To help support mums-to-be, expectant parents and grandparents we have put together a list of helpful and informative titles to help navigate you through the exhilarating, overwhelming and daunting journey of birth and beyond.
The 16 titles on offer cover a variety of relevant topics from the traditional week-by-week guides to self-care, diet, health and a good dose of humour! These UK suitable titles are available on BorrowBox now to download for free.
Hampshire Libraries supports families with babies and young children via a number of channels. Weekly Rhymetime and Baby Bounce sessions, that are currently taking place online during this time, give new parents the opportunity to bond with their young babies through song and rhyme.
How to Grow a Baby and Push It out
Everything you wanted to know but were too embarrassed to ask – a guide to pregnancy and birth straight from the midwife’s mouth. From how to prevent tearing during birth to what you really need in your labour bag, Clemmie reveals everything pregnant women and new mums need to know with a good dose of humour and wit.
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
Your Baby, Your Birth: Hypnobirthing Skills for Every Birth
Your Baby, Your Birth is a truly modern hypnobirthing book for ALL births. In-demand hypnobirthing coach Hollie de Cruz provides you with the skills and tools to make any birth feel safe, calm, connected and empowering. Drawing on her experience working with new mums, including Fearne Cotton and Giovanna Fletcher, Hollie de Cruz helps you prepare for a positive (not ‘perfect’) birth experience and approach motherhood with confidence in yourself and your instincts. Your Baby, Your Birth will teach you: – That birth is safe – listen to your body, embrace the changes, prepare your mind and relax during pregnancy – Exercises and breathing techniques for labour and birth for you and your birth partner, along with guided meditations to keep you calm and engaged – How to trust your instincts, understand your body and baby, and make informed decisions throughout your pregnancy and beyond
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
Give Birth Like a Feminist
Finally blasting the feminist spotlight into the labour ward, Milli Hill encourages women everywhere to stand and deliver, not lie back and think of England. As women consider anew their personal autonomy through the lens of #metoo, Give Birth Like a Feminist insists that birth is no longer left off the list in discussions about female power, control and agency. Both a thought-provoking guide for pregnant women, and a call to arms, this is a galvanising book that explains why women are the key decision makers in childbirth, why they need to know their rights and take an active role in their choices, and why they must find their voice and have their say in the birth room just as they have already done in the board room and the bedroom. Milli Hill lays bare the modern experience of pregnancy and birth in the developed world through research, personal testament and the accounts of hundreds of mothers. She illustrates how medicalisation and systems laid down by a patriarchal society have developed to disempower, even dehumanise, women at the gateway to motherhood. She then prepares the current generation of women for what to expect, setting out their often overlooked options and rights. This book answers the questions: Why should women, their families and healthcare professionals care about women having a positive birth experience? And why should women expect or demand more from their birth? For too long, women have been told that a healthy baby is ‘all that matters’. Give Birth Like a Feminist dares to say: women matter too.
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
The Unmumsy Mum A-Z
With entries including D is for Desperation, F is for Fish Fingers, S is for Supermum and V is for Vagina, it’s safe to say this is not your average A-Z. This book won’t tell you what sort of parent you should (or shouldn’t) be; instead, it offers a refreshingly honest account of what being a mum to three young children is really like and the surprising lessons that have been learned along the way. If you feel as though you’re not ‘measuring up’ or are struggling to #cherisheverymoment, Sarah’s tales from the thick of it will reassure and resonate with you. Above all, her commitment to telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth will make you laugh out loud and remind you that you are, in fact, doing a great job.
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
The Little Book of Self-Care for New Mums
Read this book for an instant pick-me-up. Whether this is your first or fifth baby, The Little Book of Self-Care for New Mums is your handy survival guide to managing the emotional and physical rollercoaster of becoming a new mum. Bringing together decades of experience from a midwife and a doula, you’ll find invaluable tips and tricks to boost confidence and calm frazzled nerves – plus answers to all those questions you may be too embarrassed to ask. From creating cooling breast pads with chamomile tea and quick stretches to relieve aching muscles, through to easy recipes to nourish your postnatal body and 5-minute fixes to restore your sense of humour, this is the book you can turn to when the overwhelm sets in. Beautifully illustrated in full-colour, it covers everything you need to know about the postnatal period to feel supported, empowered and understood.
Available as an eBook
Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan
Providing you with everything you’ve ever wanted to know about pregnancy, this is the definitive guide from conception to the first few weeks’ at home with your newborn. Recommendation: This is such an important book. I am going to be prescribing it on the NHS to every pregnant woman I meet.
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook
Now, certified nutritionists and registered dieticians Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh are here to tell them what they should! Featuring recipes for wholesome, unprocessed meals and snacks, accompanied by nutritional breakdowns and tips for the best ways to alleviate pesky pregnancy symptoms, Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook is the go-to guide for new moms throughout pregnancy and after. Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook is the perfect guide for pregnant women. Full of humor, heart, and wisdom, it promotes clean eating and the idea that using food as medicine is the best remedy for dealing with the symptoms that occur most during pregnancy—such as swollen ankles, bloating, and more. Leg cramps? Sit back with an Orange Carrot Cream Smoothie. Constipated? Try a Sweet & Salty Popcorn Trail Mix. Exhausted? Put your partner to work on a 3-Minute Salsa and Cheddar Microwave Egg Sandwich. There are also recipes for nausea, water retention, and heartburn, as well as nibbles sure to satisfy even the most bizarre cravings, prep ahead recipes for after the baby arrives and time is precious, and power meals made for moms who are breastfeeding. Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook will help new parents make smart and satisfying food choices whether dining in or out, before and after the kiddo arrives. The perfect gift for any new parent, it is sure to help make pregnancy healthier, happier, and even more delicious.
Available as an eBook
Mindful Hypnobirthing
Many women are fearful of birth, having been influenced by TV shows and films presenting labour as painful and alarming. However, birth does not have to be this way. The Mindful Hypnobirthing Method will show you how to reduce pain, feel calm and enjoy the most extraordinary experience of your life. This new book takes a refreshingly positive approach to birth, helping mums-to-be look forward to the experience with excitement rather than apprehension. Written by a clinical hypnotherapist and doula, The Mindful Hypnobirthing Method provides practical and reassuring mindfulness techniques to practise throughout pregnancy and labour to ensure you remain relaxed, confident, focussed and in control. There are also downloadable hypnosis and relaxation tracks for you to use and enjoy. With advice from nurses and midwives as well as hypnotherapists and psychologists, this book will answer all your questions, explain your options and teach you to trust your body so you can have the birth that you want.
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
Pilates for Pregnancy
Will give focus not just to first time pregnancies but also second pregnancies and how to survive the toddler implications on your pregnancy posture/energy levels Safe and effective Pilates exercises and bite-sized advice throughout about cardio exercise from pregnancy exercise specialist Advice from a perinatal (weeks before and weeks after birth) mental health-specialist midwife throughout on staying healthy and positive during your pregnancy The pregnancy market is huge. Aimed at pregnant women, but not just first timers. Particularly useful for mums of one (or two) who want hints and advice on how to prioritise their own posture and strength while their focus is on their little one.
Available as an eBook
Postnatal Pilates: A Recovery and Strength Guide for Life
Many mothers are desperate to get back into exercise but don’t know how. Pilates provides the perfect body-conditioning programme for birth and beyond. Anya Hayes has a large following on social media and many influencer contacts who are happy to promote the book and its message. Provides safe and effective Pilates exercises and advice throughout about getting into cardio exercise. Contains advice from perinatal/postnatal mental health specialists and experts throughout on staying healthy and positive in motherhood. This is a straight-talking, woman-to-woman postnatal recovery guide with a difference. These tailored Pilates exercises are safe and effective to build strong foundations, whatever your exercise goals. Clear step-by-step exercises are suitable for the fourth trimester, caesarean recovery and year one and beyond. Take control of your postnatal recovery and feel empowered with this toolkit of resources.
Available as an eBook
Eating for Two
Every mum-to-be wants to know that she’s eating the right things for herself and her baby. Nutrition is vital during pregnancy, and there’s a huge amount of conflicting advice out there. For the first time, child nutrition expert Annabel Karmel brings her food knowledge and experience to expectant mothers, guiding you through each stage of your pregnancy and offering tips and advice on what to eat and avoid. From the best foods to eat to promote conception, through ideas for avoiding morning sickness in the first trimester, to the best nutrition to combat sleeplessness, anaemia and heartburn later on, Annabel leads you through your pregnancy and beyond, even suggesting meals to make and freeze ready for when you have your new baby! With Annabel’s advice and over 90 fabulous recipes, you can be confident that you are eating the best possible diet for you and your developing baby.
Available as an eBook
Winging It!
Joining the parenting club in our thirties and beyond means that we are spinning an extraordinary amount of plates, often including a career at its peak. Most of us co-parent or fly solo in the true sense of the word, relying solely on our partners and/or friends when more often than not, extended family are too far away to help on a regular basis. Our parents could look to their parents for the usual guidance and extra support, but our situation is new, modern and unique. We are winging it! This book isn’t a guide or a parenting manual – it’s more of a support group for parents who are having their children in their thirties and forties to get together, to celebrate, share experiences, laugh and find joy in what is still the biggest life changing experience any of us will ever go through. It’s the book I looked for when I was pregnant, that spoke to me as a working parent and that I couldn’t find so I’ve had a go at writing one myself.
Available as an eBook and eAudiobook
Your Pregnancy Week by Week: Practical and Reassuring Advice from Conception to Birth
The wonderful news of a new addition to the family will leave you and your loved ones eager to prepare for their arrival. However, it is you, with the support of your partner, who will experience your child’s first nine months of development during pregnancy. Your Pregnancy Week by Week tells you everything you need to know about your pregnancy. On a week-by-week basis, you can learn how your baby is developing, how and why your body is changing and what you can do to ensure a smooth and comfortable pregnancy, every step of the way. With clear, authoritative advice that demystifies complex medical jargon, this indispensable guide takes you through each stage of pregnancy, addressing common concerns and questions to ensure a healthy start for your baby.
Available as an eBook
Your Baby Week by Week
Finding out what to expect during each week of pregnancy is easy; the shops are heaving with informative guides. Yet when the baby finally arrives and you are left to face the weeks of unpredictability and worry that a newborn baby brings, there are no week-by-week baby manuals to offer the advice, information and reassurance you need. Your Baby Week By Week is the guide you’ve been crying out for. Each chapter covers just one week of a baby’s development, and, ideal for tired and anxious parents, the week is divided into sections so that you can quickly and easily skim the chapter and find the information you’re looking for. It covers the basics – sleep, feeding, crying, washing, play and development – as well as being packed full of vital information and handy tips for checking a baby’s progress, including: – which vaccinations he needs and when – how much milk/feeds he needs – planning ahead – specific problems you may encounter, such as colic, and how to deal with them Clearly laid out and written by two experienced mothers – one a paediatrician, the other the Daily Mirror’s health editor, this is a reassuring and practical guide to help you through the crucial first six months of parenthood.
Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook
Best Baby Names 2020
Deciding on a name is one of the most exciting decisions you’ll make ahead of your new arrival but with so much choice it can be daunting to know where to start. Best Baby Names 2020 is full of inspirational names for your new baby. Whether you want a classic or a modern name or you don’t know either way this book will give you an A-Z of 9,000 possibilities. With advice and tips on how to choose the best name for your baby, how to approach relatives and all their opinions and the latest trends, you can find the ideal name and feel confident in your choice.
Available as an eBook
Young Gums: Baby Food with Attitude
A breath of fresh air for new parents’ – Skye Gyngell Award-winning food blogger Beth Bentley makes weaning fun and simple with a combination of baby-led and spoon-fed nutritious, wholesome recipes that are packed full of flavour. Say goodbye to fruit-sweetened, unidentifiable purees and instead make real, delicious food that the whole family can enjoy. Focusing on just a few great ingredients, clever flavour combinations and easy cooking methods, this is food that can be scaled up easily so that the family is able to enjoy the one meal – together; a practice that will help your baby develop good eating and social habits. And even better, the majority can be made using just one hand and just one pan! Including recipes such as Rainbow Ragu, Sweet Potato Cookies, Baby Burrito Bowls and No-roast Chicken Pot Roast, this step-by-step guide will take you from the daunting first stages of weaning right up to one year, with confidence and excitement. Including over 60 meals for both baby and mum, here are healthy, flavoursome recipes for a happy baby.
Available as an eBook
Most libraries have a ‘Parent’ collection covering a huge variety of parent related topics from weaning, sleep deprivation and potty training to toddler tantrums and fussy eaters amongst many other issues.
‘When a Book Might Help’ is a selected list of children’s titles covering everyday challenges and triumphs, as well as more difficult situations. Sharing stories can help put a child’s mind at ease and make transitions and new experiences easy to cope with.
Hampshire Libraries 