Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee E. Hathaway, Heidi Murkoff - What to Expect the First Year

Pros: lot of information, well organized
Cons: always want to know more!

When I became pregnant with my first child, I bought the first book in this series, What to Expect when You're Expecting. It was fantastic so just before the baby was born, I bought What to Expect the First Year. It has been even more useful than the...

Pros: This book answers many questions a first time mother might have.
Cons: none

I received the book by same authors WHAT TO EXPECT WHILE YOU'RE EXPECTING when I first became pregnant. It was a wonderful book for a new expecting mother. When my first son was born WHAT TO EXPECT THE FIRST YEAR was the first thing I went out and...

Pros: comprehensive, easy to read format
Cons: None, an overall great guide to parenting a newborn

Chances are, while you were pregnant, you probably read What To Expect While You're Expecting, being that it is just about the most popular pregnancy book out there. I know I did, I basically used it as my pregnancy bible, as it helped me through...

Pros: Very informative, laid out nicely
Cons: Doesn't explore other alternatives to mainstream

When I was growing up I never had any little sisters or brothers. I was the youngest sibling, the youngest cousin and therefore I never had to deal with a baby. In my professional life, I work with teenagers everyday and feel confident in the inner...

Pros: Good common illness section, first aid section
Cons: you won't agree with everything (duh! Trust your Mommy gut!)

After purchasing “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and loving it, I knew I would purchase the next step “What to Expect the First Year” And I love it too. It has the same set up as “What to Expect When You’re ...

Pros: Very full of helpful information
Cons: Some negative attitudes with diets and remedies

I'm sure that many new parents are as surprised by the reality of their child as my husband and I were. We were so confident, having read so many books, magazines, and looking at videos, that everything would be perfect. I would instinctually be able to...

Pros: Easily Understandable without being Condescending
Cons: it doesn't go into the pre-teen years!

You’ve made it through labor and delivery....and the nurses are signing you out....oh my gosh...

NOW WHAT???

There is nothing more frightening than bringing baby home for the first time. There are pages of unanswered questions and...

Pros: Organized, detailed, very well researched
Cons: Some AP parents may not like parts of the book.

"What to Expect the First Year." Let me tell you, a lot more than you EVER expected is going to happen in the first year of your baby's life. (Heck, a lot more than I expected happened in the first few days! Come on, until you've really seen...

Pros: Good organization, some good basic information
Cons: Purports to be an authority, but is ultimately biased

After you've given birth, you might think you will be free from the What to Expect phenomenon. The authors, however, were not content to just be the pregnancy "experts;" indeed, there are two more tomes out there now, one about the toddler...

Pros: covers many common questions and concerns
Cons: some issues could have been covered a little more

When my first child came, along with him were about a thousand questions. Is he sleeping too much? Is he getting enough to eat? . . . Should his belly button look like that?? The questions seemed endless, but they did not go unanswered. So far, during my...

Pros: Lots of info, works well as a reference book
Cons: Tone is wordy and annoying at times; definitely not in favor of Attachment Parenting

Since What to Expect When You're Expecting had the gall to tell me not to eat sweets and to consider a bagel a "weekly treat," I was a little turned off and never particularly anxious to buy the next book in the series. But when my baby was born,...

Pros: lets you know expected developmental stages
Cons: mainstream, parent-centered

I bought this book within two weeks of having my baby. I had What to Expect When You're Expecting and thought this book would be a good next step. I was looking for parenting advice and a helpful developmental guide. Well, I did get what I was looking...

Pros: good for lining birdcage
Cons: makes mothers doubt their instinct

This book is often hailed as a must read. What a shame, as this book is not something I recommend to a new mother. The breastfeeding information is less than ideal, the book is not very focused on the child, rather on making life for mom easier (though...

Pros: Covers alot of topics
Cons: Does not cover topics in depth.

Like many other new mothers, I initially thought of this book as my "bible" I read it religiously each month as my son grew, but as I gathered more information from other resources, I slowly realized that this book leaves a lot to be...

Pros: excellent resource with an abundance of helpful hints
Cons: the milestones are not realistic and often misleading

I'll admit that I don't swear by every nugget of informational goodness in this book, but What to Expect the First Year still rightfully deserves the nickname with which we christened it about three years ago.

I'm sure most new parents...