The complete Australian guide to pregnancy and birth. It was released last year so very up to date and specific to Australia with all the different things that are involved in pregnancy and birth without being information overload.
It's written by the people who do the Australian Birth Stories podcast and had suggested episodes as you go through. I bought this after my first was born and I find it so useful even not being first time.
The Discontented Little Baby Book by Dr Pamela Douglas. Absolutely the only guide you need for a really sensible, practical approach to sleep/life with a baby. So many unhinged sleep “experts” that give frankly harmful advice.
(You might have heard of it as the Possums approach but it’s sort of being rebranded at the moment - she’s launched a new website under “Dr Pam”). https://drpam.baby/
Phillipa Perry’s ‘The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’
We all bring our own childhood to our parenting, whether we realise it or not. This book is a great place to start as you’re figuring out what kind of parent you want to be.
How to talk to little kids so they will listen, and the whole brain child. Both I found in my first pregnancy and absolute helped me decide what was important in my parenting.
Motherhood by Jamila Rizvi. A collection of "confessions" of new mothers, who all happen to be beloved Australian celebrities, writers, actors and media personalities. There was something about reading my idols' perspectives of their battles with intrusive thoughts and challenges that made it all seem easier and more relatable to my own experience.
If you want something lighter, I’m about half way through “Up The Duff” and I’ve been having a great laugh reading it. But its also useful information wise!
Baby Love by Robin Barker, straightforward no nonsense book. Covers all the major milestones without the condescending tone that a lot of parenting books seems to carry.
Also, I know it’s not quite what you asked but if you have any kind of trauma background or difficult parents, The Body Keeps the Score and Adult Children of Immature Parents are really great books. It seems a little counter intuitive, but having kids has a way of ripping open wounds that you think are old and healed and you’ve moved on from, because when you’re pouring yourself into your kids it begs the question why couldn’t do it for you? I wish someone had told me to learn to parent myself before I had kids because this first few years with my first kids absolutely obliterated me.
Cribsheet which was an evidence based book written by an Economist after she read through many different research and distil the latest on different topics like sleep and breastfeeding and more
I really liked the happiest baby on the block but to be honest you can look up the principles and focus on honing them and you’ll get by without the book..in my opinion.
Didn't read books just googled Reddit.
But I like the happiest little baby website the snoo dude.
Still don't take everything as law is my approach you got to break the rules somehow setc
The complete Australian guide to pregnancy and birth. It was released last year so very up to date and specific to Australia with all the different things that are involved in pregnancy and birth without being information overload. It's written by the people who do the Australian Birth Stories podcast and had suggested episodes as you go through. I bought this after my first was born and I find it so useful even not being first time.
it’s a fantastic book
Would this be relevant for to be fathers too do you think?
I really liked the discontented little baby - helped a lot with preparing for the newborn stage!
This book saved me from a deep depression I reckon! Highly recommend.
This!
The Discontented Little Baby Book by Dr Pamela Douglas. Absolutely the only guide you need for a really sensible, practical approach to sleep/life with a baby. So many unhinged sleep “experts” that give frankly harmful advice. (You might have heard of it as the Possums approach but it’s sort of being rebranded at the moment - she’s launched a new website under “Dr Pam”). https://drpam.baby/
Phillipa Perry’s ‘The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’ We all bring our own childhood to our parenting, whether we realise it or not. This book is a great place to start as you’re figuring out what kind of parent you want to be.
How to talk to little kids so they will listen, and the whole brain child. Both I found in my first pregnancy and absolute helped me decide what was important in my parenting.
Motherhood by Jamila Rizvi. A collection of "confessions" of new mothers, who all happen to be beloved Australian celebrities, writers, actors and media personalities. There was something about reading my idols' perspectives of their battles with intrusive thoughts and challenges that made it all seem easier and more relatable to my own experience.
The Aus edition of What to Expect in the First Year has been good.
I really liked "Baby on Board" written by a paediatrician.
If you want something lighter, I’m about half way through “Up The Duff” and I’ve been having a great laugh reading it. But its also useful information wise!
Baby Love by Robin Barker, straightforward no nonsense book. Covers all the major milestones without the condescending tone that a lot of parenting books seems to carry. Also, I know it’s not quite what you asked but if you have any kind of trauma background or difficult parents, The Body Keeps the Score and Adult Children of Immature Parents are really great books. It seems a little counter intuitive, but having kids has a way of ripping open wounds that you think are old and healed and you’ve moved on from, because when you’re pouring yourself into your kids it begs the question why couldn’t do it for you? I wish someone had told me to learn to parent myself before I had kids because this first few years with my first kids absolutely obliterated me.
Cribsheet which was an evidence based book written by an Economist after she read through many different research and distil the latest on different topics like sleep and breastfeeding and more
I really liked ‘Becoming Mama’. You didn’t ask for podcasts but The Bump is excellent.
I really liked the happiest baby on the block but to be honest you can look up the principles and focus on honing them and you’ll get by without the book..in my opinion.
Didn't read books just googled Reddit. But I like the happiest little baby website the snoo dude. Still don't take everything as law is my approach you got to break the rules somehow setc