Which Book Should I Get?
Books about pregnancy and parenting abound. Part of my job as an educator is to read most of the popular (and not so popular) books on these issues. Here are my picks with reviews for some of the best books around:
Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Newborn by Simkin, Whalley & Keppler
This is a great all around book. It is very readable and uses a lot of visual aids, in the forms of pictures, diagrams, charts, etc., to get the content across. Most topics and concerns are touched on in this book. If you only read one book, this should be the one. Drawback: It is not quite as detailed for my taste, but I like to read the details, not everyone does.
The Birth Book by Dr. William and Martha Sears
The Birth Book mainly covers the last few weeks of pregnancy and birth, with some postpartum thrown in for good measure. I really enjoy this book, because not only do the Sears bring medical know-how from the doctor-nurse team that they are, but from the standpoint of parents of eight children! This book is very middle of the road, it does not preach one method of childbirth or style, but rather explains in a very unbiased manner the nature of benefits and risks of each form of birth and each intervention. There are great stories thrown in along with drawings and tables for easy to understand information. Drawback: They need to write a pregnancy book too.
Easing Labor Pain by Adrienne Lieberman
Finally! A book that really talks about what everyone wants to know, what is the pain in labor like and how can I deal with it. Unlike so many books written by anesthesiologists or advocates of natural childbirth, this book talks about all of the methods of pain relief from acupressure, massage, heat and cold therapy, hydrotherapy, to epidurals and IV narcotics. It also discusses what causes pain and how environment, emotions, and other factors can influence the pain.
The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin
This book is designed for anyone caring for a laboring woman. It has long been a standard book in professional labor support trainings, despite its original intent for the partner of the woman. It really goes into detail over the various things that may occur and how to support her through these. It has a great section on helping someone who does not want medications, back labor, cesarean birth and other scenarios. A must read for anyone going in the labor room!
The Baby Book by Dr. William and Martha Sears
Another great book from the parenting team of eight children! This book can be read cover to cover, but more realistically it is well divided for reading in the few minutes that you have once the baby gets there. The Baby Book has sections on deciding about personal issues such as circumcision and infant feeding, and support for all choices. Handy references to help you know when to call the pediatrician, and even on how to find Dr. Right for your baby.
The Nursing Mothers Companion by Kathleen Huggins
This is my favorite breastfeeding book. It is conveniently broken down into sections dealing with the first few days, the first two weeks, etc. This makes it easier to read and easier to find the information you need quickly. It also discusses issues such as breastfeeding and returning to work, pumping, supplementing, common problems, where to get help, and weaning.
