I don't often comment on the books I read. But, can I just tell you how GLAD I am to be done with the one I've been reading. I just can't NOT finish a book, but Love in the Time of Cholera was SO BORING! Maybe I'm not a literary giant and missed the epic-ness (no idea if it's a word) of this great work of art... but I was bored to death.
So... now I'm finished with that and I'm not starting another novel. I need to start reading my stack of 'baby books'. I'm starting to feel as ready as one can be for labor (I'll wait for all of you mothers to finish laughing) and am now starting to feel like... and then what? Breastfeeding, naps, schedules, crying -you know, all the stuff that happens the day AFTER you give birth.
My plan is to read a few (2-3 or maybe 4 or 5) books and try to just keep them in mind as I (we) try to figure out how this baby thing works. I'm well aware that there isn't ONE philosophy and plan that works for every mom and baby. But... I'm open to suggestions on what TO read and maybe a few of what NOT to read.
I'm starting with The Baby Whisperer and Baby Wise.
Good luck! It's basically going to be a whole lot of trial and error on the first one.
ReplyDeleteDan and I liked/like a lot of the stuff in Baby Wise. It has some good ideas and helped us to get our kids to sleep through the night early on (they are still great sleepers). Peyton took a little longer but that was for other reasons.
You already read Running with Scissors right? What else do you need to know about raising a family?
ReplyDeleteElliott is a "baby wise" baby. He was sleeping through the night with a regular schedule no later than 8 weeks. It's a little tough and mean, but that's why there are dads...they enforce the rules.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I seem to be the only "I fed my kid formula and he turned out fine" mom around these days, but it isn't too late for that, either. :) There's a lot to be said for dad having to get up for all those midnight feedings, too...especially after you've been with little bambino all day long!
I didn't read any books, all my kids were sleeping through the night by about 2 months. I did have colicie girls who I attempted the nurse and non-colicie boys who were 100% bottle feed. My kids are all perfect, now write a book!
ReplyDeleteBryon - you couldn't have said it any better - I think that is hilarious. Mel, if its any consulation, that book was a hard read for me too. I just didn't see what everyone was attracted to.
ReplyDeleteMelanie, I took that same book with me to the beach last summer (Love In The Time Of Cholera). I took honors english classes in college, my mom is an English teacher, and together, we are pretty smart. I felt like I needed a thesaurus to read the thing. I read it out loud to her every day until we were finished with it. Neither of us enjoyed it, but didn't stop reading it thinking it might get better. It didn't. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI HATED Baby Wise. One of my friends suggested it, but I felt like it was written so that people with perfect babies could feel good about themselves. My baby never slept long enough to fit the time schedule it laid out, so I was always frustrated, thinking I was doing something wrong, and my baby was always upset that I was trying to force him to wait until the book said it was time. The only thing I liked about it was the feed, wake, nap order, and a few misc useful tips. The book I prefer is Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. It focuses a lot more on reading YOUR baby and making a schedule that fits him, instead of trying to make him fit the book's schedule. It's longer, but you can read it in sections as your baby gets older.
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