16 Books for Mums That Will Make You Laugh, Cry, and Feel Seen

Being a mum is beautiful, chaotic, exhausting, hilarious — and sometimes all before 9am. Whether you're knee-deep in nappies, juggling the school run with work calls, or finally getting five minutes to yourself with a lukewarm cuppa, there’s nothing like a good book to make you feel seen.

From laugh-out-loud stories to tearjerkers that hit you right in the feels, this is your go-to guide for the best books for mums — including personalised books for mum, empowering reads for first-timers, and books on motherhood that don’t sugarcoat a thing.

Whether you’re a brand-new mama or a seasoned pro, there’s something here for every stage, every vibe, and every mood.

In this article: 📝

What are the best books for new mums?

New mum life is a whirlwind of midnight feeds, nappy explosions, and googling “is it normal if my baby…” every five minutes. When you're riding that emotional rollercoaster on two hours of sleep, the right book can feel like a lifeline. These reads are here to hold your hand through the chaos — offering advice, comfort, and a much-needed reminder that you’re not alone (and you're doing great).

1. It Takes a Village And Other Essential Truths for New Mothers

Let’s not mess around — this is the one. The best book for new mums. Full stop.

It Takes a Village is like a brutally honest group chat with hundreds of mums who actually get it. Brought to life by our team at Peanut (the app that connects millions of women navigating fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood), this isn’t your average fluffy baby book. It’s smart, real, and actually useful.

Divided into stages from third trimester through to baby’s first birthday and beyond, each chapter tackles the stuff no one warns you about: the identity crisis of matrescence, the weird resentment that creeps in when your partner sleeps through the night feeds, and the sheer emotional whiplash of loving your baby more than anything and wanting to run away for a week — at the same time.

With contributions from real mums, expert voices, and a foreword from the iconic Lorraine Kelly and her daughter Rosie, this is more than just a book about motherhood. It’s your permission slip to feel all the feelings, question the BS, and laugh-cry at 2am with your muslin cloth still on your shoulder.

Whether you're deep in the newborn trenches or wondering how the hell you're meant to "bounce back" when you can barely bounce out of bed, this first time mum book will hold your hand and remind you: you are not alone. Your village is right here.

A must-read for every new mum — and a powerful reminder that yes, it really does take a village.

2. The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann Johnson

This one’s for the mums who feel like everyone prepared them for birth — but no one mentioned what comes after.

The Fourth Trimester is a deeply nurturing guide that actually acknowledges the physical, emotional, and spiritual shift of becoming a mum. Written by doula and postpartum expert Kimberly Ann Johnson, it’s a gentle, practical roadmap to healing, boundaries, relationships, and everything your body and mind go through after birth.

It blends modern science with traditional wisdom (think yoga, Chinese medicine, and herbal remedies) and gives real, grounded advice on rest, sex, energy, and reconnecting with your identity. If you're looking for a motherhood book that sees you in those messy, raw, early weeks, this one is a total game-changer.

3. The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou

This is the new mum book for anyone craving slowness, support and proper nourishment in those early weeks.

Inspired by the traditional practice of zuo yuezi — a 40-day window of rest and recovery after birth — The First Forty Days is a beautiful, calming guide to postpartum healing. It includes over 60 easy recipes for soups, snacks and teas that are all about helping your body recover and boosting milk supply — without the pressure to “bounce back.”

Part cookbook, part care manual, this one’s like having a wise auntie who knows exactly what you need — physically, emotionally and spiritually — when you’re running on empty.

What books are mums reading?

Some books make you feel seen, some make you laugh out loud mid-chaos, and some just help you survive the day with your sense of humour (mostly) intact. These are the ones mums are reading right now — the books flying off bedside tables, popping up in group chats, and quietly saving our sanity one page at a time.

4. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr Julie Smith

Because sometimes motherhood isn’t just sleep deprivation and Peppa Pig. It’s also anxiety, rage, identity crises, and big questions like “Who even am I anymore?”.

Packed with bite-sized advice from clinical psychologist (and TikTok fave) Dr Julie Smith, this is the book mums are reading when life feels a bit too much — which, let’s be honest, is often.

Whether you’re battling mum guilt, struggling with anxiety, or just need a reminder that you’re not failing, this book offers simple, practical tools you can actually use — no fluff, no jargon. It’s like having a therapist in your handbag — but one who totally gets how chaotic mum life can be.

5. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

Dark, gripping, and disturbingly relatable — The School for Good Mothers is the book mums are reading when they’re tired of being judged for every tiny decision.

This dystopian novel follows Frida, a mum who makes one very human mistake and ends up in a terrifying government-run “school” designed to re-educate “bad” mothers. Think The Handmaid’s Tale meets soft play, with a side of emotional gut punch.

It’s a sharp, unflinching look at the impossible standards mums are held to — and how easy it is to fall short in a world obsessed with perfect parenting. If you’ve ever felt like you can’t win, this one will hit hard — and stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

6. Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

Motherhood, but make it feral.

Nightbitch is the book mums are reading when they’re done pretending everything’s fine — and ready to explore the wild, unspoken side of motherhood.

It follows a stay-at-home mum teetering on the edge of exhaustion, isolation and rage… until one night, something shifts. What unfolds is part feminist horror, part surreal awakening, and entirely unforgettable.

Darkly funny, deeply weird, and cathartic in all the best ways — this one speaks to the parts of motherhood that rarely make it to Instagram. If you’ve ever growled under your breath while cleaning up yet another toddler snack explosion, this is your book.

7. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

This is the kind of novel that lingers — and might just have you texting your own mum by chapter two.

The Joy Luck Club explores the lives of four Chinese mothers and their American-born daughters, unpicking the tangled threads of identity, culture, and mother-daughter connection. It’s rich, emotional and quietly powerful — full of generational wisdom, miscommunication, and the unspoken love that passes between mums and daughters, even when they don’t quite understand each other.

A beautifully layered story about what we inherit, what we carry, and what we pass on — The Joy Luck Club is a modern classic, and absolutely one of the books mums are reading when they want to feel understood across time, distance and everything unsaid.

What is the book for anxious mothers?

Anxiety and motherhood? They go hand in hand more often than we’d prefer. If your brain’s running on overdrive — from nap schedules to “am I messing them up?” spirals — you’re not alone. These books for anxious mothers offer comfort, perspective and practical tools to help you feel calmer, more grounded and a little less like you're one meltdown away from losing it.

8. The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did by Philippa Perry

An absolute essential for anxious mothers who want to break the cycle without breaking themselves.

Philippa Perry brings calm, clarity and zero judgement in this Sunday Times bestseller about how your own childhood shapes the way you parent. It’s not about being perfect — it’s about understanding, repairing, and connecting.

This isn’t just a parenting book — it’s a relationship guide, a mindset shift, and a gentle nudge to go easier on yourself. If you ever lie awake wondering whether you’ve messed up your kid over a lost dummy or a shouted “no” — this one’s for you.

9. Mind Over Mother: Every mum's guide to worry and anxiety in the first years by Anna Mathur

If your brain feels like it’s constantly on high alert — this one’s for you.

Written by psychotherapist and mum-of-three Anna Mathur, Mind Over Mother is a refreshingly honest guide to managing worry, overthinking and mum anxiety in those intense early years.

It’s full of relatable insights and practical tools that actually make a difference — all shared with warmth, humour and zero judgement. A must-read book for anxious mothers who want to feel more calm, more confident and a little bit more like themselves again.

10. Letters on Motherhood by Giovanna Fletcher

If your brain is a whirl of what-ifs, mum guilt, and teary 3am thoughts — Letters on Motherhood is like a warm hug in book form.

Giovanna Fletcher shares a deeply personal collection of letters written to her kids, her husband, her body — and to every parent just trying their best. It’s funny, vulnerable and full of those little moments that anxious mums will recognise in a heartbeat.

Perfect for dipping in and out of on the tough days, it’s a reminder that even the most put-together mums have doubts — and that there’s no such thing as getting it “right” all the time. A soothing, relatable read for when you need to feel seen.

What books are good for reconnecting with your identity after having kids?

Motherhood changes everything — including how you see yourself. If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wondered where you went, you’re not alone. These books are all about helping you reconnect with your identity beyond the role of ‘mum’ — because you’re still in there, and she deserves a comeback.

11. Untamed: Stop Pleasing, Start Living by Glennon Doyle

If motherhood has left you wondering where you went — this book is the call-back.

Part memoir, part manifesto, Untamed is a powerful reminder that you’re allowed to be more than just “mum.” Glennon Doyle writes with raw honesty about shedding the expectations placed on women — and what it means to live on your own terms again.

It’s fierce, funny, vulnerable and empowering — like a deep chat with your wisest, most no-nonsense friend. Perfect if you’re feeling a little lost in the baby wipes and to-do lists and want to reconnect with the bold, brilliant person you were before life got this loud. A go-to read for any mum craving identity beyond the label.

12. Raising A Happier Mother: How to Find Balance, Feel Good and See Your Children Flourish as a Result by Anna Mathur

This one’s all about you — not just who you are as a mum, but who you are underneath the snacks, schedules and sleepless nights.

In Raising A Happier Mother, psychotherapist and mum-of-three Anna Mathur flips the script on parenting advice. Instead of focusing on what your kids need from you, she focuses on what you need to feel grounded, energised and like yourself again.

It’s gentle, wise and refreshingly real — a reminder that thriving isn’t selfish, it’s necessary. If you’ve lost sight of your own needs in the chaos of family life, this book will help you reconnect with your identity and build the kind of motherhood that feels good from the inside out.

13. Kinda Fine, Kinda Losing It: A Fun and Honest Look at Mom Life, Identity, and the Weird Middle Years by Becky Miller

Ever looked around your house, clocked the chaos, and thought: “I’m fine… kinda”? Same.

Kinda Fine, Kinda Losing It is a funny, honest, and painfully relatable read for mums in the thick of it — the middle years, the identity wobble, the “who even am I anymore?” spiral. Whether you’re juggling packed lunches, homework meltdowns or just trying to drink a hot brew in peace, this book totally gets it.

Through personal essays and bite-sized reflections, Becky Miller explores how easy it is to lose yourself in motherhood — and how to gently start finding your way back. It’s not about overhauling your life, it’s about making space for you again. A brilliant read for mums craving connection, clarity, and a reminder that you’re not the only one quietly losing it (and still doing a great job).

What books can help you parent without perfectionism?

Spoiler alert: perfect parenting doesn’t exist — and chasing it will drive you round the bend. These books are here to help you let go of the pressure, laugh at the chaos, and focus on what really matters: raising good humans and being kind to yourself in the process.

14. Parenting for Humans: How to Parent the Child You Have, As the Person You Are by Emma Svanberg

This one’s for every mum who’s ever felt like they’re getting it “wrong” — spoiler alert: you’re not.

Parenting for Humans is a refreshingly honest guide that ditches the pressure to be perfect and helps you parent in a way that actually works for you. Dr Emma Svanberg — psychologist, parent, and all-round calm voice of reason — encourages us to look at what we bring to the table as humans first, not just as mums.

It’s about connecting with the real child in front of you — not the imaginary one in the parenting books — and building a relationship based on empathy, understanding and self-compassion. A powerful, reassuring read for anyone who’s tired of chasing some unrealistic version of “perfect parenting” and just wants to raise good humans while staying kind to themselves.

15. The Unmumsy Mum by Sarah Turner

For every mum who’s ever screamed into a pillow, bribed their toddler with biscuits, or googled “is it normal to hate soft play” — this one’s for you.

The Unmumsy Mum is a brilliantly funny, no-holds-barred look at the chaos of parenting without the filter. Sarah Turner writes exactly how most of us think (but don’t always say out loud), making you laugh, cry and breathe a massive sigh of relief that you’re not the only one winging it.

This isn’t a rulebook — it’s a celebration of imperfect parenting and the glorious mess that comes with raising small people. If you need reassurance that you’re doing just fine — even when it feels like a total shambles — this is the mum book to reach for.

16. The Little Book of Mumfulness: A Non-Expert Guide to Imperfect Mumhood by Sarah Ford

If your idea of self-care is hiding in the loo with a half-eaten biscuit — this one's for you.

The Little Book of Mumfulness is a tongue-in-cheek survival guide for mums who are tired of being told to “soak it all in” while surrounded by laundry, crumbs and chaos. Written by a fellow non-expert mum, it’s a hilarious, comforting antidote to the pressure of perfect parenting.

With relatable advice, bite-sized wisdom and just the right amount of sass, this book reminds you that you don’t have to be a Zen goddess — you just need to get through the day with a shred of humour intact. A brilliant read if you’re looking to ditch the guilt and embrace your own wonderfully messy version of motherhood.

Which mum book should you read first?

If we had to recommend one to start with, it’s got to be It Takes a Village. Yes, we wrote it — but we wrote it for you. It’s packed with raw, relatable stories from real mums, expert advice from voices we trust, and the honest truths we all wish someone had told us sooner. It’s the motherhood book we needed in our own messy, sleep-deprived beginnings.

That said, you know yourself best. Start with whatever speaks to where you are right now — whether you need a laugh, a cry, a reminder you’re doing just fine, or a moment to reconnect with you. There’s no wrong place to begin — just know that whichever one you choose, you’re never reading alone.

And if you want to keep the conversation going, join us on Peanut to connect with other mums who truly get it.