There’s so much advice and information out there for new parents, it’s hard to know where to start.
Friends and family will also be keen to share their experiences and old wives’ tales with you – it can feel like information overload!
The truth is, no parenting journey is the same.
What worked for your sister or best friend might not work for you, and vice versa.
Even your second time around can be a totally different experience from your first.
Then there’s the internet with its millions of websites about every illness under the sun, and sometimes the temptation to google your baby’s symptoms in order to get an instant diagnosis is too much to bear.
Then you freak yourself out that it might be something serious when in actual fact it’s just nappy rash.
Books are a great resource – whether you’re looking for some reassurance that you’re doing it right or want to read about other people’s experiences, so you know you’re not alone on this crazy journey they call parenthood. But with so many to choose from, how do you know which ones to read?
Relax!
We’ve compiled a list of the best 5 favourite books for new parents.
Take a look…
BOOKS FOR NEW PARENTS #1 – What to Expect: The First Year – by Heidi Murkoff
From the author of the world’s best-selling ‘What to Expect’ series, Heidi Murkoff provides a definitive guide on everything you need to know about your first year with a new baby.
Known as the bible for all first-time parents and covering everything from sleep and breastfeeding to up-to-date medical advice and the impact of screen time, it really is the mother of all baby care manuals.
The original ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ book, also from Murkoff, is read by 93 per cent of women who read a pregnancy book, according to USA Today. It’s also been named one of the most influential books of the last 25 years.
From the author of the world’s best-selling ‘What to Expect’ series, Heidi Murkoff provides a definitive guide on everything you need to know about your first year with a new baby.
Known as the bible for all first-time parents and covering everything from sleep and breastfeeding to up-to-date medical advice and the impact of screen time, it really is the mother of all baby care manuals.
The original ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ book, also from Murkoff, is read by 93 per cent of women who read a pregnancy book, according to USA Today. It’s also been named one of the most influential books of the last 25 years.
#2 – First-Time Parent – by Lucy Atkins
This is a very honest and comprehensive guide to parenting from mum-of-three, Lucy Atkins.
She answers the questions that all new mums really want to know – like ‘why does my baby cry so much?’ and ‘will I ever lose all this weight?’ – and provides practical advice (without preaching) on things like what equipment you really need to buy (rather than what the department store says you need) and surviving the first few days as a new parent.
As a health journalist, Lucy uses her knowledge and expertise to discuss the medical aspects of childbirth and baby development, with dedicated sections on sleeping, crying and eating, among others.
It really is your one-stop-shop for nailing it as a first-time parent.
BOOKS FOR NEW PARENTS #3 – The New Dad’s Survival Guide – by Rob Kemp
Dads have often been overlooked in the past when it comes to useful books on parenting. Thankfully now there’s more choice, but refreshingly, this one isn’t patronising or sexist in the slightest. It’s written in a ‘chummy’ but non-condescending way.
Journalist and dad Rob Kemp provides an enlightening month-by-month guide on what dads can expect in their first year as a parent. Combining expert advice from midwives, psychologists and obstetricians, it explains what’s happening with your partner, what’s going on with your baby, and what the hell you should be doing every step of the way.
It also includes lots of great advice on how to support your partner during pregnancy and labour, as well as useful tips on picking things like pushchairs and car seats.
#4 – Happy Mum, Happy Baby: My Adventures into Motherhood – by Giovanna Fletcher
This book, from Former Celebrity Mum of the Year Giovanna Fletcher, is a personal and honest account of her own experiences of motherhood.
In it, she talks about how she was hit with an overriding feeling of guilt and felt inept at something that she thought was meant to feel so intuitive, following the birth of her first son back in 2014.
Now a mum to three boys, she says she “didn’t understand why life wasn’t constantly like all the pictures of mothers and babies” she’d see online. This is a feeling that many mums have experienced, so it’s reassuring to know that we’re not alone – even celebrity mums feel the same.
Her podcast series – Happy Mum, Happy Baby – is also well worth a listen, and she’s interviewed fellow celebrity mums about their experiences of motherhood, including The Duchess of Cambridge.
Happy Mum, Happy Baby is now also an online community for modern parents.
BOOKS FOR NEW PARENTS #5 – How Not to be a Perfect Mother – by Libby Purves
This is a parenting book with a difference! Taking a light-hearted approach to parenting, Libby Purves shares her anecdotes, thoughts, and practical tips to tackle the minefield of becoming a parent.
Originally published back in 1986, it’s been given a fresh new look to bring this parenting classic up to date for a new generation of mums and mums-to-be.
Based on her own experiences, she describes how to shamelessly cut corners and bend the rules that never really mattered anyway in order to retain some sanity.
Topics covered include pregnancy, pre-schoolers, sibling fights, fraught outings, nannies, and careers. It’s the perfect survival guide to being an imperfect mother…and enjoying it!
ENJOY, MUM!
So, there you have it!
We hope you enjoy reading our pick of the best parenting books out there. We’d love to hear your reviews of these or any other good reads for parents.
Let us know.
Charlotte Bass Photography – based in Bentley, Ipswich- specialises in newborn, baby and maternity photography for families in and around Suffolk.
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