A Dozen Must-Read Books for Expectant/New Parents November 9, 2012 15:48

I am a bookworm, and ever since I entered expectant motherhood five years ago, I have not been able to get enough of books about pregnancy, babies, parenting and child development. I’ve read dozens of books and am always looking for the next best insights. Since there was no way I could limit this list to just 10, I decided to give you a dozen. 

Some of these books have fundamentally changed the way I approach parenting (like Mary Sheedy Kurcinka’s spirited child book, John Gottman's emotion coaching book, and Elizabeth Pantley’s no-cry sleep book), and I hope you enjoy reading at least one of the books on this list! They are in no particular ranking…

1.     What to Expect When You’re Expecting, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel, or some other week-by-week pregnancy book

2.     Raising Baby Green, by Alan Greene, M.D.

3.     Birthing from Within, by Pam England and Rob Horowitz

4.     Spiritual Midwifery, by Ina May Gaskin

5.     Super Baby Food, by Ruth Yaron

6.     The Baby Book, by William Sears, M.D.

7.     The No-Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley (there is also a second version geared toward children ages 1-6 years)

8.     The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp, M.D.

9.     The Holistic Pediatrician, by Kathi Kemper

10. The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, by Robert Sears, M.D.

11. Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive and Persistent, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka

12. Magic Trees of the Mind: How to Nurture Your Child’s Intelligence, Creativity and Healthy Emotions from Birth Through Adolescence, by Marian Diamond and Janet Hopson

And, a bonus book, just because I couldn’t leave it out: Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child, The Heart of Parenting, by Ph.D. John Gottman. I bought two copies of this book because I loved it so much we needed an extra copy.  

-Ashley