Parenting Books

Easy to understand, very informative and much more detailed than any other book on the subject that I've come across. We used this method as our form of birth control for 2 years effectively. When we were ready to conceive, the information in this book as well as in Choosing the Sex of Your Baby helped us conceive in a matter of a few months and we now have a 10 month old son, thanks in part to this book :).

This book is a great educational tool. Even if you do not want to practice FAM, it educates a woman on her body beyond what you will get in any biology class. Definitely a must have.

Considered the "Bible" of Fertility Awareness (FAM), this book is a real eye-opener for women and girls of all ages. The information about our bodies that is contained in this book is invaluable, and should really be taught to every girl approaching puberty (or sooner!). You will wonder why you weren't taught/didn't know the secrets that your body shares with you every month or so during different steps in your fertility cycles. Do you realize that the "due dates" doctors project for their pregnant patients can be completely inaccurate, depending on the length of your cycle and when you ovulated the month you conceived? Really awesome information. (FYI, This is not your mother's "Rhythm Method" of the past.)

To complete the journey from preconception health, to pregnancy, to birth and beyond, look to Healing Our Children: Because Your New Baby Matters! Sacred Wisdom for Preconception, Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting (ages 0-6) by Ramiel Nagel. The Fertility Awareness Method or Natural Family Planning is recommended by Ramiel as the only method of contraception safe enough to ensure the healthiest pregnancy and child possible.

This is a great comprehensive book! I learned a lot of information about my body that I was unaware that I didn't know. Why isn't this anatomy information taught in high school health?

I have only had this book for a short time, but it has already been very helpful. It is simple and informative. Exactly what I was hoping for so I am very pleased.

This book is a valuable resource to anyone who is caring for an elderly family member. While reading the often funny, always touching, occasionally horrifying memoir, I learned so much about caring for my aging mother. This is rich with advice, examples, and brilliance. Thank you, Jackie, for sharing your story with us. I will buy more copies and give them to my friends whose parents are approaching the age where they'll need some care. I am also now taking assessment of my own behaviors as I get older; I don't want any of my bad habits following me into my golden years! It is clear from your Jake Tales that these habits may become exaggerated as we get older and I don't want my kids to have to deal with me if I'm going to be difficult

This is an excellent book for those who find themselves frustrated by the behavior of elders who are suffering from just enough dementia to be wreaking havoc, but not enough to be institutionalized. I read the book in one evening because I was desperate to learn how I might deal with an elder's belligerent outbursts, illogical thinking and unwillingness to accept help. The author faced similar issues with her father and her examples rang 100% true to me. At the end of the book, the author provides specific techniques and tips for modifying the elder's behavior. I tried some of her suggestions the very next day, and it worked! The sense of calm that I gained, knowing that I now had a "toolkit" of resources and ideas from this book, was invaluable to me. Save your sanity - get this book if you are dealing with demented elders now, or think you might be in the near future!

As a professional caregiver coordinator for a local Area Agency on Aging I read a lot of books on caregiving and Alzheimer's disease. This is the best book I have read on the subject. The story is told with humor, but it is full of excellent tips and education on the subject. A must read if you are a caregiver caring for an Alzheiemr's loved one.

I got this wonderful book about a year after my mom passed. I still refer to it so much that it is dog-eared, for information, resources and to enjoy Jackie's humorous writing style. (Okay, I admit it, I stole her idea of quoting artists and thanking them!!! I thought that was brilliant and it added a whole new dimension of enjoyment of the book for me!!!)

The book really helped me understand that the many feelings I went through while my mom was ill were NOT abnormal, and that my attempts to help were not in vain, although with this resource, I could have figured out even more and better things to do - - especially calling in APS early on. I truly think my mom's frequent infections were caused by lack of cleanliness at home and I COULD NOT get my parents to accept help with cleaning. I even hired a geriatric care manager, who recommended services that my parents would not accept. I think I would have been able to get them to accept a lot more services had I read this book first - - or at least I would have had some ideas to try.

I had the additional drawback of living 1500 miles from my parents, which is why I ended up hiring a geriatric manager (who saved MY life by just BEING there so many times when I needed someone to talk to, which Jackie points out is so important - - to have people to talk to about the elder you are caring for.) But I found that even on two extended trips to be with my family, I was unable to get the concrete results I wanted. That's why I think involving professionals, such as APS and the police, would have been so helpful if I'd thought of it at that time.

In a nutshell, this book made me feel like I was hearing from a very dear and knowledgeable friend with reassurance on a most confusing and difficult situation. I continue in my quest for info on elder care, but this remains far and away the most helpful and most enjoyable book I have read on the subject. Thanks Jackie!!!

This is a good book for anyone trying to help elderly parents. I found the style of writing, relating all things to old tv shows, sometimes distracting and confusing but the information in the book was so worth the read. It gave me strength and focus on dealing with my Mom. I am still continuing to find resources through this book and it is really a valuable tool.

Ina May is in awe of the ability for women's bodies to give birth naturally. Reading this book will surely help inspire you to feel more confident with your body, and provide wisdom for the birth process. The energy of the book is steeped with care, gentleness and safety. Yes, we can give birth fearlessly. The book may also be titled, "many reasons to give birth at home with a midwife." It is clear by the statistics of birth at the Farm, that with care and intelligence, we can bring a majority of babies into the world naturally, without intervention. Almost half of the book is a careful selection of birth stories.

I definitely recommend reading this book. The stories and wisdom will definitely help you prepare your self for birth.

Review is by Ramiel Nagel author of Healing Our Children: Because Your New Baby Matters! Sacred Wisdom for Preconception, Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting (ages 0-6)

I read this after reading Spiritual Midwifery and they both have changed my life. Please read this book!

Even if I was never to have children, this would be in my all time top 10 books to read. Not only did this book set the tone for my pregnancy by keeping me positive about what's around the corner (not scared to death of the impending labor pain), it also gave my husband a wonderful introduction of what to expect for our first. I plan to re-read it in my 8th month too. I have purchased many other books but this one is still by far the best!

I read this book 3 times while pregnant......I could go on forever but I'm too busy with the baby. This book is the best book you will ever buy....it is inspirational and gives you a positive outlook on pregnancy, delivery and what woman's bodies are capable of (even if you don't do natural) its a VERY VERY important book to read!!!

My doula recommended this book to me and I have since bought it for other dear friends/relatives who are expecting. This book will put any anxiety you may have of childbirth at ease to a great, but real extent. The author gives many case by case birthing stories which allowed me to more tangibly realize that women do this every day and have since the beginning of time. I highly recommend it!

At times it was very difficult to read this true story due to my tears and heart stopping feelings. I think that this book should be required reading for the young people of today to let them know how blessed they are to have what they have. I hope our system has changed enough so that the things this young boy, and the many others in the book faced are not present today. My heart is still hurting from this story but I am glad that I continued with the read and finished Mr. Burch's story. I am going to pass this book on to my grandaughters to read and hope they share it with their friends.

This is a wonderful book, it will make you feel every emotion you have have.

This book is mind-numbingly captivating. I dont like getting depressed after reading a book, and I was expecting to find myself knee deep in a semi-horror novel. Such as David Pelzer's "A child called It," (good book by the way) but this story is different. Though the events told in this story are horrific, there is an enchanting light of hope that guides you through the chapters. The good expressed in this book is equal to the bad, and it makes for a well balanced read. The innocents and wisdom this child reflects is just heart wrenching. I love it.

I could not put this book down! It made my cry a couple of times but it does have a happy ending.

Since I first read this book over 15 years ago I've read the book over 10 times. I read it three times the first year. I felt it was an amazing story, very touching, and able to tug at me each time I read it. The strength and courage that the author had was amazing.

During my first pregnancy, I owned two books: "the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" and "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Both are very good books, but over time I came to appreciate this one more. The explanations are thorough, and have extremely solid medical backgrounds. An attempt is made at providing good "touchy feeling" explanations, but truly, these academics aren't as good at that as the "what to Expect" crowd. Nonetheless, it lived at my side as I changed and learned about what was happening to me and my child.

This book covers vast topics, answering every question a pregnant woman has with great detail and yet not leaving you feel bogged down. Very easy to read and follow. I particularly like the tips and symptons one should look out for at every stage. You won't regret buying this book!

I am currently pregnant in week 25, first time pregnancy. My husband and I have purchased or have been given 3 pregnancy books, including "My Pregnancy Week by Week" and "What to expect when you're expecting" before this one came free in the mail from my insurance, 3 months into the pregnancy. Now I barely look at the other books. This one is way better in my opinion and here is why. It covers everything you'd possibly want to know and does it better then the other books. The other books are geared to a lower reading comprehension level and can be a bit annoying, plus the organization is not as good and the topics are not as complete. Let me give you an example. 5 days ago, I started getting pretty bad pains in my pubic bone - this doesn't happen to everyone, of course. I of course got nervous. This book has an index where you can look things up like "pubic bone pain" and find out everything that you'd need to know about it right away. "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" doesn't have this. The index is almost 20 pages long and so you can quickly find everything. There is also a great section on basic baby care, and a week by week section as well, for the pregnancy. This book makes me feel in control of my pregnancy and is like the "bible" to me, I am so glad I got it! If I found out about this one first, I wouldn't have gotten any of the others.

This book is well-organized and is full of practical MEDICAL advice, with handy decision guides for every month. I stress the word "medical" because there is just too much junk out there about pregnancy. This book is the real deal. I strongly recommend this book over the popular "What to Expect..." book.

I bought this book because in the early weeks of my pregnancy, I had lots of questions. Mayo Clinic has been a reliable source for medical information for me over the years and it didn't stop when I became pregnant. I used their website ([...]) to look up all kinds of information in their Pregnancy Center. It was without hesitation, especially with such a high review on Amazon, that I bought this book.

I read it often in the early weeks of my pregnancy in addition to relying on their website, I realized that much of the information overlaps. I really should have just stuck to the website, because I rarely read the book anymore because it is just a repeat.

Recently, I stopped at the library to pick the lowly Amazon rated "What to Expect When You're Expecting". I cracked open the book and couldn't put it down! WTEWYE had answers to all of the questions that I'd asked and couldn't find in the Mayo Clinic, like 'Is tap water safe?', and detailed & current information about First Trimester Screening results and options (which Mayo Clinic doesn't have).

If I were you and considering getting this book, I would just head over to www.mayoclinic.com and save the $[...] for another book.

My best friend gave me this book as a thank-you gift for flying from Nor Cal (60 miles from Berkley, where most of the action is set) to Phoenix, AZ on a few hours' notice, five days ahead of schedule, in order to be her doula for her first baby. I had read it before I left for California again some days later.

Fast, engaging, memorable life experiences follow a decades-long parade of shifting ideas of how women give birth in our country, from "all stirrups-and-forceps, all the time!" (slight exaggeration... slight.) to the reemergence of midwifery care and homebirth. The chapters tend to be short, which is great if you've only got a few minutes to squeeze in some reading. The stories are exhilarating, often hilarious, sometimes terrifying.

One of my favorite books. I hope someday to meet Peggy and learn more from her as I also work with laboring women, and maybe even get to catch a few babies, myself.

I love that Peggy begins her career as a shy, girlish candy striper & goes on to become the take-charge, seasoned veteran she ultimately is. I love that she chose what appear to be the most exciting, interesting, poignant & pivotal birth stories of her professional career to share with us. She gives the people what we want - action! I've read lots of hum-drum, normal homebirth stories, so I found it refreshing to be riveted at every page.
BTW, Peggy, you got screwed & it's not fair! I was so spitting mad about her lawsuit that happened >20 years ago that I will rant about it whenever the topic comes up. A page-turner, but perhaps not for first-time pregnant mommies. If you're really into childbirth, like me, wait until your postpartum time, when you need something to get your heart racing & overemotional eyes pouring in happiness & sadness.

Absolutely one of the best books I read of late. I was a labor and delivery nurse in the mid 70's when so many changes occurred. This book took me down memory lane of all of the wonderful experiences I had as I labored women before the "electronic age". Thank you Peggy and your women for sharing the most intimate part of their lives.

I was born in my house and witnessed the births of my two younger brothers. Yet I hate to say, I never imagined that I myself could deliver at home. All my friends were born at hospitals, so that must have been normal, right? I used a hospital midwife for my first child and had an amazing birth experience. If I hadn't, (and if I didn't already LOVE my current midwife who will also deliver in a hospital) I would certainly call up a local midwife and "do it at home."
I have to say, as much of an education this book was, it was FUNNY! Peggy Vincent has a great way with telling a story. Its one of those books where you laugh out loud, and then read the passage to whoever is in the room. Even my 20 year old brother laughed at the part when the husband is ready to catch the baby and started screaming.
Another thing I liked about this book is that the chapters are pretty short, so if you have other responsibilities (and really shouldn't be reading a book) you have several good stopping places.
If you are pregnant, or planning on becoming pregnant, or have already had children, are a nurse or doctor, or just want to be entertained, I would highly recommend this book.

I've read several births on midwifery and Peggy Vincent's is by far one of the most readable in terms of reaching a broad audience. If you reach for a midwifery book, in general you are pregnant and considering it as a birth option or interested in midwifery itself. There aren't a lot of general interest readers but Vincent's book is in a position to change it. It is both a memoir of a powerful personal journey and a piquant social commentary but beyond those two facets it is a testament to the power of women and the beautiful normalcy of birth. In fact, it's the stories of the women--both happy and sad--- that make the book so compelling, particularly because the author doesn't try to ignore or whitewash births that did not end as planned.
I recommend Babycatcher to any pregnant mom who wants a glimpse of her own birthing capabilities and to any women considering midwifery. I also recommend it to anyone else who wants a moving, informative, often funny adventure into the exciting world of baby catching.

Beautiful full color images of all parts the pregnancy. I was referred to get this book by another teacher who said she gave it as a gift at a baby shower and it was a big hit. Includes images from a 3-D ultrasound, progression of baby growth, and other cool pictures.

Product very good, just as described. Shipping quite slow, but was still within the time frame described.

I absolutely LOVE this book!! The pictures are incredible! I have not seen anything else that compares. I received the order quickly, it was packaged well and in perfect condition. Love it!!

i was given a very worn copy of this book by a friend a few years ago and wanted a new, clean copy. i'm always amazed at the miracle of life when i page through this book, and i love seeing detailed pictures of the stages of my own pregnancy.

This is great starter pregnancy book. It is informative and graphic. My 14 year old brother flipped through it page by page. It was a great learning tool for even him.

This book is great. It really captured Lucy's spirit and independence. I just wish she could have continued writing it until her death.

I found this book to be very well written and interesting I discovered things about Lucille Ball that I did not know. It held my interest from beginning to end. If you are a fan of I Love Lucy you will enjoy this book I highly recommend it to everyone.

I picked this book up on a recommendation from someone who used to work on the I Love Lucy Show (Dann Cahn). It was fantastic! Written by Lucy herself, it really focused on her feelings and thoughts early on. Once I started I couldn't put it down.

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball was an autobiography she wrote but never published. Her daughter Lucie found the manuscript and decided to publish it almost a decade after her mother's death. Lucille Ball was a comic gem, she did everything so perfectly. This book is good but some of the parts seem empty so I can't give this book 5 stars. Ball talks about her modeling days, how she met and fell in love with Desi Arnaz, her hit t.v. show and becoming a businesswoman when she was highly criticized for being too tough. Check this good summer read out sometime, enjoy!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a Lucy fan. Knowing that it is an autobiography makes it more interesting. You can almost hear her voice as you read through the lines. Her life wasn't all roses. Lots of pictures for us to enjoy. Get the book. You won't put it down.

I'm a new dad and I love this book. I'm a younger father (25-30 range) and this book's sense of humor and direct-style really spoke to me. The info is useful and presented in a way that will help you remember it. If you're an expecting father and want the basics with some nifty bonus tips, go pick this up. You'll have a blast while preparing for fatherhood.

I bought this for my husband to announce that we were expecting. He skimmed though it once and while he found it funny, he put it on the shelf to collect dust the next nine months. Once our son arrived I blew off the dust and left it in plain sight for him to remind him he had it.
Our son is now 7 weeks old and he has read it at least 20 times cover to cover and will go back to reference it when we are facing a new baby challenge. At least daily I hear "Well, according to my daddy book...". This book has been a sanity saver for him as it puts the intricacies of having a baby into "man terms". We now buy this book for every new expecting dad we know.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and refer to it often. I'm a first time Dad and both Mom and I find this manual helpful, especially the short and concise sections.

We have a detailed Penelope Leach book that we refer to for 'heavy' reading covering more in depth issues and the psychology of child rearing, but Be Prepared has been a far more valuable day-to-day reference.

What you'll get:

*A well organized, insightful, easy to use manual on basic baby care

*Covers the newborn up to 12 months including feeding, changing, pets, toys, travel, camping and parental relationships (sexy time)

*Useful facts and techniques that you can instantly apply to help understand and soothe your baby

*Humour and cool art- the authors actually went to the trouble to make this book both informative and a fun journey to read and remember

An especially good book for Dad. Its the kind of gift I would have loved to receive as an expecting Father.

Todd Millar, [...]

This was a great book and resource for my husband. It was the only parenting book he would read.

This is a great book. Easy to read, informative and worth purchasing. (If you are a "to-be" or a current dad, you will understand what I mean by "coneheads")

An amazing book. I read it in a little over 24 hours. I knew that Kristin had gotten better before the book was written so during the part where mother and daughter talk about the difficult years, I just could not put the book down until I knew she was ok again. As a mother and a daughter I could understand both points of view and the best part about the book is it's parallel recounts of the same experiences as described by mother and daughter. I felt every emotion there was to feel. I cried with the daughter during her difficult times, and I cried with the mother during hers. They are both such strong women, true survivors who show us that nothing is for granted, things can happen to everyone and that there is no stronger bond than family. One of the most emotional moments for me was when Kristin crawled through the window at night of her mom's apartment and curled up to sleep on the floor next to her bed after which Mom put her hand on her back and they lay there in silence yet having said everything there needed to be said at that moment. I think about what I would've done in those various situations. I don't know, I've never experienced anything like that (I am married to an addict, but in different ways, and I am going to learn more about codependancy). Yet I am elated and happy to know that both authors are doing well now and helping to get other people on their feet. Thank you for sharing your story with us and teaching us about hardships, love and forgiveness.

Being a recovering alcoholic myself, this compelling story really hits home! It tells the REAL life struggles of addiction. From the first page to the last page, this a memoir you will not want to put down! I recommend "The Lost Years" to anyone who has struggled with addiction, or to any family member who has seen their loved ones go through the stages of addiction! When reading this book, you actually feel as if you are Kristina. The cold, lonely life on the streets. You can feel the fear, anger and the downward spiral into hell that she was on! You can feel a mothers' tough love with her daughter! This is an awesome read and it gives a person hope, and let's the addict know that people DO recover and the person suffering with an alcohol/drug addiction, can get better to live a happy, sober, productive life!! Thank you Kristina and Constance for a terrific, well written story!!
Deb Earleywine

This book gives an excellent look into the uncertain feelings of a teenage girl, and how her choices changed her life. Her events and life walk are depicted from her view, and then from her mother's view. There is an instant snap back to that awkward teenage time. Where do you belong, how do you fit in, and how do you cope? The popular kids (the IT group) share the same fears as the ones who seem to 'not fit in.' It does not matter the way others see you; what matters is the way you see yourself! The way teenagers find comfort is the turning point...some bully their way through and others turn to substance abuse. Either way, it is a dark place that requires the courage and will to come out of (whether one is using bad behavior or substance abuse) or you will most certainly disappear (end up all alone in this world or die). The selfish part of life allows one to foolishly think he/she is the victim and put the blame on the people around him/her. This true view story illustrates how naive reactions and destructive behaviors can shatter a family. This is a must read for parents of approaching teens. This could happen to you!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to any parent who is living in the throes of addiction with a child. It is a quick, easy read that evokes a multitude of emotions. Both the mother's and the addict's views and struggles are expressed well.
I left the book out for my addict to read and she enjoyed it, too.
This book also gave me the courage to let go of my daughter with the best of intentions......

Having lost a sibling to alcohol and drug abuse at a very young age, I wish that this book had been available when he was struggling with his addiction. Perhaps our family could have had some knowledge of the help that was available through Al-Anon. This book is a remarkable account of courage, and I encourage any family facing these issues to pay close attention to what Constance went through to heal herself and protect her other children from this terrible disease and the horrors that go along with it. To date, I have not read anything that even comes close to touching my heart and soul the way that Kristina and Constance touched mine when I read this memoir. I could not put it down.