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[octolars]

Anyone have any book suggestions to offer about parenting/ childbirth/ pregnancy/ etc?

I am reading spiritual midwifery by Ina Mae Gaskin and Spirit Babies by Walter Makichen

Both amazing reads!!

[blumooned]

I didn't really read a lot about pregnancy/childbirth last time & this time has been all via the internet.  But, I did read The Baby Book by Dr. Sears when DS was little & found that informative.

[hsquared]

i read "ina may's guide to childbirth" and loved it! i'm just about to start spiritual midwifery. 

[Altair]

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is my favorite... it's not that it says *much* or anything that different than other books, but it was for sure the one book that left enough images in my mind for me to draw on during labor.  

That said, as long as you don't take it too seriously or too literally.  Many women do feel pain in labor to a degree much higher than is talked about in that book, and in some other books.  It's more about having the mental strength to deal with the pain that comes then thinking there is a way for every woman to avoid pain if she has the right mindset.  I've seen some women get very upset with themselves if they do some kind of study about avoiding pain in labor, and then in the moment realize that's not the case.  Every labor is different.  I had an incredible amount of pain over a 3 day labor, but I was able to work through it and had enough tools under my belt to feel in control and capable to riding it out.  

Being able to really go internal was the key for me.  So any reading that helps give you strategies to block out the world.  Routines and mantras were key for me.  At the hardest point of my labor (his head stuck on my pelvic bones, involuntary pushing for hours), I just kept saying "for Sion" (his name) over and over in my head similar to how Aragorn says "for Frodo" before storming the gate!  ;-)  It just came to me and it WORKED!

[scowgirl]

Here's another thread that has some book suggestions in it:

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1345138/best-resources

I was just going through it and downloading a couple of things to my e-reader. 

[XanaduMama]

Originally Posted by Altair 

.  At the hardest point of my labor (his head stuck on my pelvic bones, involuntary pushing for hours), I just kept saying "for Sion" (his name) over and over in my head similar to how Aragorn says "for Frodo" before storming the gate!  ;-)  It just came to me and it WORKED!

Love this!

[sjdragonfly]

Here's another one for Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I loved that book. It left me feeling very knowledgeable, confident and empowered. 

I'm not sure what types of parenting books you're interested in, but if you're at all interested in attachment parenting, I just finished reading Beyond the Sling and really loved it. It touched on a bunch of different aspects of AP, each with its own chapter and a great resource section in the back of the book for finding more information about the different topics. I loved that she gave examples from her experience for each thing, too. It was an easy to read book full of good information and a bit of humor, which I liked. 

I've already mentioned this to the OP before, but for nutritional stuff during pregnancy I highly recommend The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book. Even if you're not vegetarian or vegan, I think this book would be nothing but helpful. I really enjoy how the first few chapters each focus on a specific nutrient that your body especially needs during pregnancy. It explains what that thing is doing in your body and for the baby and how you can get it through foods. It talks about supplementing as well and discusses how to best supplement to get the most benefit out of what you might be taking. There are even some recipes in the back part of the book. I haven't tried any of them yet, but they all seem pretty simple and they look pretty good.

[scowgirl]

I downloaded a couple of books to my e-reader this weekend on the advice of the threads here, and just one or two other things I remembered being interested in. Here is what I got:

--Ina May's Guide to Childbirth--I zipped through the birth stories section this weekend and loved it--now reading the rest of the book

--The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

--Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family by Ellyn Satter

--What Chefs Feed Their Kids by Fanae Aaron (honestly I guess this one could end up being really not-good, depending on how snobby and inflexible it is, but it sounded like it might have some good ideas for kid-friendly, nutritious, yet slightly more adventurous meals)

I'm worried about food issues because I have a history of disordered eating, and I want to learn how to strike a balance between healthy eating and not projecting my food and body issues onto my kids. So I guess that is probably why I am already mulling over and considering this aspect of parenting, when I haven't thought so much about discipline, etc. yet.

I almost got The Happiest Baby on the Block too, but we have acquaintances who I guess are willing to loan us the DVD, so I'll see if DH can get ahold of that before I buy...

[ThreeLittleBirds]

Magical Beginnings by Deepak Chopra is my FAVORITE pregnancy book http://www.amazon.com/Magical-Beginnings-Enchanted-Deepak-Chopra/dp/0517702207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333383197&sr=8-1

[octolars]

oh I love Deepak Chopra!  I'm totally getting that one.  Thanks!!

[sjdragonfly]

Originally Posted by ThreeLittleBirds 

Magical Beginnings by Deepak Chopra is my FAVORITE pregnancy book http://www.amazon.com/Magical-Beginnings-Enchanted-Deepak-Chopra/dp/0517702207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333383197&sr=8-1

My naturopath recommended that book to me, but I haven't picked it up yet. Good to hear that it's such a good one!

[modestmothering]

I put Magical Beginnings and Beyond the Sling in my registry. 

Like many of you, I enjoyed reading Ina May Gaskin's books.  I did not like the book *Birthing from Within.*  I am reading Penelope Leach's guide to raising a baby to age 5 and I have some mixed feelings about it. 

I am about to purchase Davis's Heart and Hands.