Listen, I don't want to join the throngs of unsolicited advice givers. I've gotten enough of that throughout pregnancy and motherhood. I just thought I'd share some parenting books that have helped me as I've navigated this crazy new world of first-time mommyhood.
Baby 411 - This saves me from the internet wormhole! My physician assistant friend recommended this to me and I'm so glad she did! No longer am I scouring the internet finding worst-case scenario possibilities for my baby's poop. Turns out most of the time she's just fine. This book provides simple, straightforward advice and answers to common questions that you are definitely going to have. Plus it's super cheap! Worth every penny towards my anxiety management... Darn you WebMD!
The Good Sleeper - Written by the self-proclaimed NYC Sleep Doctor I used this as my guide for sleep training. I liked it for its easy reading style and broken down steps, but I would not call it the bible for sleep training — a bit too vague for that if you ask me. However, it was worth the read for this tip alone: your newborn should not be awake for more than 90 minutes at a time. That helped me mold my daughter into becoming a great napper and every minute of sleep is worth it!
Bringing Up Bebe - Best to be treated more as an entertaining read more than a how-to guide, but it was enlightening to see an alternative to the over-parenting craze.
Additional Resources
Happiest Baby on the Block on DVD or Amazon Download - This was so good for me as a first-time parent. I preferred the DVD over the book because of the swaddling and soothing demos. Gotta live by those 7 s's!
Babies - I think about this documentary (conveniently on Netflix) all of the time. It follows the story of four babies from across the world from birth to walking. Fascinating! More than anything this illustrates the resiliency of babies and that there is no one right way to do things.
But above all else, know that you're doing awesome and at the end of the day your kid is lucky to have you!
