Book(s) for Toddler

[lifeguard]

I would like to get a couple nice books for ds to read through the pregnancy so he can understand what is happening & what will happen.

I've looked briefly here in the library & Chapters but all the books I find are the same: mommy's getting big, you can feel the baby, painting the room, etc. Then mommy goes away for a day & comes home with a baby in a bucket. You can help give bottles, etc. Totally glosses over the whole birth process.

I want a book that reflects more what our life will look like (baby in arms, breastfeeding, sleeping together, etc.) & at least touches on childbirth.

Any suggestions?

[Chloe'sMama]

DDC Crashing-

Well, this one is similar to what you already looked at, but I really liked it... showed mommy nursing on several pages.  There are no words, so it is something you can make your own story for.  Called 'my new baby.'  also another one about pregnancy by the same author, but I don't remember the title.

http://www.amazon.com/My-New-Baby/dp/0859539741

I would love to hear other ideas though, for next time.  If you are having a home birth, I suggest watching some birth videos with him, that prepared DD much more for what was going to happen.  She did great at the birth (she was 26 months).

Good luck!

[capretta]

Ha. I was just looking at "preparing for the new baby" books for my nephew. In the end, I opted for books about trucks and trains instead, but I did see one that might interest you: Babies Don't Eat Pizza. Most of the negative reviews say that it is too explicit or wordy for young children, but it gets several positive reviews, at least a couple of which mention 3 year olds.

[emmaegbert]

I loved the book "welcome with love" http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Love-Jenni-Overend/dp/0916291960 but its out of print and mad expensive. I found a used copy before DD was born for much less than I see listed right now. I need to retrieve the book from the friends we gave it to!

EDIT: A different edition is called "Hello Baby" and its much cheaper! (at least on Alibris)

Its about a homebirth, shows the midwife and all her equipment, depicts the older children being at the birth, accurate without being totally graphic, shows the family all sleeping together after the birth, baby breastfeeding, etc. Oh yes, the placenta is in there. Same illustrator as "I went walking" if you are familiar with that book. I especially liked it for my son since it is from the POV of a little boy.

I will check out the sears book "what baby needs" but I haven't read it yet.

We did watch lots of videos of natural (mostly home) birth w/ DS. He was 4 1/2 when his sister was born though- she will be only 2 1/2 when her sibling is born.

Edited by emmaegbert - 3/8/11 at 9:09am

[theboysmama]

Runa's birth is excellent but it looks like it is out of print too.
I bought welcome with love and runa's birth at attachments. It doesn't look like they carry them anymore but they have several books that might work. http://www.attachmentscatalog.com/gifts/bkkhb.html

[PseudoDiva]

The updated version of this has a few shots of a couple "together," but the images are beautiful.  

http://www.amazon.com/Child-Born-Lennart-Nilsson/dp/0385337558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299642249&sr=8-1

I remember looking at this book when I was a kid and I loved it.  

[SantoshaMama]

I recently bought 'Baby on the Way' by Dr William Sears and Martha Sears. It doesnt discuss home birth and talks about what other things the children might do while Mommy is having the baby, so might not be what you are looking for exactly. However, it does show the mom breastfeeding and talks about the process in a very AP kind of way and it is written at a level my 4 year old could understand and my 2 year old has sat through a couple times. Of course, my 2 year old still says, "No...I big boy!" when we try to tell him I have a baby in my belly. When asked, he says I have a belly button in my belly. Don't think he is quite there yet in understanding the concept... :)

Might be worth looking into...def. the best choice on the Barnes and Noble shelf IMO!

[lifeguard]

Thank you - this gives me a good starting point anyway. I will post if I find anything else interesting.

[emmaegbert]

Originally Posted by lifeguard 

Thank you - this gives me a good starting point anyway. I will post if I find anything else interesting.

please do! I am not introducing any of this to DD yet, but will start rotating in books about birth and babies few months ahead of the due date- probably some time over the summer. So I'm thinking about it anyway (she turns 2 at the very end of April)