What to Expect: The Congratulations, You're Expecting! Gift Set: (Includes What to Expect When You're Expecting and What to Expect The First Year)

This is a really wonderful book set! It makes a terrific gift for any expecting mom and dad too! I purchased these books for myself when I was expecting my children, and then the second book after I had them. In my opinion, they are absolutely the BEST books on the market in this category - and that's saying a lot! (Plus I am a 20-year professional book writer and editor by occupation if that holds any weight!) One of the great things about this set is that they keep them UPDATED. These books have been on the market forever, but they are never old or outdated in their information (unless you have an old version). This is really important, considering everything you are dealing with on these topics! * WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING - This is the book for soon-to-be parents. It is an absolute wealth of great information! The book is written in an easy-to-follow and understand manner and is truly packed with lots of helpful information. You will find: > Lots of helpful information that will take you from conception through the birth of your child. > It shows and tells you "what to expect" every month of your journey (actually, every week). > The information provided is interesting, updated, and very helpful. > It's a comforting read. While it will provide you with all the facts, it isn't filled with tons of scary information that will make you dread giving birth, or fear for your baby's life! :) I really value this and new parents will too! > This is a great book even for parents who have "been there and done that!" I used this set with both of my children and loved it both times! > The book outlines BOTH the pregnancy experience from the mom's perspective AND what's happening with the child inside the womb. So you will find out "what to expect" from both ends of those spectrums! Again, so important. You'll find out all about the things your body may go through at each stage, along with what the baby will go through during each of those stages, too. It answers simple questions like, "How big will my baby be at 25 weeks of age?" and "When can I hear the baby's heart beating and feel the baby move inside my tummy?" to more complex questions like, "What nutrients does my baby receive from my diet?" to "What will happen if I suddenly need a c-section?" > You'll find so many answers to your questions with info like: - How your history, DNA, and lifestyle will affect your pregnancy and baby - The importance of eating well, what you should eat and what you should avoid - without going overboard on anything! This is nice, as so many resources are so "PRO" or "CON" in a big way on certain things and they lay on the guilt really heavy if you don't listen to them. But let's face it, we can't follow every "expert" advice. This book gives you good, solid advice along with reasoning for why that advice is provided, without getting nutsy, and then leaves you to make your best judgment calls without the guilt! - Doctor visits, check-ups, emergencies, and weight gain - Being pregnant and working at the same time - Exercise do's, don'ts and how-to's - Having sex while pregnant - Different types of childbirth and what to expect and how to prepare - The pain of childbirth and how to make it easier - Breastfeeding and bottle feeding - Pre-labor, False labor and real labor - Cesarean birth (c-section) - Multiple births - twins, triplets & more! - Postpartum and getting back into shape - What to do if you get sick while being pregnant, medications, and emergencies - Pregnancy and childbirth complications and how to deal with them - Pregnancy loss and how to cope * WHAT TO EXPECT THE FIRST YEAR - This is another must-have book for parents, first-timers or not! There is probably no other year where you are clamoring for as much information as you can get to understand what's happening and to know what to expect. Because it's a brand new baby who cannot communicate in very many ways during that first year, you have to depend on something or someone to help you along the way! > Another wonderful, information-packed step-by-step journey that details each step of the way! > While filled with great material, this book won't scare the bejeebers out of you either! That's the last thing you need when basking in the joy of a new child, but also worrying about what's happening and if everything is going right. :) Fully factual, and what I consider one of the best resources out there, it doesn't dramatize and won't worry you more than you already are! The information is provided in just the right way. You feel like you're talking to a trusted doctor and friend who wants to provide you with what you need, but isn't going to make you crazy. > Answers so many questions and outlines things like: - Whether or not to breastfeed - or even do both. - How to choose a baby doctor - Circumcise or not? - Choosing a baby name - Prepping older sibs, pets, and even working with grandparents - Buying what you need for the baby! This is a great "buyer's guide" as they cover everything from clothing to diapers, car seats, toys, cribs, and all sorts of other equipment and accessories. Not only do they go over the do's and don'ts, but they have lots of important safety info too! - Milestones, growth charts, and first moments - Basic baby care that covers everything from eyes, ears, nose, finger and toenails, burping, lifting, carrying, haircuts, excessive crying, how much sleep is needed, and on and on . . . - Developmental milestones - Childcare and babysitters - Health, safety, and allergy information - Introducing foods - First steps and first words - Keeping baby healthy (check-ups, immunizations, colds, fevers, tummy aches, medicines, when to call the doctor, first aid for babies, common illnesses etc.) - Traveling with your baby - The low-birth-weight baby - Adopted babies - What you can expect from your body during the first year, too! This is such a terrific set of books. It's not just a recommended set of books, but books you absolutely must own and read! You will refer to them again and again and them some more! It's a really trusted resource, easy to read, and a great resource of the most incredible journey you will ever take in your life!

A must for every pregnancy! The perfect gift for anyone starting a family! I've been giving these books as gifts for over 20 years! Everyone tells me they love them! Women tell me the books answered their questions and calm there anxieties! I read the original copy years ago when my friends were starting families and was amazed at all the information one book could hold. It's amazing how many young pregnant ladies I've run into who tell me they are afraid and don't know what is going on to there bodies. I always ask if they have read these books, when their eyes light up and they tell me "no". I have the internet send them a copy. When I later run into them, they are overjoyed to thank me for the book. Every mother and father needs this book! The best mother to be book you will ever find!

A good read and a good guide. I never follow these things religiously but it definitely eased some of our anxiety when we had our first born.

Bought for my Granddaughter when she was expecting! She was young and thought it would be helpful to her. It out did my expectations! The info was detailed and just full of things all new mothers need to know and also shows all stages and what to expect as baby grows! The second book in set “what to expect the first year” and it is Great. It helps new mothers to know what child needs as he grows the first year! Young Mothers should all read this set. It will calm them because it teaches them what to expect and what to do in everyday challenges!

Loved this book set. It is written in an engaging and relatable manner that encouraged me. Many times my husband and I looked up some random question in the middle of the night, and we usually found the answer. I really appreciated reading up each week on how my baby was developing during my pregnancy. I also liked the lists of common symptoms (emotionally and physically) that appeared for each month as well. This is a handy resource that I reach for over and over. It doesn’t go on the shelf, it stays by my bed.

I buy this book for every loved one that is going to have a baby. What peace of mind this gives you. Great information to help a nervous new mother be less anxious!

The first book was wonderful! The second one was missing pages... it starts in the middle of chapter 3 (page 71). Other than that, great content and wonderful advice backed up by doctors.

I’ve always loved these books and the information is so helpful. I got this from my daughter-in-law who is expecting her first baby and the quality of the book is excellent.

It's give lot of information but sometimes too much information. So read and understand carefully

Highly recommended! Great buy and a great gift for moms-to-be. An ideal package, for the price quoted it's quite a steal.

I love both books! They’re such great reference guides for new moms. Its my baby bibles for me!

Nice books with a lot informations useful for a pregnancy and first year of the baby. My only downfall is that it sometimes has much informations not necessarily needed and the fact that it’s basically based for people in America (some of the data, recommendations and medical advices).

I carefully studied 'Expecting' while expecting, and 'The First Year' has been an important reference book for me. I really came to value the concept of 'informed consent' during my pregnancy, and I learned (through other material) how to advocate for myself. In retrospect, I'm kind of horrified that the best-selling guide to being pregnant hardly touches the topic. Throughout the book, the reader is counselled that "your obstetrician will decide if/when/that" and just - no, that's not actually how it works. The role of your medical professional (family doctor, OB, midwife) is to lay out the options and potential outcomes, and to use their expertise to quantify relative and absolute risk to you and your baby. Your job is to take this information seriously, use it to make a decision, and then own that decision. No wonder extreme interventions (with controllable outcomes) are so common. If patients can't be expected to take responsibility for their choices, they won't be allowed to make any. Three stars given because these books are genuinely packed with useful information. Look elsewhere for an explanation of informed consent (in theory and practice) - if you don't want to be infantilized by the medical system, you need to be prepared to make and own your choices (like an adult).