Yolanda Lau

Oreo, Milk’s Favorite Cookie

If you or your partner are pregnant or considering having a child, here are some movies and books I’d recommend checking out:

Movies available on Netflix Instant

• The Business of Being Born - documentary by Ricki Lake about the medicalization of childbirth
• Babies - documentary of four newborns from different cultures (San Francisco, Namibia, Mongolia, and Tokyo)
• National Geographic: Science of Babies - a look at the first 12 months in a baby’s life

Pregnancy

• What to expect when you’re expecting / Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel - the classic pregnancy book
• Pregnancy, childbirth, and the newborn : the complete guide / Penny Simkin - better than the classic What to expect when you’re expecting, in my opinion
• 300 questions new parents ask : about pregnancy, childbirth, and infant & child care / William Sears and Martha Sears - a bit outdated, but a quick read
• Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month, Fifth Edition / The American College of Ob/Gyn (ACOG) - similar to the classic What to expect when you’re expecting, but shorter and more science-y / medical-y

Pregnancy Health

• How to exercise when you’re expecting : for the 9 months of pregnancy and the 5 months it takes to get your best body back / Lindsay Brin - helpful information on pregnancy nutrition and exercise
• Essential exercises for the childbearing year : a guide to health and comfort before and after your baby is born / by Elizabeth Noble 
• The Complete Organic Pregnancy / Deirdre Dolan & Alexandra Zissu

Childbirth

• Natural childbirth the Bradley way / Susan McCutcheon - an introduction to natural childbirth and its advantages, and a handbook on how to prepare for all the stages of labor (from nutrition and exercise, to relaxation and positions)
• Husband-coached childbirth / Robert A Bradley - learn about the Bradley method, by the creator of this childbirth method; note that it’s a bit outdated (Natural childbirth the Bradley way is much better)
• The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence / Judith Lothian & Charlotte De Vries - learn about the six Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices and Lamaze’s mission to promote, support and protect natural, safe, and healthy birth through education and advocacy before choosing a childbirth method
• The birth partner : a complete guide to childbirth for dads, doulas, and other labor companions / Penny Simkin - must-read for every Dad and labor helper
• Ina May’s guide to childbirth / Ina May Gaskin - Part I is filled with inspiring and remarkable birth stories; Part II can help you get the natural birth story you want
• The birth book : everything you need to know to have a safe and satisfying birth / William Sears and Martha Sears - terrific unbiased childbirth book that doesn’t advocate any childbirth method over another; great book to start with if you haven’t chosen a birthing class yet
• Gentle Birth Method / Gowri Motha

History of Pregnancy/Childbirth

• Birth : the surprising history of how we are born / Tina Cassidy
• Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care / Jennifer Block

Parenting Handbooks

• The amazing newborn / Marshall H. Klaus, Phyllis H. Klaus - terrific short book all about newborns with lots of photographs of adorable babies
• What to expect the first year / Heidi Murkoff - follow up to the classic What to expect when you’re expecting
• The baby book : everything you need to know about your baby—from birth to age two / William Sears and Martha Sears - must have book to help you take care of baby; nice graphics, tips for development milestones to look for and photograph / videotape, and info on everything from first-aid to breastfeeding, discipline to sickness, and more
• Gentle First Year: The Essential Guide to Mother and Baby Wellbeing in the First Twelve Months / Gowri Motha 
• Baby 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice For Your Baby’s First Year / Denise Fields and Ari Brown M.D. 

Elimination Communication

• The Diaper-Free Baby / Christine Gross-Loh - intro to elimination communication, with lots of stories from families who practice EC, and tips on must-have gear
• Infant Potty Training : A Gentle and Primeval Method Adapted to Modern Living / Laurie Boucke - fun stories and photos of how people in other cultures potty train their children
• Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene / Ingrid Bauer

Health and Nutrition

• The portable pediatrician : everything you need to know about your child’s health / William Sears
• The family nutrition book : everything you need to know about feeding your children—from birth through adolescence / William Sears and Martha Sears
• The healthiest kid in the neighborhood : ten ways to get your family on the right nutritional track / William Sears - shorter, condensed version of The Family Nutrition Book

Baby Food

• The best homemade baby food on the planet : know what goes into every bite with more than 200 of the most deliciously nutritious homemade baby food recipes / Karin Knight - easy, yummy recipes and info on when to introduce foods to minimize the risk of food allergies
• The baby-led weaning cookbook / Gill Rapley - how to introduce foods to your baby when s/he is ready; also has lots of easy, yummy, nutritious recipes

Sleep Training

• The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night / Elizabeth Pantley
• The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Gentle Ways to Stop Bedtime Battles and Improve Your Child’s Sleep / Elizabeth Pantley
• The happiest baby on the block : the new way to calm crying and help your baby sleep longer / Harvey Karp

Baby Signs

• Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk / Linda P. Acredolo - not entirely sure how I feel about baby signs, but this book feels like an infomercial for why baby signs is awesome (it also has some examples of signs you can use with your baby)
• The Baby Signs Complete DVD Series (Welcome, Mealtime, Bedtime, Bath Time, Pet Signs, Park Signs, My Getting Dressed) / Linda P. Acredolo - not a book, this is a dvd set that teaches you and your baby a bunch of baby signs

Parenting, Other Cultures

• Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting / Pamela Druckerman
• French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters / Karen Le Billon

Motherhood

• The new mom’s survival guide : how to reclaim your body, your health, your sanity and your sex life / Jennifer Wider 
• Baby tips for Moms / Simon Brett 
• The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming Our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity / Meg Meeker 
• 25 things every new mother should know / Martha Sears, with William Sears - this is probably the only useful book in this section

Fatherhood

• Baby tips for Dads / Simon Brett 
• The new dad’s survival guide : man-to-man advice for first-time fathers / Scott Mactavish
• Rookie dad : meditations from the backyard / Rick Epstein 
• The expectant father : facts, tips, and advice for dads-to-be / Armin Brott & Jennifer Ash - great for dads (even talks about post-baby finances, which especially seem to worry dads)
• The baby owner’s manual : operating instructions, trouble-shooting tips, and advice on first-year maintenance / Louis Borgenicht & Joe Borgenicht - silly, cheeky, pocket-sized book; not really worth reading but could be a fun gift for first-time father
• Fathering right from the start : straight talk about prenancy, birth, and beyond / Jack Heinowitz

For Grandparents

• Baby tips for Grandparents / Simon Brett

Baby Stuff Buying Guides

• Baby lists : what to do and what to get to prepare for baby / Elaine Farber 
• The baby gizmo buying guide : from pacifiers to potties— why, when, and what to buy for pregnancy through preschool / Heather Maclean - super-helpful in helping you figure out what questions you need answered before you buy baby stuff

Breastfeeding

• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding /  Diane Wiessinger & Diana West & Teresa Pitman - classic must-read breastfeeding handbook from the La Leche League
• Ina May’s guide to breastfeeding / Ina May Gaskin - terrific breastfeeding guide from benefits and techniques to trouble-shooting; much shorter than the La Leche League book
• The breastfeeding book : everything you need to know about nursing your child from birth through weaning / Martha Sears and William Sears
• The Nursing Mother’s Companion / Kathleen Huggins
• Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers / Nancy Mohrbacher, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Jack Newman

Post-Partum

• The year after childbirth : surviving and enjoying the first year of motherhood / Sheila Kitzinger - authoritative mother-care book; great read since most books focus either on pregnancy or babies (few on post-partum)
• The post-pregnancy handbook : the only book that tells what the first year after childbirth is really all about— physically, emotionally, sexually / Sylvia Brown with Mary Dowd Struck - read this one if you prefer alternative remedies such as homeopathy, herbals, acupuncture, shiatsu, chiropractors, acupressure, osteopathy, aromatheraphy, or reflexology.

And in the unlikely event that you experience pregnancy or childbearing loss, take a look at these books.

Also, when you’re ready to start buying baby gear, sign up for zulily.com - a daily deals website for clothes, jewelry, and gear for moms, babies and kids.

by Hannes Beer

Ry Craike surfing (and exploring) Taiwan — Quiksilver Taitung (台東) County 2011 International Surf Challenge at Jinzun Harbor

chocolate planets?! love it.

photojojo:

These pretty little planets are made of chocolate!

They’re made by chocolatier L’éclat for Japan’s Rhiga Royal Hotels.

Planetary Chocolates

via Laughing Squid; Nerdcore