Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

When should you start collecting books for your baby?  Do yourself a favor and get a head start before she’s born.  Reading to your baby is an excellent way to bond with her, and you’re not going to believe how soon she’ll be reaching for one of her favorite books.  So make sure you have a stack of them waiting for her.

Some new moms even have a book baby shower, where guests bring a copy of their favorite baby book.  It’s a terrific way to get a collection started.

There are tons of different types of baby books.  You can get cloth books that can be tossed in the wash if they get spit up on.  You can get plastic books that can go in the tub.  You can even get books on a ring that can be hung on your baby’s car seat.  Some books have textures on the pages to encourage your baby to explore different bumpy smooth and sticky surfaces. 

Don’t be surprised if most of these books end up in your baby’s mouth.  It’s ok though, because it’s easy to wipe down durable baby books- just make sure you stick to the board books until you get to the preschool years. 

Looking at books is a terrific way for babies to learn about the world around them, and hearing stories is an awesome way to build up her vocabulary.  Get a stack of board books that show colorful pictures of animals; farm animals, zoo animals ocean animals.  Before you know it your baby will recognize them and begin imitating their sounds.” Brown Bear Brown Bear” by Bill Martin is a great board book.

It’s also a great idea to collect books that deal with basic concepts.  Books that label colors and shapes are great and alphabet and number books are also terrific.  “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carl is a great counting board book for babies.

A great book for baby has terrific pictures and keeps words to a minimum.  Save those long winded picture books for when she’s a preschooler trying to stall her bedtime.  Your baby’s brand new attention span can only handle a word or two on each page, and a great picture to catch her eye.  “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown is sure to grab your baby’s attention and just might be her favorite night time read for years to come.

Reading to your baby is a habit you definitely want to start right away.  Trust me, its one habit you’ll both learn to love.