Books I Read During the First Year of Parenthood

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It's been over a year since I last published a non-review post on this blog! 😮 I also find it hard to believe I've been a parent for over a year. As a reader, I naturally turned to books for parenting advice (after asking my friends who have become parents first). Since I don't have any more book reviews left to write at the moment, I want to take this opportunity to share some parenting books I've read during my first year of becoming a parent. In this post, I will only write short reviews for each book and talk about whether it's helpful for me or not. Hopefully, this post can help those planning to have a baby or about to have one 👶.

Title: Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better (Review)
Author: Siobhan Miller
Pages: 276 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2019
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I found out I was pregnant, my first concern was about giving birth. My best friend immediately recommended this book. She said it's the only book I need to read to prepare myself for labor because it helped her tremendously. Now that I've gone through the birthing process, I can testify how helpful this book was. The breathing techniques helped me survive the contractions and enabled me to do a natural birth as planned. Now, I always recommend this book to my pregnant friends—regardless of their birth plan. I posted a full book review on this book here.

Title: What to Expect When Your're Expecting (5th Edition)
Author: Heidi Murkoff
Pages: 656 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

The second book on this list is probably one of the most popular books to read during pregnancy. I picked up this book during the first trimester of my pregnancy; it eased some of my worries or concerns that might arise during this season. I loved how the book covers pregnancy month-by-month and explains the changes that will happen to the baby and the mother's body. The book goes through every little detail related to pregnancy, so there are some parts that I skim past because they feel irrelevant to me. Nevertheless, this book reassured me and allowed me to enjoy my pregnancy journey without worrying too much.

Title: What to Expect the First Year (3rd Edition)
Author: Heidi Murkoff
Pages: 704 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2014
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

During my third trimester, I'd like to prepare more for the baby's arrival rather than just preparing for birth. Thus, I read another book in the 'What to Expect' series: What to Expect the First Year. Similar to the pregnancy book, this one also breaks down the baby's growth month-by-month in a very detailed manner. However, since the baby hasn't arrived yet, some information flew over my head, so I don't remember much about it. Even so, I'm still grateful I read this book because part of it helped me one way or another after the baby was born. It's not a must-read, but the content is worth reading.

Title: Because This is My First Parenting Life: Pengasuhan & Permainan Anak 0-24 Bulan
Author: Chai's Play
Pages: 173
Year of Publication: 2021
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

The next book on this list was recommended by other parents, and I purchased it because the covers look cute. The first one is focused on the parenting journey, which covers topics like feeding, baby's sleep, handling tantrums and emergencies, vaccination, parents' mental health, and more. It's a beneficial guide for parents to read before the baby's arrival. I also refer to this book a lot during the first few months of having a baby. I love how it's full of adorable illustrations and was enjoyable to read.

Title: Because This is My Baby's First Journey: Tumbuh Kembang & Permainan Anak 0-24 Bulan
Author: Chai's Play
Pages: 186
Year of Publication: 2021
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Written by the same author as the previous book, this one focused more on a child's growth and development. It starts with the baby's motor skills, language development, social and emotional growth, and cognitive skills. Through each stage, this book offers various ways to help a child achieve their milestones accordingly. This book is handy for parents who have no idea how to stimulate their baby and need guidance to encourage their child.

Title: Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems
Author: Richard Ferber, M.D.
Pages: 466 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2006
Rating: (ongoing)

 

When the sleep regression hits, I instantly look for books that will help me overcome my baby's sleep issues. This book by Richard Ferber was the first one I picked up because of the popular sleep training method he introduced. Unfortunately, I couldn't give a proper review because I haven't finished it yet. At some point in the book, I was indecisive about sleep training my baby and thinking of doing a gentler approach. Thus, I ended up reading the next book on this list and stopped reading this one. If someday I decide to finish this book, I might post a full review then.

Title: The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
Author: Elizabeth Pantley
Pages: 274 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2002
Rating: ⭐⭐

 

The title of this book gave me hope at first because I had a hard time listening to my baby cry for a long time. I finished it rather quickly because I wanted to try her methods in helping my baby sleep. However, since it's a gentle approach, I couldn't see any significant improvement in my baby's sleep. I learned a thing or two from the book, but sadly, the method she introduced didn't work for me. Wouldn't recommend this book for those struggling with baby's sleep problems—unless you are against letting your child cry.

Title: Precious Little Sleep: The Complete Baby Sleep Guide for Modern Parents
Author: Alexis Dubief
Pages: 312 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2017
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

After long contemplation and lack of sleep, I finally decided to give sleep training another shot. This book gave me the much-needed motivation to give sleep training another shot. Thankfully, things improved over time, and I did not regret my decision. The author's lighthearted writing style was fun to read. She offered two methods in this book: SWAP (Sleep With Assistance Plan) and SLIP (Sleep Learning Independence Plan)—either one can work according to the child's response. I'd recommend this book to parents who want to learn more about sleep training.

Title: Mom Milestones: The True Story of the First Seven Years
Author: Grace Farris
Pages: 224 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

I came across this book on social media and found the illustrations charming. It's full of relatable drawings for moms going through different milestones across parenting stages, from newborn to elementary school. Looking through the drawings in this book made me realize that all moms go through the same thing, and we are not alone in our struggles. As a mom of a one-year-old, I laughed a lot while reading this book. It was a fun and quick read that all moms can relate to.

Title: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family (Review)
Author: Paul David Tripp
Pages: 226 (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

The last book on this list is my favorite parenting book so far. This book is written by pastor and author Paul David Tripp, and it offers gospel principles that will radically change a family. The points in this book encouraged me to become more relaxed and less anxious in my parenting journey. I was reminded that God is sovereign over all things and should not load too much burden on my shoulders. I wrote a full review for this book because I loved it so much, so if you're interested, you can read my thoughts here.

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Writing this post allowed me to reminisce about the early days of becoming a parent and how hectic it was back then. Throughout my parenting journey, I'm grateful for all the books I've read. The parenting books gave me insights about things I didn't know about, while fiction books kept me entertained while tending to my baby in the middle of the night. I'm planning to read more parenting books because I'm sure there will be plenty of challenges to come in the future. So, if you have any suggestions on what parenting books to read, feel free to share them in the comments below! Who knows, maybe I'll write a sequel for this post 😆. Bye for now! 😉

by.stefaniesugia♥ .