First-Time Parent: The honest guide to coping brilliantly and staying sane in your baby’s first year

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Easy to read, like the realistic style and approach to 1st year of parenthood, lots of useful information and tips without getting too detailed but with lots of resources if you want to i.e. baby led weaning, breastfeeding... i also like that it covers the growing/developing stage by trimester rather than week by week or month by month which prevents you from comparing your baby to average and statistics and let it grow/develop at it's own pace. also it promotes a more relaxed and fun, for babies and parents, play-time approach rather than intellectual/over-stimulating one. in addition it covers the relationship of the couple after birth and how dads can participate in baby's life and assist newly moms. I definitely suggest for first time parent. Absolutely brilliant at preparing dads for pregnancy and child birth and lots of coaching on how to be a great birth partner - I also found it really helpful and will be rereading as due date approaches."(Recommended by Mumsnet user Raven83) It’s often useful to invest in a few complimentary titles. For example, you might have space on your bookshelf for a simple guidebook for advice on feeding, changing and bathing your baby, as well as a book covering a parenting philosophy you may like to try. Are there different formats?

I found "First Time Parent" by Lucy Atkins to be kind, helpful, practical and not judgemental /espousing one parenting style over another."(Recommended by Mumsnet user InstantUserNameJustAddWater) First time parent by Lucy Atkins, it's very practical and straightforward, but has a friendly tone. We got it while I was pregnant and [my son] is 5 months now, we still keep it to hand." (Endorsed by Mumsnet user Fivebyfive2) Our verdict Atkins is the daughter of the lexicographer B. T. S. Atkins and the niece of linguist John McHardy Sinclair. She teaches on the Creative Writing Master's degree at the University of Oxford. She is a literary critic for The Sunday Times and served as a judge for the 2017 Costa Book Awards [2] She has co-presented features about books on BBC Radio Oxford. [3] She has also written for UK other newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, The Times, The Sunday Times and The Telegraph. [4] Selected publications [ edit ] Fiction [ edit ] Mumsnet users praise it for its insightful approach to communicating with small children, with key tips and advice on positive discipline to help avoid a shouty household and reduce frustration from parents and children alike.If you prefer a more lighthearted approach in your best parenting books, this survival guide by Radio 4's Libby Purves documents anecdotes, thoughts, and helpful tips to help you wade through the early years of parenting. Although the latest update is now almost 20 years old - long before the era of social media and Insta-mum/ Mumfluencer pressures - much of the advice and anti-guilt tone of the book can easily be applied to parenting in 2023. Parenting books (like all books) can be a hugely contentious subject, with some parents swearing by the tips of one, only for others to regard it as useless. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, and as such there isn't one best parenting book or even list of parenting books which will solve all the possible questions, issues, problems that parents may face. Having said that, there are certain books which crop up time and time again on the Mumsnet forums in answer to the question of 'which parenting book is best' and we've done our best to reflect those books here. When should I start reading parenting books? Reviewed by David Holmes. "Help at hand". Cancer and Society Volume 13, ISSUE 1, P21, 1 January 2012 "www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk". Archived from the original on 18 September 2016 . Retrieved 8 April 2014. Ease of reading: Look for books that have short chapters, easy to read formatting or bitesized chunks of information. These are much easier to dip in and out of as you wish and make some of the more overwhelming information easier to digest. A non-preachy, approachable tone is always a winner in our eyes too. Parenting is hard enough without being preached at, right?!

As a health journalist and mother-of-three, Lucy Atkins is familiar with both the medical aspects of baby development, and the reality of life as an exhausted first-time mum or dad. THE MUMSNET BOOK IS THE BEST FOR GOD'S SAKE YOU HEATHENS"(Recommended by Mumsnet user LittleMouseWithCLogsOn) Our verdict We couldn't give you a guide to the best parenting books without plugging our own! The Mumsnet Guide to Babies has all the wit and wisdom of the forums condensed down into a handy guide, covering everything from sleep, to childcare to baby names, grandparents, and much more.

Expert author?: What is the expertise of the author and can you trust their advice? Look for books written from reliable sources of information, particularly if they are focused on a particular approach to parenting, i.e. psychological. We liked 'Oh crap potty training' - doesn’t over promise like some of the “done in two days!” type of books but does set out practical steps to go through."(Recommended by Mumsnet user Lostthetastefordahlias) Before joining the content team at Mumsnet, Jenny worked as a journalist for newspapers, radio, TV and b2b trades magazines for over a decade. She is also a bestselling sci-fi author (writing as J M Briscoe) and parenting blogger. only disposable & cloth nappies/dippers are cover; there is also Elimination Communication as an alternative method for babies' toileting needs that should be mentioned

Every child is different and there's no one 'right way' to parent them all - some parents will swear by the strict methods of one parenting book while others will find them little to no help at all. On that note, there's no one parenting book which has all the answers, but there are some which are mentioned time and time again on the Mumsnet forums as particularly useful, informative and enlightening for certain stages and phases of the parenting journey. What are your preferences?: It's always a good idea to know what sort of parenting tips you don't want - i.e., if you are against sleep training, don't go for an author known to advocate controlled crying. With a new edition published just last year, Your Baby & Child offers an up-to-date, in-depth guide to your child's psychological development from the newborn days to their first year at school. Widely regarded and respected as one of the world's leading writers on parenting, Penelope Leach combines expertise on child psychology with new scientific research, making this one of the best parenting books for authoritative advice and tips. There are a few different types of parenting books. Some are written with a specific problem or area of development in mind, such as helping your baby to sleep. Then there are more general books that promote broader approaches to child-rearing. Finally, there are reference guides that collect together informative facts and helpful tips.

Parenting books

One of the best parenting books in terms of popularity on the Mumsnet forums, users love this book for its 'non-preachy' approach for first-timers. Written by health journalist and mum-of-three Lucy Atkins, First-Time Parent provides a comprehensive guide to all aspects of parenting in the first 12 months, from the heady first few hours to coping with holidays and making decisions on childcare. The First-Time Parent is on your side, and reassures that you can cope brilliantly with your new baby and your new life. Few stages of early parenthood are as tough as potty training can be, so a parenting book which promises to make the whole process easier and faster can be worth its weight in gold. John Williams. "From the excellent Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins to the fast-paced latest from Matthew Hall and Joe Thomas' original Bent, thrillers of the week." 4 April 2020

Lucy Atkins is an award-winning author and journalist. Her last novel, MAGPIE LANE, a literary mystery set in an Oxford College, was chosen as a Book of the Year by the Guardian, The Telegraph, Good Housekeeping magazine and Radio 4's Open Book. Lucy's third novel The Night Visitor, has been optioned for television, Her new novel, Windmill Hill has been described as 'a triumph' by Philip Pullman.

8. Best parenting book with crowd-sourced content: Babies: The Mumsnet Guide

Philippa Perry has a fantastic book - it does cover all ages and only a section is devoted to teens- but her general advice and pointers really helped me."(Vetted by Mumsnet user Littlefiendsusan) Our verdict There are a huge number of parenting books to choose from, some covering pregnancy up to the first few months of babyhood and others going right through to the parenting of young adults. Our baby is almost 12 weeks and we found it so helpful as we are both clueless! It is now a ritual to read every week so we know what to expect or look out for! Of course baby doesn't read the book and is following their own timeline when it comes to milestones etc... but when you know absolutely nothing and don't really have anyone around it is good to have it."(Recommended by Mumsnet user SunnySideUp2020) Our verdict How to talk so kids will listen. Frankly, it's the only book you'll need." (Recommended by Mumsnet user MrsTerryPratchett)