Baby Books

So, I have noticed that there are like a million baby/pregnancy books out there. Last time I went to Barnes & Noble I took a peek in that section but it was too overwhelming—the sheer volume of volumes! When I was little the only parenting expert I ever heard of was Dr. Spock, who I thought was that pointy-eared guy on Star Trek. Later on I started seeing “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” referenced in pop culture and the media. I personally have yet to crack open my first baby manual, but I’m sure I will pick some up in the future. What books did you read or reference? Did you like them or were they just full of crazy ideas? I heard of this really controversial one (I think it was called ‘On Becoming Baby Wise’) that people were following and ended up harming their babies. It has some really strict feeding schedule that made babies fail to thrive. Yikes! I’d like to think I would have better instincts than that, but my point is that there is a lot of information out there. I am not really sure where to start with baby books. I would love to hear your suggestions!

Prenatal Vitamins

Well, I have to say thanks to everyone for all the great information you’ve shared. I am already learning so much. For example: I don’t know why but I guess I was always under the impression that all prenatal vitamins were prescription and that you could only get them from your doctor after you are pregnant. Now that I know you can get some kinds whenever you want and should start taking some as soon as you start trying to get pregnant I am going to seek out some really good ones. So, have you guys found any that you like? There seem to be so many different ones out there. Do you just take one pill or a bunch—like those vita-packs you see at 7-Eleven? I heard someone say that you should definitely take food-based organic prenatals. I read somewhere that you should take one ‘normal’ prenatal pill (whatever that is) and one Prenatal Omega 3 fish pill-- but to beware of “fish burps.” Would just those two cover it, or would I need a separate calcium pill? Some sources say to take a prenatal with a lot of iron but not a lot of calcium and take a separate calcium supplement at different time of day because they don’t go well together. Some people warn of vitamin pee? What the heck is that? Some prenatals can make you sick. Some are once-a-day pills and some have to be taken three times a day. Some must be taken with food, others no. Did you have better luck with prescription vitamins or over-the-counter? There is just too much information to digest. I need some help sorting it all out. Any suggestions?

Pre-Pregnancy Check-Up

My next question is of the medical sort. I was wondering if a doctor should give one the green light to start trying to have a baby.  I really haven’t seen a doctor in forever.  My last regular check-up was in 2003 while I was filling out my mission papers.  And the last time I had a gynecological exam was about two years ago when I had insurance.  Once that ran out, I started getting my birth control at Planned Parenthood.  You can get your prescription filled as many times as you want with out having to do an exam.  It is also a lot cheaper than a regular pharmacy; you just have to deal with the other semi-freaky clientele. So, do you guys think it is a good idea to get a physical exam before you start trying to have a baby?  You know, just to check everything out and make sure all is well?  Is that something you did?  Is your answer different for a first pregnancy than for any subsequent pregnancies?  Please share your comment below.