The second week of March? You never said anything about that over the phone. Fuckin'ell, I know another baby who was born in the second week of March - March the twelfth, to be exact - and he's currently sucking on Bobosso's boobs. WEEEIRRRD11!1
As for those essential books you were asking about:
Birth and Beyond by Doctor Yehudi Gordon was our bible as we approached the birth, and we still regularly pick it up four months in. Yehudi's a proper good ol' hippy, who pioneered water birthing in the UK. The book's full of soothing words, medical expertise (centred around mother and baby's needs), and good practical no nonsense information and advice. Get it.
Dr. Spock's Pregnancy Guide by (weirdly) Marjorie Greenfield. Okay, so Spock was the fella who told everyone that babies should sleep on their tummies, and, granted, that wasn't the best advice, but for a quick, comprehensive, to the point reference guide on the joys of pregnancy and havoc it wreaks on a woman's body, you really can't beat it.
Why Love Matters by Sue Gerhardt. Not really essential this one, and quite possibly rather intimidating, but I loved it. There's a good overview of the book's subject, Attachment Theory, here. So far we've managed to pull off something resembling the five Bs, and, frankly, it hasn't been too much bother. I appreciate it's not for everyone, though.
Junior - Pregnancy and Baby. Not a book, but a quarterly (I think) magazine. To be recommended for much the same reasons as Yehudi's book: calming, helpful stuff. The multiple, subject specific advice columns are particularly useful/encouraging. Aside from Gina Ford's that is. Gina Ford should be shot, in my ever so very humble opinion.
I can probably lend you everything above, with the possible exception of the magazines - we gave a load to Jim Bob and Ruth.
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