What books do you recommend to pregnant women?

Me? I basically recommend anything by Dr. Sears. :) The Pregnancy Book, The Birth Book, The Baby Book, The Breastfeeding Book, The Successful Child... :) They are all great!

I also really liked The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

What would you say is highly recommended reading and why?

I have really like The Pregnancy Book, The Birth Book, and The Thinking Women's Guide to Better Birth. All of those books just tend to cover thinks that doctor's usually don't. There are some choices I would have made based solely on my doctor's recommendation before I read these books. Now I feel much more informed about what my options really are.

I agree with all the Dr. Sear's book recommendations. I would stay AWAY from What to Expect When Your Expecting... I've thoroughly enjoyed A Child Is Born with all the pictures of a baby's development... I enjoyed a Week by Week Guide to follow how my baby's develop ... and of all the "light" reading I laughed and enjoyed A Girlfriends Guide.

I loved the Girlfriends Guide...and I did read What to Expect and thought it was useful also.

I did not like the Girlfriends' Guide: I thought it was pretty silly especially the part about not exercising for 9 months!

Personally, I would read up on infants' sleep. No one tells you to do this *before* the baby's born but I think it would solve a lot of problems if ppl understood baby's sleeping cycles as soon as possible. I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy CHild by Marc Weissbluth and others reco The No Cry Sleep Solution or The Baby Whisperer.

I love "Your Pregnancy Week by Week"

Any of the Dr. Sears books are the best IMO.. Girlfriends Guide is a waste of time. I read 1/2 of it and that was it for me.

I read WTEWYE, a pregnancy week by week book, the girlfriends guide (which wasn't informative, persay, but it was a good lighthearted read)

I loved Your Pregnancy Week by Week

I agree with all the Dr. Sear's book recommendations. I would stay AWAY from What to Expect When Your Expecting... I've thoroughly enjoyed A Child Is Born with all the pictures of a baby's development... I enjoyed a Week by Week Guide to follow how my baby's develop ... and of all the "light" reading I laughed and enjoyed A Girlfriends Guide.
I agree with all of this, especially staying away from wtewye.

Birthing From Within. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0965987302/qid=1073876715/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-0713646-8265725) I don't know how I could have done it without this book!

I read soooo much, but I really enjoyed The Girlfriends Guide....just because it was fun and lighthearted. Take it with a grain of salt.
I like Dr. Sears' books, but I wouldnt limit it to one author.
I don't like WTEWYE!
I also agree that reading a sleep book prior to having a baby is a good idea!!! I reccommend The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley.
And if you are going to BF, I liked Sears' BF Book and 'So Thats What They Are For' by Janet Tamaro.

I am nowhere near being PG yet, but I've seen on UB and here that WTEWYE is not a good one. Just out of curiousity, what's wrong with it? Is it _too_ much information or does it cause needless worry?

I did not like the tone of WTEWYE. They have lots of suggestions for diet and exercise and do their best to make you feel guilty if you indulge in standard pregnancy junk food cravings. I used it for reference occasionally as I found their attitude toward pregnancy to be a bit to militaristic for me.

I enjoyed some of the books which were mentioned here already - girlfriends guide and my pregnancy week by week in particular. I also agree with the comments that you should definitely read a few baby related books before your little one arrives. I felt like I was cramming for a test just before I was induced because I had focused all of my reading time on me - and not the baby part!

Kristen

I love "Your Pregnancy Week by Week"
This is what I read and I loved it!

I am nowhere near being PG yet, but I've seen on UB and here that WTEWYE is not a good one. Just out of curiousity, what's wrong with it? Is it _too_ much information or does it cause needless worry?
I havent read it, but I have heard it just scares the crap out of you.

Since the baby arrived, I have read "The Girlfriends Guide to Surviving the First Year" (didnt read the pregnancy one..) I enjoyed the humor.

And I have started reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and I also have a book called "Caring for your Child from Birth to 5 years" Its more of a reference book and its endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.. It has some great info it!

definately THE Mayo Clinic's book on pregnancy and baby's first year! You can get it FREE here:

http://www.sf.pii.orders.com/events/birth/default.asp

Pregnancy for Dummies- has as much information as WTEWYE but doesn't make you feel bad
Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy- I LAUGHED by butt off!
GG to Surviving the first year- scared me with the no sleep issues, but was informative
GG to Toddlerhood- I'm in the middle of this now, its pretty good
GG to Baby Gear- gives GREAT suggestions
WTEWYE- its the "textbook" of pregnancy, if you need to look something up, its great and informative
The Baby Manual- your DH will probably love this, it talks about taking care of a baby like a car manual
AAP's book Caring for your baby and child- GREAT information! Well written
Diaper Diaries- its hysterical! Not really that informative, but it gives you a boost when you are dealing with PPD or baby blues


What I DON'T recommend

So that's what they're for- unless you KNOW that you are going to breastfeed and will be able to do it successfully DON'T read this book. Its supposedly "lighthearted" but it really isn't. It compares the hospital nursery to solitary confinement in a prison! The breastfeeding techniques that she does talk about can be found in other places and without the horrible attitude that the author has.

I like your pregnancy week by week. and dr sears. I think it was called the baby book.

I read WTEWYE (and the what to eat one) and I'd say the tone wasn't as friendly as the Week by Week. What I did like about WTEWYE was the part about how the baby was changing and growing.