new mom reads book about motherhood

There are so many great books on motherhood out there, and we love sharing some of our favorites.

Check out our favorite books for new and expecting moms:

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cover of book Return To You: A Postpartum Plan for New Moms by Natasha Sriraman

Return To You: A Postpartum Plan for New Moms
by Natasha Sriraman

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Return To You is the most informative book about the postpartum time period I have found.
 
What really impresses me about it is how comprehensive it is. It’s written by a doctor, Natasha Sriraman, and in addition to giving you a postpartum plan to fill out, there are chapters on partner dynamics, visitors and boundaries, postpartum nutrition, postpartum depression and anxiety, the stress of returning to work, social media, and mom guilt.
 
I was so excited to see sections on intrusive thoughts, postpartum rage, and pelvic floor issues. These things are not talked about enough, so seeing them in print is really great.
 
This would be a great book (or a great gift) for anyone who is pregnant or postpartum.
cover of book You Are A F*cking Awesome Mom by Leslie Anne Bruce

You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom
by Leslie Anne Bruce

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To say I was shocked by the postpartum experience is an understatement. I now know that while I thought I was prepared (I am an obsessive over-researcher), I was only prepared to welcome a baby into my home. I was not at all prepared for the experience of becoming a mom, or the reality of the postpartum time period. I had a crib for my baby to sleep in, but I didn’t know how little he (and therefore, I) would sleep. I had everything my baby needed for his day, but I was surprised to find those days incredibly long and isolating.

You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom absolutely nails the postpartum experience. She gives us her honest account of her postpartum life, which is relatable for so many women.

If I had to pick one book to give to a postpartum mom, this would be that book.

Some of my favorite chapters are “You Were Not Prepared For This”, “How You Feed Your Baby Is Not Up For Public Debate”, “The Daily Struggle With Mom Guilt”, and my personal favorite “Finding Your Mom Tribe”.

Arrival Stories: Women Share Their Experiences of Becoming Mothers

Collected by Amy Schumer and Christy Turlington Burns​

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Arrival Stories is a collection of essays. The essays are short, so it’s an easy book to pick up if you only have a few minutes here and there, like moms often do. I found it really interesting to get an inside look at other women’s experiences, especially women who have lives very different from my own.

This is such a great idea for a book, and I enjoyed reading it. It is really powerful when moms share their stories.

Cribsheet by Emily Oster

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Cribsheet is for any parent of a child 0-3 who finds themselves going down the google rabbit hole when trying to make decisions about their baby.
 
There is so much conflicting information out there, and it can be incredibly daunting to figure out which sources to trust. Emily Oster won’t tell you what to do, but she will present what data we have available to help you make your decisions.
 
This book explores topics like breastfeeding, baby sleep, introducing solids, milestones, language development, and potty training. It’s an incredibly popular book, and in addition to being a great read, it would be a great gift for a new parent.
cover of Fair Play book by Eve Rodsky

Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

Buy the Fair Play book here

Buy the Fair Play card deck here

Fair Play is all about the mental load and invisible labor involved in running a household. This is a really important topic for new parents, because when a baby joins your household there is suddenly so. much. more. to do and take care of.
 
Even if you had a good system before you became parents, babies have a way of throwing a wrench into any system. And if you didn’t have a good system pre-baby, parenthood can really amplify that.
This book (or card deck, if that is more your style) offers a practical solution that you can customize to fit your specific household.
cover of The Fifth Trimester by Lauren Smith Brody

The Fifth Trimester
by Lauren Smith Brody

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Going back to work is a huge transition. The Fifth Trimester, written by Lauren Smith Brody, can help answer some questions you have, and also some you haven’t thought of yet.

This book would be a great read while you are pregnant or as you are starting to think about going back to work, but there is also a good amount here for a mom who is already back at work.

There was a lot to love about this book, but I particularly liked the Eighteen Life-Changing Conversations chapter with “How to ask for flex time” and “How to ask for a raise at this awkward moment”.