Starting to build your family is a time filled with great hope and great reward.  There is nothing more amazing than imagining that first gaze from a new baby, the first giggle that passes his/her lips or the feeling of completeness that accompanies motherhood.  However, for most (myself included) it is also a time of worry and nervousness.

I remember the overwhelming anxiety when I found out that I was pregnant.  How would I prepare?  What did I need to care for a child? For a family?  How would I know if my pregnancy and later, my baby, were normal?  Would I be a good mom?

Though I wanted a baby with all my heart, the intense volume of knowledge on child care, child psychology and childhood nutrition was definitely an intimidating thing to tackle.  And having no other friends with children at the time, I used checklists and books to acquire the knowledge I felt necessary to be in charge of another life!

So, for you moms reading this who may not have friends with babies or are just looking for as much information as possible to help you tackle this amazing and daunting time in your life, here are a few of the resources I found very helpful!

Baby on the Way has a great checklist that can be of immeasurable help to mommies-to-be and mothers with infants!  I bought a book that I used through the entire first year of my daughter’s life: Your Baby’s First Year, Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler.  This had great activities to help your infant learn everything it needs to learn to become a toddler and tons of practical advice for moms!  The Better Baby Food Guide by the Hospital for Sick Children was also a big help in deciphering the importance of nutrition and how to keep my daughter healthy.