After reading quite a few books to prepare for our little one’s arrival, I made a list of some of my favorites. These Best Books to Read Before Baby were all lifesavers for us!
Books are listed clockwise from top left corner.
If you know me, you know I love to travel, and I haven’t helped but noticed how different child-rearing is in other parts of the world. Bringing Up Bébé is an insightful look into how the French do it, in their own elegant, even-keeled fashion. #lifegoals for sure!
I didn’t have a strictly outlined “birth plan” going into labor, but I had a good idea of what I wanted. I wanted to give the whole natural birthing a shot, but wasn’t going to hold it against myself if I ended up wanting a little pain management. Even though I ended up getting an epidural, I was still so glad I had read Mindful Birthing (at the recommendation of the midwife in our group of OB/GYN’s.) Moral of the story – I don’t think it hurts any of us to be a little more mentally prepared for this crazy, life-changing event, no matter what birthing method we choose!
At first I was a bit hesitant to dive into The First 40 Days because, TBH, I thought it might be a little too “woo-woo” for me. But at the recommendation of my prenatal yoga instructor, I finally gave in and am so glad I did. Even though I didn’t follow the recommendations to a T, I tried to incorporate many of the principles they recommended, which rely heavily on ancient Chinese practices. If nothing else, there are some great recipes to get you through those first few months with a precious new babe in your life!
In case you’re overwhelmed by the thought of finishing SIX books before your baby arrives, this one can easily be put off for a few months. We chose to do Baby-Led Weaning with Raia (which we started when she turned 6 months old) and this book is basically the Holy Grail of this newer concept of introducing solids to your little one. We have been soooo happy with BLW, I highly recommend it!
I know this recommendation has the potential to stir up some controversy, but I stand strongly by it since it worked so well for us. We opted to follow The Sleep Easy Solution for sleep training based on the recommendation of some friends. Yes, it does involve some crying, but it is not full-blown cry-it-out (or CIO as they call it in mom world) and, YES, it works. Raia now sleeps 11-12 hours straight almost every night and is on a much better nap schedule than she ever was before we did sleep training. Method aside, what I love about this book is that it prepares you for EVERY sleep situation or roadblock you’re likely to face with your little one up until they are 5 years old. Yes, I still refer to it every once in a while for guidance and reassurance.
Last, but definitely not least, The Happiest Baby on the Block is one you’ll DEFINITELY want to get through before baby arrives. It talks a lot about those first few months after baby is born (which, let’s be honest, are TOUGH) and gives you great pointers on how to soothe your little one when they are still getting used to being “earthside.” And yes, this book is where we learned how much of a lifesaver a hairdryer can be in the most trying times!
And, there you have it – my list of the Best Books to Read Before Baby! It may seem overwhelming, but I promise many of these books are pretty quick reads.
As always, if I missed anything you highly recommend, please drop it in the comments below!
Here’s to all my mamas out there!