BOOK WEEK: Review and giveaway – The Second Baby Survival Guide

Sorry, Book Week got a bit lost in amongst a pretty busy week finishing (most) work and looking after various ailing members of the family. And there were two nights when Eleanor decided the middle of the night was the best time to get up and run around playing – joined by Rosemary on one night. A more organised blogger would have written and scheduled all her posts for something like Book Week, but I am apparently not that blogger – or that person, indeed, as you’d know if you’d ever seen my desk, or my house, apart from when Chris has run through it with is magic ‘make all look good in two seconds’ wand.

I did have another couple of posts planned for Book Week, and will hopefully manage to get them written and posted tomorrow, but just in case this doesn’t happen, I wanted to make sure you got this review and giveaway. This is especially relevant to you if you’re expecting a second child or are thinking about trying for Baby Number 2. But you might also want to enter the giveaway if you have any friends who have recently announced the impending arrival of another baby.

The Second Baby Survival Guide by Naia Edwards

Sadly, this wasn’t out a couple of  years ago, because I really could have used it. With Rosemary I bought a number of pregnancy guides and parenting books, as well as parenting magazines. I joined a couple of big baby sites (www.babyworld.co.uk and www.babycentre.co.uk) and I spoke to everyone I knew who’d ever had a baby to ask advice and try to find out what would happen.

Second time round, not so much. I did join the antenatal club for October 2009 on Babyworld, and I probably added a few new blogs to my Google Reader – those of people expecting at roughly the same time. And I went pretty crazy on Twitter, chatting to some others with babies due in October. What I didn’t do was buy any new pregnancy books. Because, frankly, I figured I’d been there and done that and knew what it was all about. Of course, it’s true that it’s less of a shock second time round, but it can also be incredibly different and there other things that you didn’t have to factor in first time round – looking after a small child, while heavy with baby is a fair bit harder than putting your feet up constantly and taking it very, very easy, first time round.

And all this is why I would have found a copy of ‘ target=_blank>The Second Baby Survival Guide by Naia Edwards really very handy and why I will be recommending it to anyone diving into the depths that are Baby Number 2.

The book is written in an engaging tone, one that sets you at ease and makes you feel that Naia Edwards has been there and knows what she’s talking about (and as a mum of four children, she probably does). She combines reassurance and comforting words, with advice and practical tips. And there are panels dotted throughout with words from other parents, giving a range of experiences of different issues or situations.

There are eight chapters, taking you through pregnancy, birth, the early weeks and right through to going back to work, with specific chapters addressing issues of sleeping, feeding, sibling rivalry and getting out and about. It does focus on having a toddler at home, rather than an older child, though there is still a fair bit that applies to primary school children. If you have a teenager or grown older child, the book probably isn’t for you, though.

I was especially pleased (as a sling convert myself) to see the advice to use a sling to keep your baby close while still managing to do things with your toddler. I tell everyone I know these days that a good sling is an absolute must-buy.

So, if you’re expecting Baby Number 2, thinking about trying for another or have a friend or relative who’s in that boat, we have two copies to give away. I’m giving my copy away (because it will be of much more use to someone expecting another baby than set on my shelf while my second baby gets even older!) and the publishers also have a (new and not dog-eared) copy to give away.

If you want to enter, leave a comment here saying so (you can comment without entering the giveaway, so do be specific). You can get an extra entry if you leave a comment on this post on the WAHM-BAM Facebook page or if you tweet a link to it. The draw will be made on Christmas Day and I’ll announce the winner here and contact them direct. (UK entries only)

If you’ve missed them, have a look at the other BOOK WEEK posts, including another giveaway – Her Fearful Symmetry review and giveaway and a post about the girls’ favourite books.