Getting an education

Turns out, I got pregnant and realized I didn't know jack about having a baby.

So what do I do when I don't know jack about something? Heh. God bless Google!

I do a fair amount of research and I've discovered several websites that send out week-by-week newsletters with information about what's going on with your baby, how things are developing, what's happening to your body, etc, etc, stb, stb ("stb" is the Hungarian equivalent to "etc").

The first one I found and signed up for almost immediately after confirming I was pregnant was the American Pregnancy Association. This site is by far the most formal--lots of good information on just about anything you want to know very detailed and specific. I sort of imagine a Martha Stewart-ish voice when I read the articles. The weekly newsletters amuse me because at the end of each one there is a section called, "Tips for Mom's Partner". Basically, every single week in a very nice way it says, "Shut up. Forget about anything you want. Pamper the dickens out of her. Worship the ground she walks on." And it gives some very helpful suggestions on just how to do that.

Then there's The Bump. The Bump is a little more colorful and a little more fun--it's kind of a community thing if you want to get involved, but it's also a lot of marketing. I get my newsletter every week but I also get several other emails on sales they're having and products they recommend. Yeah right, I married the notoriously spend-thrifty Farns and this is one way we're pretty compatible, buddy. Just give me my free newsletter. The information is pretty much the same stuff I learn from the APA, but they also compare the baby's size to produce, starting with a poppy seed and working up to a watermelon. Right now our little four-pounder is the size of a squash according to them. It's fun, but the sellsellsell vibe is a bit of a turn-off.

Then I found Baby Ga-Ga. This one is by far my favorite, because it comes in a couple of different flavors. One of them is, well...kind of obnoxious and yet still so on target! If you want you can research and get information in the Martha Stewart-ish/Miracle of Life context, or you can order it with a splash of up-front humor and reality-check. I prefer the later. And it's got the community option without the marketing, which I very much appreciate. I like the comical presentation of information and every week there is a little cartoon on the side that's hilarious. Actually, getting this newsletter this morning totally prompted me to write this post. I wish these guys wrote What to Expect When You're Expecting...it'd make learning about the horrific stuff less scary.

So, if you or someone you know is trying to get pregnant, is/are pregnant or someday planning on being pregnant--here are several different newsletters you can sign up for and you're sure to find one that's just right right for you, whether you have the Miracle of Life take or the Nitty Gritty take on bringing a person into the world.