2 ms·

Father here. Mom and I agree on two things: 1. Avoid the 'What to Expect' series at all costs. It's popular, but it's utter bullshit. We can name a half dozen

Father here. Mom and I agree on two things: 1. Avoid the 'What to Expect' series at all costs. It's popular, but it's utter bullshit. We can name a half dozen parent friends who threw theirs away too. 2. Read Penelope Leach's Your Baby and Child. But these are just guides; there is no manual. Unlike technology, no two children are alike. You'll only get the hang of it through firsthand experience. And: 'baby' is a mere blip on the developmental path--that brief stage of a few months is the 'easy', honeymoon part. Trust me: by the time you've gotten the hang of 'baby', they'll be a toddler. When you've learned to handle a toddler--they turn four and ohmygod. You don't have a 'baby'--you have an ever-changing, ever-developing human.

apohn 6y ago
>Avoid the 'What to Expect' series at all costs. It's popular, but it's utter bullshit. I don't really agree with this for the first book. The main issue with the 0 - 12 month book is that it tries to cover a very wide range of things, many of which will not apply to your child. So you have to read it and just find what is useful for you. For example, we never knew that lots of babies get terrible gas in the 3rd(?) month and that's completely normal. There's so much "normal" stuff that seems like something is seriously wrong (e.g. gas, witching hours) with your child. Reading about it just helps to know you're not failing as a parent. I'd agree that the other books are not that useful.