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What to Expect When You’re Expecting is a book that hardly needs an introduction.  It is probably one of the most ubiquitous pregnancy books out there, its first edition published in 1984.  Now in its 3rd edition, it has been revised and updated in 2002.  Almost every mother I talk to has read it when she was pregnant, and it was also the first book that I got when I found out that I was expecting.  I wanted a book that I could use as my single reference source for all the important information, and I haven’t been disappointed.

While What to Expect is not the most “hip” pregnancy book out there and it may not cover the latest trends, it is a reliable manual that addressess all of the most common pregnancy questions and concerns in a comprehensive, well organized, and easy to read format.   In its 500-plus pages, it covers everything from diagnosing pregnancy to labor and delivery, including the first six weeks of postpartum.  It also includes special chapters for expectant fathers, high-risk pregnancies and complications, and even preconception prep for your next baby.

My favorite aspect of this book is that the main contents are organized by the month of preganancy - so that after reading a couple of introductory chapters, including a special chapter on the pregnancy diet, you can go to the chapter that corresponds to the month you are currently in.  This makes navingating the book and planning your reading very manageable.  Instead of trying to read the entire book non-stop, you can simply break it up into chunks by reading only the chapters that are relevant to you.

Each chapter is helpfully broken up into small sections, so that you can pick up the book and learn something useful even if you only have a few minutes of free time.  Many of these sections are organized in the form of Q&A that address the most common concerns and questions that pregnant women typically have at this time.  So, if a question does not apply to you, you can simply skip ahead to the next one.  Other sections that appear in each monthly chapter include what to expect at your doctor’s visit this month, how your baby is developing, and what physical and emotional symptoms you may be having.  Finally, each chapter includes a “What It’s Important to Know” section, which addresses an important subject in more detail, such as weight gain, exercise, getting ready for breastfeeding, etc.

In short, What to Expect is a very practical and useful book that you will be referring to again and again throughout your pregnancy.  If you were only to get one pregnancy-related book, I would certainly recommend that this should be it.  With so many of these books in circulation, you may not even need to buy one - just ask one of your friends who had a baby in the past few years; chances are, she will have a copy to share with you!

Babies don’t care if they’re wearing designer clothes or sleeping on designer sheets. Let’s be realistic. Babies just want to be comfortable.” - From Baby Bargains

After the initial delight of finding out that I was pregnant, my mind moved on to the more practical things (as it’s generally prone to do).  One of those things was getting ready for the baby’s arrival.  Unfortunately, being a first-time expectant mother, I had only a vague idea of what “baby things” one actually needs.  Sure, I knew a few basics - like a crib, for example.  But even when it comes to choosing a crib, I wasn’t really sure what to look for, and with cribs ranging in price from one hundred to over a thousand dollars, I also wanted to make the smart decision financially.  With the dizzying array of baby and maternity products available, it is difficult for new parents to choose the right products and separate the essentials from wastes of money.  Baby products being a multi-billion dollar industry, many manufacturers play on the parents’ desire to get the best thing possible for their baby combined with lack of knowledge about what they really need. 

Determined to make the best possible choices for my future baby, I did some research and came across Baby Bargains.  In its 7th edition at the time of this writing, this book is considered the “Consumer Reports” of baby and maternity products, and having now read it, I have to agree that it is a “must” for new parents.

The book is organized by chapters, each pertaining to a specific category of products, such as “Nursery Necessities”, “Maternity/Nursing Clothes”, “Car Seats”, etc.  Within each category, it goes into detail on the product basics, what you need when, where to find these products, and what to look for.  Each chapter also includes many money-saving tips, including my favorite section, “Wastes of Money”.  Finally, each chapter provides ratings and recommendations of specific retailers and brand names. 

What I like the most about this book is that it’s comprehensive and objective.  While the title suggests that its goal is to help you save money, the price is not the sole guiding factor and is balanced with other considerations, such as the quality of the product and what is best for the baby.  The book features all major brands, not just the cheapest ones, and provides suggestions in all price categories.  That way, if you really want to splurge in one area, at least you will know what is worth spending those extra dollars on.

Even though we haven’t started purchasing any baby products yet, I’m already finding the book essential in doing research and putting together the list of things to buy.  I have also been able to put its chapter on maternity products to good use even in the earlier stages of my pregnancy.  I highly recommend it for all expectant parents as a true life-saver (and a money-saver too).