This book explains how to raise a smart baby. This tries to dispel some myths about in utero practices like playing music, talking to the baby via Morse code. Seriously? I think this is a good read though I have not really finished this book yet.
The Wonder Weeks
This is actually a best selling book turned into an app. This was recommended to me by a friend who says that the most challenging stages are the growth spurt stages of an infant. Suddenly, the pattern of an infant will be altered and you have to figure everything out again. Hopefully, this app or book will be able to aid me in figuring things out.
Baby Rules for Baby by John Medina
This book explains how to raise a smart baby. This tries to dispel some myths about in utero practices like playing music, talking to the baby via Morse code. Seriously? I think this is a good read though I have not really finished this book yet.
I cannot force this on my husband because he is not really into reading books but I can peruse it and maybe let him know what he needs to know.
Update: I have read some parts of the book. I decided to read this because my husband cannot be coerced to read this. It has some things the husband needs to track like the movements of the baby and the frequency of contractions. It even has template of what the record table should look like! This book also features how the husband can assist the wife during labor which at this point, is not a priority since I have no delusional ambition to deliver the baby vaginally. I am already 35 and it may be risky to choose that route so I am preparing for a Caesarian delivery. The book details on how the Caesarian operation is going to go and I literally cried because it was so scary. I have undergone and appendectomy in the past and a breast cyst excision as well so I am no stranger to an operation. Nonetheless, it scares me crazy! I just need to look at the positive side, I will get to see our baby after all the gory parts.
Update: I have read some parts of the book. I decided to read this because my husband cannot be coerced to read this. It has some things the husband needs to track like the movements of the baby and the frequency of contractions. It even has template of what the record table should look like! This book also features how the husband can assist the wife during labor which at this point, is not a priority since I have no delusional ambition to deliver the baby vaginally. I am already 35 and it may be risky to choose that route so I am preparing for a Caesarian delivery. The book details on how the Caesarian operation is going to go and I literally cried because it was so scary. I have undergone and appendectomy in the past and a breast cyst excision as well so I am no stranger to an operation. Nonetheless, it scares me crazy! I just need to look at the positive side, I will get to see our baby after all the gory parts.
This teaches baby sign language. This is a YouTube channel that the baby and mommy can watch. I do not know how much our baby will like this but I am curious as to how it will pan out so I will try this out. My only issue is that this is in English and we want our baby to learn Filipino first before English. I guess I will have to watch this and then translate to our baby.
This promotes skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding and support to the mother and child. I think the hospital we chose provide support for this. What this says is that the baby has to have skin-to-skin contact with the mother immediately after birth. They say this will lessen the stress on the baby caused by separation from the mother. I will have to read more on this and its advantages.
I still have more or less four months to read all these. I need to prioritize breastfeeding materials though!
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