Being a first-time parent is as exciting as it is stressful, especially if you don’t have a support system for help and guidance. There is so much to learn from what you can and can’t do while pregnant, to to how to decide what items are worth splurging on (or not), to safe sleep facts once baby arrives. And while the advice that well meaning individuals give may be helpful, books for new parents allow you to understand solutions based on facts and expert advice, all without judgement.
One important thing to remember is that all pregnancies and babies are different (and so are parents for that matter), so don’t feel guilty if things aren’t always as smooth as described. That said, the below books for new parents are a great resource to help guide you on the bumpy journey called parenthood.
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- The Best Toys For Left-Handed Kids
7 Must Read Parenting Books for New Parents
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Expecting Better
If there's one book every pregnant woman should get, it's Expecting Better. Economist Emily Oster takes a deep dive into the latest research to answer all the questions we're dying to know the answers to as she separates fact from fiction - think: can you eat sushi? Can you drink coffee and if yes, how much?
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Cribsheet
Cribsheet takes over where Expecting Better finishes off. In her follow-up, book Oster looks at the latest research to help parents uncover the need-to-know facts about everything from safe sleep to sleep and potty training.
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The Happiest Baby on the Block
This cult read comes our way from America's most well known pediatrician, Dr. Harvey Karp, the inventor of the Snoo. Karp goes over a lot of facts and tips, but the most groundbreaking ones are around his principle of the 5 “S’s”: the simple steps (swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking) that trigger a baby's calming reflex.
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Baby-Led Feeding
Baby-Led Feeding is full of tips, tricks, images and beautiful recipes to help your little one healthfully transition from milk/formula to finger foods.
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Hooked
The latest book from Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Moss, Hooked is a fascinating look at how the food giants manipulate us to get us hooked on junk food. Given the growing obesity epidemic it's a must read.
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The Montessori Toddler
Even if you don't plan on sending your little one to a Montessori school there are many principles that can apply. The Montessori Toddler makes it easy to pick and choose what might fit into your family's lifestyle with easy-to-read and well organized chapters.
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What to Expect When You're Expecting
Classics are classics for a reason and that certainly holds true for What to Expect When You're Expecting. While it doesn't go into the deep dive research that Emily Oster does, you'll get week-by-week insight into how your baby is growing along with need-to-know-facts from conception to birth to help lay the basic groundwork for your growing family.
