The Girlfriend’s Guide to Baby Gear - what to buy, what to borrow, what to blow off
by Vicki Iovine & Peg Rosen

I debated whether or not to review this book. I mean, I read it, but it was for practical reasons (seeing that I’m 6 months pregnant.) I read alot of educational/instructional type books, especially now. Some I read front to back (like this one,) others I just skim through or read certain parts of. I finally made the “executive decision” that I would review every book that I read in it’s entirety. So here goes. (I’m not going to follow my standard format for this review…)

Like I said, I’m 6 months pregnant with my first kid, and I’m pretty clueless about everything baby-related. The huge plethora of baby products available make it totally overwhelming to a baby “newbie” like me. I’d read “The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy” (one of Vicki Iovine’s other books - perhaps her most known) shortly after becoming pregnant and when I was searching amazon.com for a book that would educate me about baby gear, I came across this one. I ended up getting it from the library and reading it early in my pregnancy, but a few months later (now) when it became time to actually register, I realized I’d forgotten much of what I read, so I headed to the bookstore to just buy my own copy of this book (that right there tells you how much I liked it the first time through.)

This book was exactly what I was looking for. I mean, I could find plenty of ads and descriptions of various baby gear in my many magazines, but what I really needed was for someone to say - “Ok, here’s what you need, here’s what you don’t. Here’s what to look for in a stroller, here’s what NOT to buy secondhand…” - which is just what this book did.

Each chapter covers a different type of baby gear, from transportation to safety to toys. Basically, the authors start by describing the gear and options are available (I had no idea there were so many options for strollers and carseats! If I had went to baby store before reading this I don’t know what I would have done!) They also tell you what you definitely need, and what you shouldn’t bother with. Although they usually mention some reputable brands, they stop short of recommending specific products (which makes complete sense considering how often new products and models come out.) They concentrate more on educating you on the product in general - i.e., what characteristics are helpful or important in that product, and what ones are frivilous (or even dangerous.)

Interspersed throughout the book are several checklists and sidebars (like “Top 10 things every new mom needs”.) Some humorous, some educational, most both. They even include a few chapters at the end on preparing yourself and your home for your baby’s arrival. There’s a separate chapter on “baby proofing” but this chapter was one of my favorites and talked about what those first few weeks would be like and suggesting some things to have on hand to make them more enjoyable (or at least bearable.) Things that make perfect sense but that I probably wouldn’t have thought of, like a spill-proof coffee mug and plenty of lightweight magazines for late-night reading.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book, especially for first time moms. If you are looking for a Consumer Reports type thing that will review or recommend a specific stroller, look elsewhere. But if you are feeling overwhelmed by all the baby gear available these days, and want a straightforward explanation of what’s out there, you can’t beat Vicki and Peg’s perspective.

Rating:
B+

(read: Nov. 2006)