Reading isn’t always about your child. We as adults like to read as well. Wonderfully, there are a number of pretty decent parenting books floating around out there. These are some of the best baby books for parents that I have read, and trust me, I’ve read a lot.
Pregnancy
There is more than one way to give birth. In preparation for my own home birth, I read Ina May’s Guide. I mostly liked it, and I appreciate the multitude of stories about childbirth within in. I would definitely recommend a read if you are on the fence about home vs hospital birth.
This guide goes through all pregnancy and birth related topics, from conception through the first few weeks. I actually prefer it over the What to Expect book at this age.
I must admit that my pregnancy was pretty rough. So having this thoughtful guide, full of journal prompts and simple facts was lovely. It even contains space for you to write in it.
The First Year
A U.S. raised woman raising children in France. Bringing Up Bebe offers different perspective around how we raise our children and what we expect from them. I like the healthy mom/human balance that this book encourages you to strike.
Written from a newborn’s perspective, this unique book lets you see through a baby’s eyes. Developmental milestones are discussed, as well as early experiences. Obviously, the part from the newborn’s perspective is fictional, but it’s a nice twist.
Happiest Baby is perfect for parents with a fussy baby. Specifically, this pediatrician calls them colicky. He uses the “5 S’s” to help you comfort your fussy child.
I supposed you shouldn’t be surprised that any list of parenting books is going to include the What to Expect series. While dense, I find them to be well organized and packed with information. It’s easy to jump around to the topics your are interested in and skip over what is irrelevant.
I absolutely loved the Wonder Weeks books and read through it with both of my children. Knowing what my child’s brain is going through, what signs to look for, and some explanation as to why they are fussy was priceless. I felt this book helped me be more responsive to my child and made me a better parent.
The Early Years
Okay, so I mostly like this book. Magical Parent shifts the typical parent child relationship. It gives alternatives to your typical interactions. Build a community of love, and have your child be part of it.
What do you do when you know there is something wrong with your child and no one will listen? Not Just Spirited catalogs one mom’s journey of advocacy for her daughter through Sensory Processing Disorder. SPD, drastically under-diagnosed in my opinion, has a whole spectrum of response. If you suspect you or your child has SPD, this is definitely a must read.
Is your child into guns and killing? The War Play Dilemma discusses how to handle that. Should we try to curb this play? Is it developmentally appropriate?
For all that the terrible two’s are a trope, I feel like the troublesome three’s are vastly under talked about. This book about Your 3 Year Old helps guide you through their developmental leaps and helps you develop a positive relationship.
Growing Up
You are going to notice a theme in this growing up section of books. There is a lot of conscious parenting, or mindful parenting. This is because I think we need to show up more intentionally for our children. And a lot of this work starts with ourselves.
As your children get older, How to Talk gives great framework if you are having a hard time with communication with your children. It is really a step by step guide, with lots of room for practice. It even has illustrations. I really enjoy it and use the framework frequently with parents who are struggling with their relationships with their kids.
Center yourself so you can center your child. Bring mindfulness to yourself. Plus a few tips and tricks on how to share mindfulness with your child.
What if I told you that half of our problems are self made. We have so much stuff, both physically and mentally that it’s hard to show up. Simplicity Parenting guides you to let some of that stuff go so that each of your interactions are deeper and more meaningful.
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