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What to Expect the First Year  By  cover art

What to Expect the First Year

By: Heidi Murkoff
Narrated by: Heidi Murkoff,Meeghan Holaway,Emma Bing,James Patrick Cronin,Khristine Hvam,Vanessa Johansson,Inés del Castillo,Almarie Guerra,Tanis Parenteau,Mat Vairo,Jasmin Walker,Sofia Willingham
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Publisher's summary

Some things about babies, happily, will never change. They still arrive warm, cuddly, soft, and smelling impossibly sweet. But how moms and dads care for their brand new bundles of baby joy has changed—and now, so has the world’s best-selling, best-loved guide to the instructions babies don’t come with…but totally should. In audio, and only on Audible, for the first time ever, What to Expect in the First Year is brought to life by the engaging, comforting narration of author Heidi Murkoff. Accompanied by a full cast of audio talent, Heidi enlivens the empathetic, reality-based advice, practical tips, and reassuring support that makes First Year the definitive, must-have baby bible. Best of all, she’s there for you anywhere, anytime—talking you (and cheering you on) through those long nights and sometimes longer days, through crying jags, gas, and blowout diapers, nap strikes, breastfeeding struggles, stuffy noses, teething, and so much more.
 

Follow along month-by-month as this completely updated third edition of What to Expect follows your baby’s amazing first year of growth and development—allowing you to take this exciting but potentially overwhelming first year one (baby) step at a time. It’s all here, with all your questions answered and all your worries put to bed (along with all those worries about safe baby sleep)—everything you need to know about the care (and feeding) of your infant. Crib and car seat and home safety, feeding options (from all breast to all pumped to all formula, to “the combo”), when to start solids (and how), sleep strategies that work, why skin-to-skin is in for moms and dads, how to play with and stimulate your little one from newborn to almost-toddler (hint: it’s easier than you’d think).
 

Heard about baby-led weaning, baby-wearing, baby massage, and baby signs? You’ll hear about them here. Also included: a complete guide to breastfeeding (how to get started and keep it going, even if you’re going back to work), a brand new chapter on buying for baby, helping you navigate through today’s dizzying selection of nursery items and baby gear, and all-green parenting. The latest recommendations on screen time for babies (and parents), vaccines, vitamins, preventing allergies (surprise—bring on the peanuts for your little peanut!) and so much more. Easy-to-access information on when to call the pediatrician, what to do in an emergency or when baby’s sick, and how to keep baby safe and healthy. With topics organized more intuitively than ever—and with advice from Heidi just a quick search away whenever you need it —this is a must-have guide for new parents.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, an accompanying PDF of charts and diagrams will be available in your Audible Desktop Library along with the audio. 

©1989, 1996, 2003, 2010, 2014 What to Expect, LLC. (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

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About the Author

It all started with a baby and a book. Heidi Murkoff conceived the idea for What to Expect When You’re Expecting during her first pregnancy, when she couldn’t find answers in the books she turned to for much-needed advice. Now with five editions and more than 19 million copies in print, the book—widely dubbed the pregnancy bible—is the longest-running title of all time on the New York Times best-seller list. Heidi expanded the world’s popular pregnancy and parenting series—which has sold more than 42 million copies in 38 countries and 34 languages—with What to Expect the First Year, Eating Well When You’re Expecting, and the pregnancy prequel, What to Expect Before You’re Expecting. Adapting her brand across new platforms, she created WhatToExpect.com, which features the #1 rated pregnancy app and is home to an active community of 13 million moms. She personally answers questions from the community in her weekly column, Help Me, Heidi. Her iconic book was also adapted into a feature-length comedy in 2012 starring Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, and Chris Rock. Heidi’s passionate commitment to moms and babies led to the creation of the What to Expect Project, a nonprofit dedicated to helping mothers in need expect healthy pregnancies and safe deliveries. So far, the Project’s groundbreaking Baby Basics has supported more than 950,000 expectant at-risk moms-to-be in the US, Liberia, and Bangladesh. The WTE Project has also teamed with International Medical Corps to provide life-saving maternal-child healthcare and midwife training in Africa and the Middle East, and Heidi serves as a First Responder with this team of humanitarian healthcare workers. In partnership with the USO, she and her husband Erik created Special Delivery, a program that celebrates and supports expectant military moms, active duty and spouses—hosting more than 170 baby showers at bases around the world over the last six years. Heidi actively advocates on a variety of issues impacting families, from healthcare to childcare to prison reform to Zika virus, meeting and appearing often with members of Congress. In 2011, Time magazine named Heidi one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World—though she prefers to be known as a mom on a mission.

WHAT TO EXPECT is a registered trademark of What to Expect LLC.

What listeners say about What to Expect the First Year

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

NOT AT ALL WORTH THE MONEY AND TIME

i would have given 1 star if possible. The level of content of this book is little more than small talk.

i am expecting my first baby and need real help, and i did not expect a book that is so hyped up by the media to just explain to me that i can choose bertween disposable and reusable dipers.

spend your time and money on Barry Brazelton's parenting manual for age 0 to 3, that is a real book with real quality value.

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7 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Promotes a certain point of view

What to expect when you're expecting was a great book. It provided an objective, useful dissertation as to what to expect, the variations to the norm and what to do about it.

This book is different. It tends to promote a certain point of view which, although may have evidence behind it, is subject to bias and poor quality citations. The author shows no empathy for those who are unable to follow their 'recommendations'. What if you cannot breast feed? The first chapter will make you feel miserable. You will hear all the things breastfeeding will be benefits for. Some practical advice on lactation, latching, pragmatic aspects would have been welcome.

Unfortunately, this book was not for us.

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5 people found this helpful

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Very helpful

I found the book really helpful and beautifully written.
All the advice is delivered succinctly and pragmatically, with a touch of humour on the side.
The narrating is very well done too.

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3 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Narration is awful

I'm sorry but I just can't stand the way Heidi speaks in this. The narration is terrible. I feel like a lot of the info is outdated or not useful. Don't recommend.

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1 person found this helpful

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Makes you feel bad if you don’t breastfeed

I had to stop listening to this because it just went on and on and on about breastfeeding. I had a pretty traumatic recovery after my c-section with twins where I was not able to breastfeed right away. I’m currently trying to breastfeed and supplement with formula. Right now we’re feeding mostly with formula. The author makes you feel TERRIBLE if you decide to not breastfeed. Very condescending. She might as well say “if you don’t exclusively breastfeed, then you suck at life.” She even makes you feel bad if you’re someone who pumps. This isn’t word for word, but she talks about how breastfeeding moms are more exhausted than moms who are “just hand the bottle off” to someone else so they can rest. I’m not even half an hour into this. Will return this title because if she’s like this now… I can’t imagine 36 more hours.

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1 person found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars

poor narration

the narrator is so terrible. I know what you're thinking... "who cares if the narrator is bad as long as the information is good". i thought the same thing. I was very wrong and couldn't make it through.

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1 person found this helpful

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Very helpful

Overall I thought this book was great for new parents. It helped give us information and guidelines we wouldn’t have had otherwise. My only recommendation is to add hair tourniquet to the book. My baby had one at 8 months and it caught be completely off guard. I had never heard of it before and didn’t know to check his little toes thoroughly. Thank you!

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Great book but kinda long

This is a solid book, however, it does take a lot of time to read.

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1 person found this helpful

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VERY repetitive

I wish I would have started reading this when it was first given to me. It is helpful but it could be shorter.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Not really helpful

Not really helpful… repeats itself continuously and is hard to keep up with the actual useful information

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  • Carina
  • 03-03-23

Basic

I found it basic and boring to read. On the last few charters got better.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 08-15-20

Not as good as expected

A lot of details from baby gear to breastfeeding but a little on twin or multiplets.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 06-14-20

Very American centric and needs a different narrator

While much of the content is great, the tone of the narrator was painful to listen to. I have over 30 hours to go at week 32 and can’t bring myself to do more than 20 minutes at a time.
The focus on American health care, standards etc was disappointing as an Australian and a waste of time.

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6 people found this helpful