If you are a first time Mom, I’m sure you’ve scoured the internet and bookstore trying to find as much information about pregnancy and parenting as you can. I know I did, and it took me months to sort through and find all of the ‘real’ information. Not everything you read on the internet is truth, and that’s where sorting through can be difficult. I’ve compiled a list of the websites and books which have helped me and the ones that I still frequent as we wait for baby #2 who is due in December.
BabyCenter- BabyCenter.com has a wealth of great information. They also have community boards to talk about pretty much everything. They start from trying to conceive, go through the pregnancy and even parenting newborns, toddlers, teens, etc. My favorite location is the Birth Club Boards. This is where you will find other pregnant women who are due in the same month as you are. I frequent the Nov 2005 board for my son, and the December 2007 board for our new baby on the way. It’s great to have support and an outlet to discuss the things that are happening- whether it be with your toddler or even with your pregnancy. There is also a timeline which tells you week by week what is going on with your body and your baby, and after the birth- it tells you what is going on with your child monthly.
PregnancyWeekly- This is a great location which is very similar to BabyCenter. They have the boards to go and chat with others, the timeline for week by week development, birth boards, etc. PregnancyWeekly has an ultrasound gallery to see what babies will look like at a certain number of weeks. You can post your own ultrasound photos and share with everyone. You will also find a list of baby names, a due date calculator, newsletters and so much more. This site also explains what you should expect at your next OB appointment and helps to pick out questions you may want to ask.
Pregnancy.org- Here, you’ll find much of the same things that were on the previous two websites. One of the main differences is, that they track your pregnancy day by day with a pregnancy calendar customized just for you. They have a prenatal record to keep information about your little bundle of joy, a tool to make a ticker, baby name finder, birth plan checklist, and even a live chatroom.
Book- “What To Expect While You’re Expecting”- This book is considered to be the pregnant woman’s bible. This book answers almost every question. It covers how to prepare your body to try to conceive, what to do once you get that positive pregnancy test, the stages and months of pregnancy, labor and delivery, when things go wrong, basic newborn information, and has a variety of other resources to check out. This book was recommended to me by my doctor so it’s a great hit even with the docs.
Book- “The Expectant Father”- This one is geared towards your child’s father. Because we are the ones who have the miracle growing inside, father’s can often feel left out. They may not even completely grasp what is going on. This book helps to educate them on pregnancy, while also explain what Mom’s are going through. It gives great tips on how Dad can get involved and is a great read for a first time father.
These are plenty of magazines out there that you can pick up too! Parenting, Pregnancy, American Baby are all very interesting reads and they have some great tips, tricks and ideas.
Of course, if you have a special medical concern, visit your doctor. They will be able to clear things up for you. The above sites are not intended to be used in place of visiting an OB. In closing, I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy. Enjoy your new bundle of joy when he/she arrives. They grow up entirely to fast!
