What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of What to Expect the First Year
Book Review: Detailed, valuable and recommended!
Summary: 5 Stars
I would like to recommend this book especially to first time mothers because it has wonderful month by month pictures and information detailing the monthly changes in your body. The author has presented "everything" in a step-by-step format, which is very useful and easy to follow. This book will answer most of your questions. It provides also a lot of information about what may go wrong. I guess that this specific information could be presented in a milder way because more anxious mothers-to-be may get worried.
I want to advise you to do your best to avoid any stress during the pregnancy because it will raise the levels of Adrenalin in your body. This will cause an aggressive/depressive mood swings and higher blood pressure. That's why whenever you read something potentially disturbing in this book take it easy and if there are any complications consult with your health care provider.
Being a sexual therapist as well, I advised my daughter to buy in addition to this book scientist Ritz' bestseller "Scientfically guaranteed male multiple orgasms and ultimate sex". Pregnancy is a tough period for sex no matter how much you strive to be intimate with your husband. That's why he most probably will feel bad or even rejected from the serious decrease in your intimate contacts. Scientist Ritz has made a breakthrough with the discovery of "The VIP Muscle", which generates multiple orgasms in men with or without a partner. That's' why my daughter's husband was very happy and calmed from this book (a proof that she thinks for him). Now she reads "What to expect when you are expecting" while he reads Ritz' book and prepares for "ultimate sex" after the delivery. I recommend both books!
Book Review: If you buy just one baby book, buy this
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is essential reading for any new parent. The sections are helpfully divided into each month of your baby's first year, with a format that is easy to understand. I found the 'what your baby should do this month' particularly useful to chart development, and the authors (rightfully so) clearly point out that these are only guidelines, so you don't get too paranoid about what your baby is and isn't doing. The authors present the facts in an unbiased way, and it is fully up to date with current research and parenting theories. This was given as a maternity gift to me by someone else who had read this book, and I likewise bought a copy for another friend, so pleased was I with this book. Useful sections also about first aid and looking after your diet in the postnatal period. Like the book itself says, it really is a parenting book that stands alone.Book Review: Answers ALL of your questions
Summary: 4 Stars
This is THE most useful book you can buy as a first time parent.
It's a kind of Baby-bible really and I would suggest you buy it BEFORE junior arrives as it has lots of useful advice about what you need and what you'll be doing in the first weeks. (And lets face it you won't have time to read books in those early days...)
It's written like a list of FAQs for each month of baby's first year, but rather than presenting only one viewpoint or answer, it describes all current views on a subject, gives you the facts then lets you decide what's appropriate advice for YOU and YOUR baby.
Sometimes it's just enough to know that something you're experiencing is completely normal and has been experienced by other people. Sometimes you have questions that seem too trivial to bother the health visitor with so this book provides a useful back up.
It covers health topics, behaviour, and likely development stages for each month. A useful book for dads too - especially in the first few weeks when they can feel like they're reliant on the women-folk to know what's going on (don't know why - first time mums feel as clueless as everyone else at times!!).
The only down-side, and the reason I've only given the book 4 stars, is that it was obviously written for the American market but has been 'Anglified' and almost all of the examples have been re-written to cover English views/laws etc, however now and then you find a bit of the American lingo still hanging around. The examples are still useful though, but you just get a feel that they're not quite as relevant.
Book Review: dipping in and out
Summary: 3 Stars
Is what I've been doing with this book! I should have bought it before my daughter arrived because i didn't really have much time when she was born and the beginning part of the book is very useful - lots of it common sense but useful all the same. As the months go by I find myself looking at it less - I dip in and out from time to time but not as much as I did at the beginning. I wouldn't just get this book as I think you need lots of advice from various sources on how to cope with a new baby.Book Review: A helpful book with lots of useful information, without being biased
Summary: 4 Stars
What I like about this book is that it gives you all the information without being biased one way or the other. For example, it gives the pros and cons of dummies, and isn't at all "preachy" about one view point being better than the other, unlike many other books which are pushing the author's own agenda and plan for sleeping/feeding/dummies etc.
The information is presented as questions, based on the age of your baby in months. Of all the books I have, this is the one I look at to get comprehensive information and the full picture on any subject or question, from when to use a highchair, through to what to do if I think my baby has a temperature. I've found it invaluable.