5 Great books for expectant mums

During pregnancy and while wading through parenting, sometimes there is nothing better than having expert help in the home.

When a fever strikes, a cry doesn’t stop or a poop is an unusual colour, reach for the bookshelf and look up expert tips in these five great books for expectant or new mums.

We’ve all heard of this book, but there is a reason why it is a worldwide success. The pregnancy bible, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, covers everything from before conception and a week-by-week guide of the nine months of pregnancy through to after the baby is born and tips for dads.

Dr Charles J Lockwood and foreword author says, “I have been recommending this book for years and thoroughly enjoyed reading [the latest edition] – because the best just got better. All new, it’s packed with information and useful advice, the kind you would hear from your favourite doctor or midwife.”

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Touted as “Australia’s No. 1 Baby Book”, Baby Love, offers a practical approach to looking after your little one in the first year of their life. It has been written by baby guru, Robin Barker, who is also a registered nurse, midwife and early childhood nurse.

Parents will love the simply written and reassuring shared knowledge such as:

“Your baby’s head is about a quarter of her total length so you will probably think it looks enormous in proportion to the rest of her body.”

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Yes, this apt title really could be the ultimate gift that every parent prays for. Australia’s very own “baby whisperer”, Elizabeth Sloane, has brought sanity back to new parents for over 20 years and now she shares her invaluable tips in an e-book.

Quite often people invest in Sloane’s at-home visits where she will work with parents during the night, but now a quick click of the mouse could have you learning tips pronto.

The book promises, “… a gentle step-by-step guide to ‘controlled comforting'”, all conducted over a three-day program.

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If you’ve read the classic self-help book, The 5 Love Languages, you will really appreciate this take on relationships with children. The book, written by Gary D Chapman and Ross Campbell, looks at the similar principles of adult relationships but finetunes it for the intricacies of children’s moods and behaviours.

It will help you identify the ways your child might respond to particular styles of affection such as “Words of Affirmation” or “Quality Time”.

The authors say “Every child has a primary language of love, a way in which he or she understands a parent’s love best.”

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Although this isn’t strictly a parenting book, we couldn’t help but include it in the list — it is after all co-written by Antonia Kidman who is now a mother of six children.

Released last year, The Simple Things, has been written to “encourage us to embrace a simpler life – a life that is happier, healthier and less hurried…”

Among the full and busy life you can lead with children, we think this book is invaluable in helping us nurture our families and live in the moment.

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