Becoming a mom for the first time is a beautiful and overwhelming experience-and so is sifting through all the well-meaning, and not-so-reliable advice people will want to give you. That is why we have compiled a list of the 11 best books for new moms on everything you’ll need and want to know. From iconic parenting books now conveniently available in audio format to new trending titles, the audiobooks on this list explore subjects like swaddling, breastfeeding, baby sleep, childcare, and so much more. If you are a new mom, you will find all the empowering advice you’ll need to embrace this new journey.
Author of the best seller Expecting Better and award-winning economist Emily Oster is back with Cribsheet, her guide on the sometimes overwhelming early years of parenting. With so much advice bombarding new parents from all angles, it can be challenging to sift through what is best for them and their new baby. New moms can expect straightforward, data-driven advice they can trust in this audiobook. From sleep training to deciding when to return to work, Emily Oster gives new parents practical guidance on navigating through misinformation. This audiobook will empower any new mom at every stage of motherhood.
Sudden sleep deprivation is one of the biggest challenges facing new moms and dads. In the fully revised and updated second edition of The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer, new parents will find an easy-to-follow guide to calm most crying babies and help them sleep longer. Baby expert Dr. Harvey Karp has helped regular parents and Hollywood stars to soothe their babies, get more sleep, and so much more. His incredible techniques and concepts have made this a must-read baby book for new parents. Now available as an audiobook, listeners will learn how to have the happiest baby on the block!
American journalist Pamela Druckerman didn’t set out to raise her children according to French standards. But after giving birth in Paris, she quickly realized that the children of French parents were significantly more well-adjusted regarding their sleep, palette, and emotional regulation. She knew it was something she needed to document. In this audiobook, Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting, listeners will hear about the philosophies and insights she gleamed from a society that eliminates selflessness and guilt from motherhood and instead embraces the totality of what a child is and what they need from their parents.
From the author that brought the world the leading reference book to all things pregnancy, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, comes the definitive guide to a baby’s first years, What to Expect the First Year. Heidi Murkoff is an authority on practical, empathetic, and reassuring guides for parents worldwide. This audiobook, exclusively available on Audible, allows new moms to listen to her comforting narration on the go and whenever they need a bit of a moral boost. New moms can expect advice on getting through sleepless nights, milestones to expect, relief for gassy little ones, weaning, and more. Listeners will follow along month-by-month as every question they’ve ever had about parenting is answered. This audiobook includes helpful accompanying PDF charts and diagrams.
New moms get no shortage of advice about pregnancy and raising a baby. But what about what comes directly after giving birth? In The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality, author Kimberly Ann Johnson creates an indispensable guide through postpartum. From physical healing to emotional, relational, and spiritual wellness, this audiobook is a holistic roadmap to navigating this unique time in a new mom’s life. Drawing on her experiences as a doula, postpartum consultant, yoga teacher, and women’s health care advocate, Kimberly Ann Johnson utilizes many disciplines to help women. From Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, to herbalism, this is a full-body approach to wellness, recovery, and embracing the changes of becoming a new mother.
Award-winning economist Emily Oster appears on this list for the second time, and with great reason. In Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong - and What You Really Need to Know, she tackles and disproves some of the standard recommendations about pregnancy, empowering women to take control of their pregnancies and new motherhood. From avoiding sushi and coffee just because you’ve always heard you should to prenatal testing with little to no explanation, women have gone along with the standard “rules” of pregnancy for far too long. In this audiobook, new moms and dads will hear the data that debunks most pregnancy myths and allows new moms to enjoy a more relaxed and healthy pregnancy.
The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children, written by Dr. Shefali Tsabary, is an eye-opening listen. Using her conscious approach to parenting, Dr. Tsabary explores how children unwittingly inherit psychological pain and emotional disturbances from their parents. The parents then utilize an ego-driven approach to parenting, causing children to serve as a mirror to their parent's forgotten selves. This realization leads to an equal relationship with children where parents let go of rigid "know it all" ideals and instead grow in conjunction with their child, leading to less conflict and more harmony. This audiobook is equal parts self-help and parenting guidance and is available exclusively on Audible.
Welcoming a new baby into the family doesn't only affect new moms. It affects their partners as well. The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions (5th Edition), written by Penny Simkin and Katie Rohs, is an indispensable guide for those helping care for a new mom from her last trimester through the early postpartum period. Available in audio for the first time, this definitive guide to all things labour, birth, and beyond includes information on preparing for birth, epidurals, cesarean births, newborn care and more. Any partner who wants to be as helpful and supportive as possible on a new mom's journey will find this is the guide for them.
Dr. Michel Cohen is a popular and widely sought-after pediatrician whose innovative take on parenting has made waves through the parenting world. In this audiobook, The New Basics: A-to-Z Baby & Child Care for the Modern Parent, Dr. Cohen has a message for parents: Don’t worry so much. The easy-to-search A-Z format of this audiobook makes it easy to find practical and honest advice about any concerns new and experienced parents may have. This audiobook guides you if you want to raise happy, healthy children without going crazy. From setting positive sleeping and eating habits to how to treat ailments early and effectively, this audiobook has it all. Dr. Cohen also examines questions on biting, separation anxiety, ADD, the terrible twos, and anything else keeping parents up at night.
Most new mothers will have moments of feeling unprepared for being a parent. Even with the mountains of solicited and unsolicited advice, baby shower gifts and preparation, there are things they could never expect about this new incredible journey. In The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby's First Year, bestselling writer Dawn Dais explores the untold truths about the highs and lows of having a baby. She peels back the adorableness and digs deep into the truth about sleepless nights, crying babies (and moms), and poop-filled days. Dais offers practical tips and advice from real moms. This audiobook, filled with comforting and encouraging anecdotes, will make any new mom feel more prepared and less alone.
The First Forty Days aim to bring back the art of nourishing and supporting new mothers in the critical first weeks of postpartum. Heng Ou has written a beautiful guidebook inspired by her postpartum experience with zuo yuezi. Zuo yuezi is a set period of “confinement” after childbirth when a woman is lovingly cared for, and her only focus is healing and creating a bond with her new baby. This audiobook is a great gift idea for new mothers. It offers friendly and encouraging advice on arranging a support system in this crucial time, navigating relationship challenges and honouring the beauty and significance of birth. Also included is a PDF document containing healing and replenishing soups, meals, snacks, and lactation-boosting teas ideal for new mothers.
