New Mom Resources: Books

As a first time Mom I had the overwhelming feeling from the first time I looked at the + sign on the pregnancy test that I had no idea what I was doing. We weren't exactly "trying" to have a baby so there had been little to zero research done on having a baby and being a Mom.

As soon as the dust settled from the OH MY GOSH WE ARE HAVING A BABY! I began to do the research necessary to feel good about growing a human and being responsible for raising a human being. I found lots of great resources along the way so I thought I would share them, hopefully they will help calm some other HOLY CRAP! WHAT AM I DOING? new Mom.



Instead of writing a big huge post I am doing to divy it up into several posts. The first one is dedicated to the books I used during pregnancy and after having Molly.

Books:
1. Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Baby - this is a great book. We chose to skip the ever popular What to Expect When You're Expecting and go with this more medically minded option. We read it every day during pregnancy and it also has things for baby after birth.

2. The Happiest Baby on the Block - We bought this when I was pregnant after a Mom at BuyBuy baby said it was a must for survival. We tried several of these methods with Molly, most didn't work. But its a great book and I think the information would be helpful to most.

3. the eco-nomical baby guide - great book if you are trying to spend less and create less waste etc. It goes into detail on what you really need vs. not and talks a lot of green products, cloth diapering etc. It even gives budget breakdowns based on things you need for baby.

4. Belly Laughs:The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth - Hilarious read. Something lighthearted and fun to enjoy reading while you are pregnant. Lots of funny and very real stories to prepare you for whats coming.

5. Operating Instructions:A Journal of My Son's First Year - Great book about a raising a child alone on a super tight budget. It will really prepare you for the emotional journey and challenges that come with a baby. And her little boy has colic.

6. From Conception to Birth: The Drama of Life's Beginnings (circa 1971) - My mom used this book when she was pregnant with me as her resource to her pregnancy. It was so fun to read through all of the old (and sometimes out dated) information. Some really spectacular pictures as well.

7. baby facts: The Truth about Your Child's Health from Newborn through Preschool - Written by a pediatrician it addresses common questions in the form of myths vs facts. It has some good information but it very medically minded and often discounts a more naturopathic approach, something we don't always agree with.

8. The Fussy Baby Book- This was recommended to me by Jen and is a wonderful book for parents who have a more "high needs" baby. It helped us realize that there isn't anything "wrong" with Molly, her personality is just different and special in its own way.

9. How to Teach Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night - Another book my mom used with my brother and I. Teaches a modified CIO method. We ended up using this book to sleep train Molly and it worked really well. I think there is an updated version.


All of these books I would recommend and each helped in their own way. At some point my Mom instincts took over but I leaned on the information I read in these books to get there.

I hope one of these can help you and if you have any questions about a book or its information please leave a comment or you can email me at chasinghallie@gmail.com