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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
It's hard to put into words the impact this book has had on my soul. This book was incredibly difficult for me to read for the amount of self-reflection and contemplation it forced me into and I spent most of it with a lump in my throat, a knot in my stomach or outright crying. My first year of motherhood was painfully hard and this book helped put together the pieces of why I had such a difficult time with the transition but in ways that made me feel so seen and understood (and normal). I wish I had this book when my daughter was younger and I was completely in the weeds with the overwhelming feelings I had towards motherhood but I also feel like now was the perfect time to find it as I attempt to reconcile with the feelings I've experienced. I don't typically highlight books but 50 passages stood out to me in such a way that I needed to be able to come back to them again.
What a joy and gift to read this in my first weeks of motherhood. It made me feel validated in how hard it has been for me, encouraged to keep going, and not alone as the early days can be so isolating. I will be gifting this to all the new moms in my life for many years to come.
Per other reviewers, I did skip chapter 5 as it talks about "natural" childbirth and loss/shame if your birth didn't go the way you hoped it did. If you, like me, are still raw from how your birth went, just skip it - the rest is still incredibly valuable.
Per other reviewers, I did skip chapter 5 as it talks about "natural" childbirth and loss/shame if your birth didn't go the way you hoped it did. If you, like me, are still raw from how your birth went, just skip it - the rest is still incredibly valuable.
If you are a sunshine and rainbows only human, this may not be the book for you, but for those who dissect, and critique, and are cognitively active, and long to learn all the facets of reality around the psychology of motherhood, this book is for you.
I would love nothing more than to make all the challenges of parenting acceptable to speak out loud, palatable for the public, but when I was struggling through some dark PPD, I learnt quickly how little acceptance there is for that.
Even though there were moments where I didn't love the language, I would have benefited greatly from having read this book and had some knowledge about the reality for many new mums. It is for that reason this will become the book I recommend to anyone that asks me what motherhood is really like.
I would love nothing more than to make all the challenges of parenting acceptable to speak out loud, palatable for the public, but when I was struggling through some dark PPD, I learnt quickly how little acceptance there is for that.
Even though there were moments where I didn't love the language, I would have benefited greatly from having read this book and had some knowledge about the reality for many new mums. It is for that reason this will become the book I recommend to anyone that asks me what motherhood is really like.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I desperately wish I had read this book before having my first child. It is still immensely powerful and helpful now. I want to thank the author for putting the effort into writing this from the bottom of my heart. It really meant a lot to me.
The intro to this felt like someone jumped in my head and wrote my thoughts. Some parts hit better than others but some of this I found wildly helpful
To be clear, this book is specifically about the transition to motherhood within a heterosexual relationship and the author says so at the beginning. So it won't apply to everyone. But if this is your relationship situation, this book may be immensely resonant and helpful to you.
This book talks a lot about the often undiscussed and unacknowledged impact of the transition to motherhood, emotionally, physically, mentally, and on the parents' relationship to each other. If that impact packed a wallop, as it did for me, reading it even well into motherhood may be helpful. My kids are 5 and 10, and I still related pretty hard to a lot of this book. The author gets into all of this through attachment theory, discussion of cultural gender norms and the lack of social support for new mothers, and professional experience as a therapist. I am finding I don't know how best to talk about this book in a way that doesn't sound very dry. It's not, really. And I think it's important enough that it's going on my shortlist of books about parenting to recommend and buy for new parents. I think many, many mothers will feel very seen and validated by reading this book, and maybe have a clearer view of themselves and their relationships that allows them to let go of guilt and confusion surrounding how hard this can all be. If your relationship and your sense of self took some hits, if you'd like to prepare for your own experience of motherhood and not just for baby, if you just find parenting very hard sometimes, this is a book worth picking up.
This book talks a lot about the often undiscussed and unacknowledged impact of the transition to motherhood, emotionally, physically, mentally, and on the parents' relationship to each other. If that impact packed a wallop, as it did for me, reading it even well into motherhood may be helpful. My kids are 5 and 10, and I still related pretty hard to a lot of this book. The author gets into all of this through attachment theory, discussion of cultural gender norms and the lack of social support for new mothers, and professional experience as a therapist. I am finding I don't know how best to talk about this book in a way that doesn't sound very dry. It's not, really. And I think it's important enough that it's going on my shortlist of books about parenting to recommend and buy for new parents. I think many, many mothers will feel very seen and validated by reading this book, and maybe have a clearer view of themselves and their relationships that allows them to let go of guilt and confusion surrounding how hard this can all be. If your relationship and your sense of self took some hits, if you'd like to prepare for your own experience of motherhood and not just for baby, if you just find parenting very hard sometimes, this is a book worth picking up.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
So good, so validating. Every mom-to-be/new mom should read.