One day not too long after finding out I was pregnant I found myself in the book aisle at Target. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but as I was flipping through a 10 lb. book called “Kardashian Konfidential” (kind of embarrassed that I might want to read it!), a light bulb went off in my head…OH YA! BABY BOOKS! I should go get a baby book and learn what this is all about! At the time, my pressing questions were: can the drinking I did in New Orleans make my baby come out with one arm, or could all the Diet Pepsi I drank in the past several weeks cause me to have a baby with some serious A.D.D.? So I popped over to the preggo aisle and selected the stapler “What to Expect When Expecting” and Jenny McCarthy’s “Belly Laughs.”
“Belly Laughs” was a great first book to read in early pregnancy for any first time moms. Mainly, it’s really funny and since Jenny McCarthy has no qualms about being nasty, she tells it like it is. And in her case, it was really bad! Morning sickness, hemorrhoids, constipation, acne, no desire for sex, frightening mood swings, runny nose, stuffy nose – you name it – she had it. AMAZING! So this is what I had to look forward to? Jeez! Women should get so much freaking praise for bearing children. It’s over the top nutty how much we girls have to go through to produce a baby inside our bodies.
After finishing “Belly Laughs” I was going to start in on “What to Expect When Expecting,” but over Christmas I was inundated with baby books and magazines from friends and family. I loved the range of reading material I was given. I got two books on how to get your baby on a schedule, Baby Wise and The Sleep Easy Solution, which I plan to read later in pregnancy, The Pregnancy Journal so I can see what’s happening each day of my pregnancy, a guide to looking “fab” throughout my pregnancy called Rock Star Momma, a book of baby names, and several magazines, including my fave so far, “Fit Pregnancy”. But there was one reading material gift that had me practically crying like a baby myself. My friend Stacy actually took the time to copy and paste several inspirational stories between moms and daughters that she found online into a Word document coupled with a card about all these things she didn’t realize about herself until becoming a mother. On the plane ride back to Cali after Christmas I poured through these little online entires detailing the “best advice from mom” and took mental notes about what advice I want to remember to bestill on my kids in the future. Eventually, I plan to do a blog post inspired by those short stories – thanks Stacy! 
It may be natural, but it’s starting to gross me out
With all the reading I’ve been doing lately, what actually scares me more than anything is breastfeeding! My mom breast fed my brother and I and all the things I hear say it’s like the best thing you can do for your child, so of course I’m going to try. I mean, I know it doesn’t work for everyone, but we’ll see how well it works for me. But dang, all this stuff about breast pumps and freezing milk and nipple pads is freaking me out! I hope it’s not nearly as complicated as it sounds. But it’s not just the complication that is putting me off – it’s the “how-to” portion of breastfeeding in certain publications that seriously grosses me out.
In “Fit Pregnancy” Magazine I’ve found a couple articles detailing how to get your baby to “latch on” and I’m sorry, but it just creeps me out. One article said, and I paraphrase; “To hold your baby with his belly touching yours and put your breast in his face and just tickle his mouth with your nipple.” WHAT? The 13-year old in me is pointing a finger and laughing at the phrase “tickle his mouth with your nipple,” while the 30-year old in me is totally cringing. Do they have to say it like that?? Another article was talking about why babies cry and gives a list of things to do, such as change a poopy diaper, give him a pacifier, or just let him suck on your nipple, and if you can help it – get him to take in the entire areola. Once again, this phrasing grosses me out! I’m not trying to be immature here, but this is my first time with all of this stuff and I’m not quite as open and natural about it all yet! I thought the goal here was to get me to breastfeed, not send me running for the hills! But who knows, maybe when the time comes and I’m holding a brand new baby in my arms, it’ll all come as natural to me as breathing, so we’ll see!
Are there any pregnancy/mommy books out there that you swear by and think I should add to my pile of reading material? I’ve got 6 months of reading time left!
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Books are wonderful tools to give you a taste of what to expect. And, when your child is older you will find yourself going to the bookstore a lot (at least for me thats the case). However, the real learning does not start until you have your little one in your arms. There are no manuals, books, others advice that will be the right answer. It’s called trial and error and you will learn as you go.
If you do breast-feed your baby the hospital nurses will show you what to do, how to use a pump, etc. before you leave. You’re doing great!!!!
Oh that’s nice to know the nurses show you have to use the pump! I know there are breastfeeding courses offered too. I mean, at least I saw that Mario Lopez and his girlfriend went to one on in their VH1 reality show! Ha!
Courtney, you make me smile! And laugh, I seriously just laughed until I choked.
Not that you need any more advise, I am sure it is coming out your areola’s but I think that breastfeeding is the most intimidating part of pregnancy. Have no fear, he/she will help you figure out whether its something that will work for you. I remember reading all of that fabulousness too and thinking, why do people do that?! After getting the ‘basics’ down I let it go until they were born, then I let them help me decide. I had one bottle baby and one boob baby and I think they are both pretty fabulous!
im reading the Mayo clinic one. I like it cause it has a good balance of medical info without you needing to be a doctor to understand and practical advice. Im just about done with “Mother Shock” that im reading digitally. That one really helped me relax when it comes to the stress of being a “natural”.
Oh good, I need help with getting over the stress of being “natural!” I’ll look those up. Thanks for the recs!
I could swear the doc told me I could have a smallllll glass of beer when I initially started nursing your brother so it would help me relax when nursing. It did help but now I know what’s up with your brother. (Just kidding).
I think mom’s should at least try nursing. It’s one of God’s gifts so you may as well use it for what it was intended for. If it doesn’t work, you can always stop. That’s why there are baby bottles.
You’ll be fine…just don’t get yourself all worked up. There is a lot to learn and most of it is on the job training. You and Jeff will be great!! Plus you have 2 awesome moms ready to help when you need it!!