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The Books I'd Recommend For Every New Parent

Becoming a parent is by far the toughest thing I've ever done, and these are the books I look back on now with such immense gratitude (or the ones I wish I'd had at the time!). From the picture books that were more for me than for our baby, the poetry that saw me through the darkest moments, as well as the books that helped me learn more - here's my reading list for every new parent!

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1
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did)

The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did)

ByPhilippa Perry

The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) by Philippa Perry is a guide to nurturing healthy and empathetic relationships between parents and children. It offers practical advice and insights on understanding and managing emotions, fostering communication, and creating a supportive environment for children's development. The book emphasises the importance of self-reflection and understanding one's own upbringing to become more effective and compassionate parents.

$2300
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2
Welcome to the World

Welcome to the World

ByJulia Donaldson

Welcome to the World by Julia Donaldson is a delightful children's book that celebrates the wonders and joys of the natural world. It's filled with engaging rhymes and beautiful illustrations, guiding young readers through enchanting scenes of wildlife, landscapes, and the magic of new life. Ideal for sparking a child's curiosity and appreciation for nature.

$1900
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3
Good Inside

Good Inside

ByDr Becky Kennedy

Good Inside by Dr Becky Kennedy offers practical advice for parents, focusing on building strong, positive relationships with their children. The book provides strategies for handling common parenting challenges while fostering emotional growth and resilience in kids. It encourages a compassionate and empathetic approach to parenting that nurtures both children and parents.

$3000
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4
The Baby Sleeps
New Release

The Baby Sleeps

ByLisa Dick

Amid the city's bustle, the baby sleeps. On an island in an ocean, the baby sleeps. On our blue and spinning planet, the baby sleeps. But when she wakes... She doesn't need the stars, nor the sky, nor the cars cruising by... This sweet bedtime read tugs at the heartstrings and is a classic in the making. The perfect picture book: for bedtime reassuring your children about love finding treasures in the images together

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5
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 revolutionary strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 revolutionary strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind

ByTina Payne Bryson and Daniel J. Siegel

The Whole-Brain Child offers practical strategies for parents to nurture their child's developing mind. It combines scientific insights with accessible techniques to help children handle their emotions, improve communication, and build resilience. The book emphasises the integration of different parts of the brain to foster balanced and healthy development.

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6
It Nearly Killed Me But I Love You

It Nearly Killed Me But I Love You

BySinead Corcoran Dye

Everyone told Sinead that having a newborn was a bubble of bliss - and after a traumatic pregnancy, she was hoping they were right. Instead, a few weeks in, Sinead was admitted to the Mother & Baby unit at Starship with Vivie, in the grips of severe postnatal depression. An honest, gut-wrenching, irreverent and shockingly funny memoir about motherhood and mental health, with deeply personal insights into Sinead's own journey. It Nearly Killed Me But I Love You is a no-holds-barred discussion of what it is to be a mother, written with humour, wit and devastating frankness. This book will be for, and about, her. This book will be for mums and stepmums and mums with mental illnesses and mums without mums. This book will be for me....

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7
Ten things I wish you knew about your child's mental health

Ten things I wish you knew about your child's mental health

ByDr Billy Garvey

In Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child's Mental Health, Dr Billy Garvey, a leading developmental paediatrician and trusted voice in child mental health, offers invaluable insights into the often complex world of children's mental well-being. With compassion and clarity, Dr Garvey distils his decades of expertise into practical advice that is both accessible and profound. This book serves as a comforting guide for parents navigating the challenges of supporting their child's mental health in today's fast-paced world. The book expertly unpacks ten essential concepts that every parent should grasp to foster a nurturing environment conducive to mental and emotional growth. As children of all ages confront realities such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and behavioural difficulties, Dr Garvey provides the tools and understanding necessary to...

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8
Read to Your Baby Every Day

Read to Your Baby Every Day

Read to Your Baby Every Day is a charming collection of nursery rhymes designed to be read aloud to young children. Their rhythmic verses and vivid illustrations engage infants and toddlers, enhancing early language development and creating a bonding experience between parent and child.

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9
They Bloom Because of You

They Bloom Because of You

ByJessica Urlichs

Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. ‘A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank ‘A book to keep close and come back to over and over again like you would a best friend.’ - Jennifer Love Hewitt A mother is born the moment her children are, growing and blooming alongside them. They Bloom Because of You is a testament to the profound significance of mothering, and the extraordinary beauty of watching our children unfurl into who they are meant to be. Jess’s poems have touched millions, offering comfort like a...

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10
Baby and Me

Baby and Me

ByAngela Casabene

Busy, busy in the city,people going to and fro.But baby and me sit quietly.We're glad the days are slow. While the world rushes on, life with a baby takes a new, perfect pace of its own. Here is a gorgeous ode to the first year of a child's life and all the growing we do together.

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11
May You Always Know

May You Always Know

ByJessica Urlichs

From the author of the beloved international bestseller You Hung the Moon comes a stunning gift book full of hopes and dreams for children. You won't always get it right And mistakes aren't always wrong. Life is full of learning, Gaining wisdom is lifelong. A beautiful book detailing in prose the things a parent always wants their child to know as they go through life. Gorgeously illustrated by Bethany Gale, this poem from bestselling author Jessica Urlichs will strike all the right chords as a gift for loved ones or for yourself. Jessica Urlichs is a hugely popular author of poetry, gift and picture books.

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12
Matrescence

Matrescence

ByLucy Jones

A revelatory account of the transition into motherhood and how it affects the mind, brain and body A New Statesman and Daily Mail Book of the Year During pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood, women undergo a far-reaching physiological and psychological metamorphosis. There is no other time in a human's life course that entails such dramatic change—other than adolescence. And yet, this life-altering transition has been sorely neglected by science, medicine, and philosophy. Its seismic effects go largely unrepresented across literature and the arts. Speaking about motherhood as anything other than a pastel-hued dream is virtually taboo. In this ground-breaking investigation, acclaimed science journalist and author Lucy Jones brings to light the emerging concept of matrescence. Drawing on new research across various fields—neuroscience and evolutionary biology; psychoanalysis and existential...

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13
What to Expect the First Year [Third Edition]; most trusted baby advice book

What to Expect the First Year [Third Edition]; most trusted baby advice book

ByHeidi Murkoff

What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff is a comprehensive guide for new parents, covering the rapid developments and typical challenges of a baby's first year. It provides practical advice on everything from feeding and sleeping patterns to health, safety, and developmental milestones. With updated and evidence-based information, this book aims to ensure parents feel informed and supported throughout this crucial period.

$4000
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14
Beautiful Chaos
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Beautiful Chaos

ByJessica Urlichs

Featuring five exclusive new poems, this stunning foil-embossed hardback edition is a collector's item and a gorgeous gift. The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller. Selected poems on motherhood from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'Reading Jess's poems makes me feel like she's somehow reached into my own personal reflections and articulated them in a way I never could.' – Steph Claire Smith Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood – capturing everything from pregnancy to school age. Upon becoming a mother, Jessica Urlichs was reminded that the everyday ordinary is extraordinary. As sacred and tender as early motherhood is, it also comes with its struggles....

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15
Cribsheet

Cribsheet

ByEmily Oster

Cribsheet by Emily Oster offers a data-driven guide to parenting during a child's early years. The author, an economist, evaluates diverse parental strategies and decisions with scientific research to provide an analytical perspective. It aims to empower parents to make informed choices, balancing data with individual needs and experiences.

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16
If I Could . . .

If I Could . . .

ByMatt Zurbo

If I Could . . . I'd give you the moon to tuck into your pocket. I'd fold my love between the pages of this book, so every time you open it, you feel how I do every time I think of you. This poignant picture book, with a warm message and lush illustrations, is an ode to all the dreams we have for our little ones, and all the love we give to them each day. The rhythmic read-aloud invites cosy rereadings, making it the perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays, Father's and Mother's Day, and more!

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17
Sing With Your Baby Every Day

Sing With Your Baby Every Day

ByClaire Grace

A keepsake volume of 30 classic nursery rhymes and songs to share with your baby, illustrated with enchanting hand-embroidered artwork. Science tells us that babies develop best when they are spoken to, sung to and read to. Even when they're tiny, the sound of their parents' voices helps babies make sense of the world and feel comfortable with new people and places—this beautiful book brings you best-loved nursery rhymes and songs in one handsome volume, including: Five Little Ducks; Once I Caught A Fish Alive; Round and Round the Garden; The ABC Song; Teddy Bears Picnic; She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain; If You're Happy and You Know It; Head Shoulders, Knees and Toes; I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly; Rain, Rain, Go Away; Twinkle,...

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18
How to Have Good Dreams

How to Have Good Dreams

ByJessica Urlichs

A bedtime classic in the making Dreams are things that come to you when you close your eyes Some are magical, some are fun and some are a surprise. They find you when you're sleeping, dreams of every kind. A little like a story or a movie in your mind. Meet a cast of delightful characters with lots of magical dream ideas, ready for children to engage with and dream about.

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19
Expecting Better

Expecting Better

ByEmily Oster

A groundbreaking guide to pregnancy: empowers women with the facts and allows them to make their own decisions. FREAKANOMICS meets WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING.Award-winning Emily Oster debunks myths about pregnancy to empower women while they're expecting.Pregnant women are often treated as if they were children, given long lists of items to avoid - alcohol, caffeine, sushi - without any real explanation from their doctors about why. They hear frightening and contradictory myths about everything from weight gain to sleeping on your back to bed rest from friends and pregnancy books. In EXPECTING BETTER, Oster shows that the information given to pregnant women is sometimes wrong and almost always oversimplified.EXPECTING BETTER overturns standard recommendations for alcohol, caffeine, sushi, bed rest and induction, while putting in context the...

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20
Tickle, Tickle

Tickle, Tickle

ByHelen Oxenbury

Tickle, Tickle by Helen Oxenbury is a delightful story that captures the joy and laughter of childhood. This charming tale invites readers to join in as a group of toddlers play together, engaging in fun and giggles. With its vibrant illustrations and simple, rhythmic text, the book creates an enchanting experience for little ones and adults alike.

$1499
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