Good Reads for Expecting Parents

• What: Best books for new parents
• When: During pregnancy
• Why: Helpful, enlightening
• Where: Amazon

Do your friends and family expecting their first child a favor and grab them one or more of these books before the big day. After the baby arrives, reading time (along with all other types of time) drops dramatically. Before birth, you spend a lot of time reading and researching, and these books all offer an excellent place to start.

Super Baby Food: Kids don’t need much food before six months, but I still recommend this book for expecting parents. As a great resource for eating habits in general, it can help not only during the messy “solid” foods stage but well into the picky toddler and preschooler years. Plus if you want to get some basics as gifts, this book can help with supplies you might need, whether or not you decide to make your own baby food.

Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems: I know, their child hasn’t arrived yet, so why talk about sleep issues? Because good sleep habits can make or break those first few months, and knowing the wide range of normal sleeping behaviors means parents can actually get some rest. Plus, recognizing the signs for various sleep disorders can help solve any issues before habits get entrenched. 7/19/2017

And Baby Makes Three: If you only read one book before bringing a baby home, choose this one. Dr. John Gottman takes his fabled relationship advice and applies it to the new threesome in your marriage. He covers everything from dividing the extra labor to carving out time for yourselves with guides for every step of the way. 

The Rookie Mom’s Handbook: Becoming a parent is a big transition. Recognize the need to take care of yourself and another entire human being with the activities listed here. This book breaks things down in small bits month-by-month of things parents can do with their babies to have fun., so you don’t miss the joy of the small things and big moments. 

How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids: You, too, can learn from others’ mistakes and benefit from their extensive research skills. Jancee Dunn takes her investigative journalism background and puts it to work to benefit her marriage, which had lost its joy when mixed with offspring. Even if none of these stories ring true yet, you can enjoy some good laughs while bracing for what may come.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child: Sleep. No one thinks much about it when they get enough, and no one can stop obsessing over it when it becomes a scarce commodity. Get the scoop on when to try what, while you can still finish a sentence without dozing off. 7/26/2017