Best parenting book for newbies?

Hi Moms, first timer here expecting my first in Sept. My hubby actually asked about a parenting book recommendation preferably one that’s an audiobook - or podcast for Dads? He hasn’t been able to attend any appointments due to Covid and I’ve been keeping up with pregnancy stuff. He wants to move onto parenting and asked me for a book to listen to since he thinks he’ll have to be more involved while I recover. Any suggestions? Thanks!!

Read more on Peanut

The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.

Learn more about our guidelines.

Add a comment

What to expect when your wife is expanding. I think they are available on audio as well. Congrats!!!

The Wonder Weeks. There's an app version too that you can get that alerts you to all new developments and how to deal with each one. It saved my sanity more times than I can count! Just when you think you're doing something wrong or can't figure out how to help your little one, the app tells you whats happening in their heads and bodies and suddenly you have a new swell of patience just because you actually understand.

Thank you ladies!!

1. Becoming the parent you want to be - good for all parents, covers a lot of material and very warm and supportive.
2. Ina mays guide to childbirth- so good to read during pregnancy
3. Mayo Clinic’s your baby’s first year- lots of information about milestones and health conerns, I consulted this one a lot!
4. Parenting the strong willed child- I read when my daughter was 2 and adopted many of the techniques suggested, really improved my parenting skills and relationship with her. Maybe get one in a few years :)
5. Untigering - how to decolonize your parenting.. so insightful and inspiring!

As of now, I’d get the first 3 of my list :) and see how you like them

- Why love matters
- How to speak to little kids so that they listen and how to listen so they will talk
- The whole brain child
- sleep like a baby, Pinky McKay
- anything by Darcia F Narvaez. She has a whole bunch of psychology today articles and a podcast

Here's a link to Darcia's articles
http://sites.nd.edu/darcianarvaez/primalparentingposts/

We're a montessori/attachment parenting household, so my recommendations will be skewed that direction.

Baby Sign language made easy by Lane Robelo

Go Diaper Free by Andrea Olson (also OMFG you gotta check out Tiny Undies!! They're amazing and have these great "learning" pants that encourages baby to learn to put.on underwear the right way! Color coded legs + a bear on the front! Wolfcub LOVES those + her tiny potty too!)

The whole brain Child by Daniel. J. Siegel M.D. & Tina Payne Bryson M.D.

Montessori from the start by Paula Polk Illard

We're also a huge fan of these blogs/vlogs:
Insta/internet
Dr. Siggi (gentle parenting, Family counselor)
Play together Grow together (2.6 yr in Scotland, neat primitive/super early language & math stuff too!)
Montessori in Real Life (toddler D + baby bro S)
Bringing Up Babe

The Hapa family (youtube, positive discipline + montessori from.birth)

Kevin Lu (best Montessori dad I know of! Cost vs product worth & reviews. Also positive gentle discipline parenting)

Thank you ladies for the great recommendations :)

in our community

No sitter but cant let myself go into postpartum depression

Brought my little girl to my lash appointment she was so well behaved thank god !!!! Any other mamas end up bringing their kid to their maintenance appointments ?

Am I doing something wrong?

I went for brunch with a new mum friend, both our little boys are 7 months. My LO would not sit at and tbh he rarely does, he had just had a feed and nap, I also offered him a banana which he had half of and convinced him to play with multiple toys but he either wanted to bounce on my lap or for me to walk around with him and eventually got cranky/whingy. I wasn’t able to finish my food. The other LO was sitting calmly the whole time and chewing on his teether. I even offered my LO a teether. Am I doing something wrong, am I spoiling him by picking him up constantly if he’s not crying and just whinging 😅

Is yogurt enough breakfast for a 7month old?

I'm really struggling with weaning and feeling like I'm failing my child.

I've always just been a cereal for breakfast skip lunch kinda person.

If you have advice or easy ideas please drop them below.

I'm also struggling with PPD so I'm really struggling with motivation when it comes to cooking etc.

Has the new government rules on screen time stressed anyone else out?

Screen time reliance was already stressing me but I'm home alone as many of us are...I have no village and a very full on and demanding boy. My son is 19 months and in a really hard phase whinging and clingy wise....we don't do iPads and tablets (unless I absolutely have to if he's throwing an absolute fit having a nappy change and I don't want shit all over the wall!)
We do however end up doing teletubbies and dancing fruits during "high stress times" of the day. Usually cooking or if he's having an awful meltdown...popping teletubbies on means he smiles and relaxes, and I can get our food cooked and the kitchen tidy.
In the evening we allow him another half hour whilst we make food if he's in a particularly demanding mood and wanting to be held the entire time. Then we switch off teletubbies and put something soft like quiz shows or comedy on for my partner and I and we play with our son at the same time. He usually zones the TV out if it's not his program.
I feel so guilty for every second of screen time now. By the time he's finally gone to bed at 9-10pm (he fights sleep like crazy) I just have to fall into bed myself. My partner can stay up watching his TV but I can't make it past 10 (proof that being a stay at home mum is harder than a regular job much!?)

MIL making me feel like I’m not doing enough

Just wanting to rant/ see if I’m feeling touchy!
Since my LO was born, we have suffered with extreme reflux which is now getting treated and has improved so much. I have massively struggled with PPD/PPA. I feel I’m constantly running on fight or flight (like the most of us probably). However, I’m getting comments from my MIL that makes me feel as if I’m not doing enough for my baby.
Due to his reflux and my personal issues, I haven’t wanted to take him to baby classes/ leave him with his grandparents.
She will make indirect comments to my LO ‘is mummy ever going to take you to a sensory class’
‘You want a sleepover don’t you’
‘Mummy and Daddy need a break from you’
These are just a few comments that I can remember/ stuck out to me.
I take him out pretty much everyday either to the shops on a walk or I’ll go to a coffee shop/ lunch with my friends and own mother. - I feel quite accomplished when I do this as it is quite hard for me to feel up to leaving the house. I do sensory etc with him at home and entertain his wake windows.

Just to add! She is very much involved in his life so I don’t think she feels left out as she will herself take him on a walk, look after him for an hour.
I now feel up to taking him to a class as he seems happy to lay on his back so I booked one for next week and happily said to her today that I have booked one! Which I am rather proud of myself for doing. I was given a comment ‘finally’.
Sorry for the long post! Please let me know if I’m being slightly dramatic!

USA people - have you ever personally experienced a school shooting?

we talk about moving over there every now and again but in our heads it’s so risky, even if the education system was good, to send kids to school over there