Children's books about pregnancy, birth and babies

[Caryl]

I thought we could start a list of books for children, introducing them to the ideas and facts of pregnancy, birth, and babies. What books have you enjoyed with your children about these topics? Which ones have most helped you to talk with your child about their own birth, or about the addition of a new sibling to the family?

(I'll be back later to post a few titles I like. http://www.storknet.com/boards/smile.gif )

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Caryl
Mom to Charon, 7/19/99
Co-Moderator for the Reading Circle and Heart of the Home Forums
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
--Annie Dillard

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[This message has been edited by Caryl (edited 09-12-2002).]

[djk42]

Mr. Rogers' "The New Baby" was the only one we read to Aren when expecting Beth, and we liked it a lot. If no one posts the other ones I like I'll edit this later, but we read so many to the older two when expecting Abigail I don't remember the names! http://www.storknet.com/boards/smile.gif

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Mommy to Aren (1-98), Elizabeth (6-99) and Abigail (8-01)
Happily Nursing Three Precious Angels

[rebeccav]

We just took a pretty good one back to the library last week, it was put out by Parents' Magazine, and I believe it was called "The New Baby At Your House". I liked it because it showed moms breastfeeding and bottlefeeding, and explained a little about what the older child could do to interact with the baby.

Another good one we have is called "What's He Doing in There?" (I'll have to come back later and post the author's name.) It is quite cute and the end of the book has pictures (illustrations) of what the fetus looks like at different stages of the pregnancy.



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Rebecca (27)
DH (27)
DS Devon Michael 12/06/99
and a Baby Girl EDD 12/06/02 Camryn Laurie
Co-moderator, SC4

[Caryl]

Thanks for those recommendations! I'll post Amazon links to them:

The New Baby (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0698113667/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Fred Rogers

The New Baby at Your House (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0688166989/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Joanna Cole
(Is this the one you were thinking of, Rebecca? Also, I couldn't find your second recommendation. Let me know if you find out the author.)

Here are a few of my favorites:

On the Day You Were Born (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0152579958/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Debra Frasier
Charon loved this book's illustrations as a baby (around 3-6 months.) I remember laying on the bed next to her and reading it to her. She was captivated.

Happy Birth Day! (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1564024245/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Robie H. Harris
This is a beautiful book. It would make a nice gift to new parents.

A Teeny Tiny Baby (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0531068188/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Amy Schwartz
I love this one! There is no older sibling in this story, but it really shows what having a teeny tiny baby to care for is like. The illustrations are delightful.

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Caryl
Mom to Charon, 7/19/99
Co-Moderator for the Reading Circle and Heart of the Home Forums
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
--Annie Dillard

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[This message has been edited by Caryl (edited 09-18-2002).]

[rebeccav]

Yes, Caryl, that's the one...

I also have the author for the other one I mentioned, "What's He Doing Now?" by Patti Farmer.

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Rebecca (27)
DH (27)
DS Devon Michael 12/06/99
and a Baby Girl EDD 12/06/02 Camryn Laurie
Co-moderator, SC4

[*Debbie*]

We had the one by Mr. Rogers and another with the Berenstain Bears. I love Happy Birth Day! that truly is a beautiful book.

Also I shared my pregnancy books with the kids. One in particular had a lot of pictures (The Better Homes and Gardens Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth?) with little captions about what was happening with the baby that month.

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~*~ Debbie ~*~
WAHM to Liam, Cailin ~ in Heaven ~ (10/94 - 11/94), Gillian, & Taryn

[Caryl]

I found a couple of books that would be good for toddlers expecting a baby brother or sister:

What's Inside? (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0916291979/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Jeanne Ashbe
This book has lift-the-flaps: the child can see what's inside things like a present, a suitcase, a teddy, a t.v., and mommy, emphasizing that some things are okay to open, some things are better left closed up, and some things (like mommy's tummy) can't be opened.

And After That... (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1929132247/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Jeanne Ashbe
Another lift-the-flap book, this one focuses on what will happen after the baby arrives. It helps to teach the concept of "what comes next."

I found the one you mentioned now, Rebecca:

What's He Doing Now? (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1552092186/ref=nosim/storknet00) by Patti Farmer

It looks like a very sweet book!

[Caryl]

Refresh. :)

[SusanH]

DD loves looking at the pictures in A Child is Born, which has beautiful photos of every stage of fetal development. Perhaps this would be too much info for a very young child, but Susanna loves to talk about how the baby is growing inside a special "bubble" (her word for it) and getting food through the cord. She finds the pictures fascinating.

I requested What Baby Needs by Dr. Sears from the library, but haven't picked it up yet. He also wrote a children's book about pregnancy called Baby on the Way, which talks about the changes mommies go through while pregnant and life with a new baby. The books are from an AP perspective, with breastfeeding, slingwearing and co-sleeping, which naturally appeals to me.

[carissanboys]

Just want to 2nd "Baby On the Way" by Dr. Sears. We got this for Sully when I was pg with Owen. I really liked the book. I think it's a great book for the kids and covers quite a bit of different things. My son had just turned 2 when his brother was born so I was reading it to him at a younger age than your son.

I can't seem to find it now though!! Guess I may have to buy another copy :)

[MJ]

Hello Baby by Lizzy Rockwell and The Baby Dances by Kathy Henderson were both favorites here.

[LisaM]

I'm not sure if you can get these books in the US but they have been indispensable in our house.

The first 'There's a House Inside my Mummy' by Giles Andraes (sp) is a very gentle, beautifully illustrated book for younger toddlers.

My three year old's current favourite is 'Mummy Laid an Egg' by Babette Cole. Laura had started to ask the obvious biological questions about the baby and where it came from, this book is a very funny, informative explanation which also dispels a few myths. It answered all her questions and provided a lot of laughs.