O/T warts and all

[MightyMitre]

Hi Ladies. Wondered if you could help. DH & I are thinking about starting a family next year and thought I should do a little research ( For 'little' read - gobbling up all the tips I can find for use later! )

Anyone know of a down-to-earth, warts-and-all book about pregnancy/ expecting a baby. Ideally it would be good if I could find one that's got some sensible info on continuing to exercise while pregnant, but would be interested to hear about any books that people have found helpful.

[joyrider]

By Vicki Iovine.
It's humorous and down-to-earth.

[gretassister]

I can't help you there, but I had a friend who trained horses while she was pregnant, so I'm pretty sure you can still bicycle.

[snapdragen]

If you're worried about riding, a woman in my club rode up to the day she delivered.....

[drplasma64]

The What to Expect When You are Expecting books will just make you crazy. GG is funny and informative too.

And if you are considering breastfeeding, I've heard that "So THAT'S what they're for" is good.

[mikki]

I highly recommend the Dr. Sears series: The Baby Book, and The Birth Book.

What to Expect.... is pretty good.

The Birth Partner (for daddy).

Good Luck

[Trekhawk]

[QUOTE MightyMitre]Hi Ladies. Wondered if you could help. DH & I are thinking about starting a family next year and thought I should do a little research ( For 'little' read - gobbling up all the tips I can find for use later! :

Im afraid I cant help you with a book name I know I had a few but they are all in storage in Aust so no help there sorry.

With regards to riding/exercise and pregnancy I would say take it day by day and let your body be your guide. I enjoyed swimming and walking thru each pregnancy. I have only taken up riding recently so cant give you any info on that.

My last piece of advice is when you become pregnant people will hand out all sorts of advice and this will continue thru your childs early years. Take what you think is good and ditch the rest. You will get the ones that love to tell birthing horror stories and ones that are very competitive about the strangest things. Every pregnancy and child is different remember that and enjoy the experience.

[emily_in_nc]

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler (hope that is spelled right). Highly recommended whether you're trying to conceive (or not!) or just want to become more educated about your body.

I read all the fertility/pregnancy books since DH and I struggled with infertility for many years (finally got pregnant on our second IVF, but I miscarried; 7 years later we are, amazingly, quite content being childfree), and this was the best book of the lot.

Good luck!

Emily

[mom2twins]

The What to Expect When You are Expecting books will just make you crazy. GG is funny and informative too.

And if you are considering breastfeeding, I've heard that "So THAT'S what they're for" is good.

I 2nd everything Dr.plasma said. I had to throw out my "what to expect" books because they were keeping me up at night worrying about worst case scenarios.

If I remember correctly, I was told by my OB that I could continue all activites that I was doing previously as long as I didn't allow myself to over heat. There are certian heart rate maxes that get thrown around but he said that wasn't accurate because everyone's heart rate is different. I was also allowed to continue weight lifting until I found out I was carrying twins and then I was considered high risk so I wasn't suppose to do heavy lifting. I did walk 3-5 hilly miles every day until I was 6 1/2 months pregnant and started to swell too much because of the heat (it was the middle of the summer).

Also, once you are expecting and preparing for the care of your baby I strongly recommend Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I truly believe that healthy sleeping is as important as healthy eating habits for infants, children and adults too. Having 2 at one time made me really appreciate a good nights sleep for all 3 of us.

Good Luck!!!! Pregnancy and parenthood are the most life-altering and wonderful things I have ever experienced.

[singletrackmind]

I biked up until my 7th month but had to quit because I couldn't get the knees around the belly. It was the trainer after that. I hiked and walked up til the end. That was sometimes a little painful when his head was dropping into place but after a block or two he'd shift and it'd be alright. I was advised to keep the heart rate below 140 and not get overheated and was not restricted from the bike. I stayed slow and on the road (heartrate, overheating, safety) but at least I was turning pedals.
I had What to Expect When You're Expecting. It didn't worry me at all, I was too busy doing all that on my own. I had bleeding at 3 months, a placenta that was just barely over the exit (and moved just enough), gestational diabetes, problems with the baby's heartrate during those pre-contraction things that resulted in a week of bedrest (ARGH!) twice, they almost did a c-section at nearly 8 months and changed their mind last minute, went in for a normal delivery (2 weeks early) and ended up with an emergency c-section when the cord came out first. No big deal. A plus would be not being at or near the end of pregnancy during the worst of the heat. I did do that right!
I miss the spontanaity of my old life, the ability to just jump on the bike and go or not miss half of what's going on at get-togethers because I'm trying to keep the boyo safe and well-occupied, or missing get-togethers completely because of the boyo.
That said, I wouldn't trade what I have now for all the freedom the world has to offer. Just know that it's a huge change (not something you really can understand or prepare for) and you make a lot of old-life sacrifices but the rewards to me are so much greater.
Ask me again when he's 16 and just let me know he wrecked the car...by running over my bike

[KatieBelle]

I agree that the Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy is the best. For dad, The Expectant Father.

Howdy to Mom2Twins! I also have twins. They can be a handful, can't they?

[slinkedog]

I never read the Girlfriend's guide, but I know a lot of my friends liked it. I had a book called Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade Curtis. I had the What to Expect book with my first child, but like many of the rest of you, it made me crazy. The whole diet thing was just insane, imho.

As for exercising, my doctor was pretty cool with me doing whatever I had been doing previous to getting pg. Just be careful, use your common sense and listen to your body. I went to a triathlon that my husband was doing the bike portion of when I was about 33 weeks along with #4 and I walked about the whole day. Felt fine the whole day so I thought I would be fine. Ended up with nasty, nasty sciatica that kept me basically on my back for a week and a half and continued to recur for the remainder of my pregnancy. Everyone always says your baby is well insulated from knocks and all that, and it's very true. However, it's no fun being pregnant injured. So be careful of you!

[Irulan]

riding and pregnancy discussions....

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=123236

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=102361

For books on parenting styles, I am most definately NOT a Dr. Sears fan. I like the "love and logic" books by Klein and Faye.



irulan

[drplasma64]

I don't think there is one parenting style that is right and others are wrong. Personally, I read many different parenting books and took what made sense from each and synthesized it into something that works for us. I think there are many aspects of Sears' advice that make sense, but many things about the more traditional "keep them on a schedule" approach that make sense too. It's all about what works for your family, and what works for a stay-home mom may not work for a work-away mom.

That being said, I think the things children need are:
love, security, consistency, boundaries, healthy food, enough sleep.

How you get there doesn't really matter. It is seriously amazing to see what a difference diet and sleep make to the behavior of a child. And by healthy food I don't mean you have to crazy with all organic food, but just staying away from sweets and juice and chips and such. One of my friends IRL used to give her daughter lollipops when they were shopping to keep her quiet and happy (she was 2), then she'd be amazed when her daughter would try to stand on the tables in the restaurant at lunch time - hello SUGAR!!!

Anyway, sorry to ramble on...parenting is one my big deals!

[ACG]

I had my kids a while a ago, my oldest is 21 and youngest is 15. I walked 3 miles everday in the a.m., if it was hot, walked the mall. While working, walked on my lunch/breaks/afterwork. Was not a real exercise type person. I had no problems at all during pregancy, birth or recovery. As a matter of fact it was that first pregnancy that made me realize I needed to exercise. I don't remember what books I read. I do remember being bombarded with advice from well meaning moms, grandmoms, aunts and just as many childless friends.

My advice read everything, visit your doctor and do what YOU think is best.

One more thing on baby care books, the baby doesn't read the book....