I recently had the opportunity to review a new book by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss titled The Rookie Mom’s Handbook, 350 Activities to do with (and without!) your baby. This fun book takes new moms from birth through the first year of their baby’s life!
This book gives specific activities for each month, month one offers 20 activities that support you as a new mom and gives you great ideas of ways to take care of yourself as well as your baby! Though not every activity will suit all new mamas, there are many unique and fun ones that offer positive ways to enjoy your new life as a mom!
One thing that stood out to me are all of the fun “crafty” activities throughout the book! The first month it’s making a swaddle blanket and a time capsule. Month 6 teaches you how to decorate your baby’s clothes with fabric paint. Month 7 teaches you how to sew kids’ pants out of t-shirts.
I am a very practical mama, so I enjoyed reading the activities that offered practical solutions to everyday needs! Activity #157 offers suggestions on putting together a clothing swap party, activity #147 tells you how to blend your own baby food and many of the activities offer stage appropriate answers to problems like breastfeeding, getting to know your gear, cooking, etc. There are even great suggestions of photos to take of your baby at each stage as well as stage related “reality checks”, baby development and mom’s new skills and fears.
I cannot honestly say that I loved every suggestion, but most of them are very worthwhile and truly do make sense. Overall, I recommend this book for new moms - to keep them thinking about things they can do to make the first year with their baby comfortable, calm and to help them have reasonable expectations for themselves and their new life!
I have a copy of this book that I’m giving away. If you’re interested please leave a comment telling me your favorite “new mom” suggestion! Just be sure to enter by June 13th when I’ll choose a winner.
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May 29th, 2008 at 11:57 am 1
Some of the things I tell new moms are:
1. to join a playgroup even before your child is “playing” because you need mommy friends.
2. Use an electric heating pad to warm up cold cribs before trying to put the baby down. (just remember to take the pad out)
3. don’t try to buy everything the baby needs before he or she is born. You’ll just make yourself nuts and there’s always something unplanned that you’ll need.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm 2
um… the best thing I can tell a new mom is to accept help when it is offered.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm 3
Hmmm…my best new mom advise is don\’t forget that your baby didn\’t read the baby books, laugh as much as possible and take lots of pictures. The days may seem slow, but the years just fly by!
May 30th, 2008 at 6:04 am 4
Get some sleep whenever you can
May 31st, 2008 at 3:40 pm 5
remember when you have your 2nd baby to still take pictures/video of your 1st baby because they won’t continue to be that size either
June 1st, 2008 at 12:38 pm 6
Having a baby takes up so much time so don’t forget to have alone time with Hubby….your marriage is as important and being a Mom.
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:49 am 7
Buy the Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. Also, enjoy every moment.
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm 8
Don’t forget about yourself.
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:58 pm 9
I always tell new moms to sleep when the baby sleeps! Chores can wait!!!
) Also, take a ton of pictures during that time. Babies change so much over the first year!
~Tanya
the4moyers(at)msn(dot)com
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm 10
My top tip: Remember, it will get easier! Sleep deprivation, first colds, spit-up, colic, teething, tantrums… this too shall pass. A close second is to ask well-meaning visitors to help out with housework or watch the baby for 10-15 minutes so you can take a much-needed shower!
June 4th, 2008 at 6:32 pm 11
My only advice is \"this too shall pass.\" No matter what\’s making you pull your hair out this week will be long gone next week and one day you\’ll look back fondly on night wakings and bumps from crawling and so on.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:22 pm 12
My daughter n law needs this book please lol
June 6th, 2008 at 3:41 pm 13
As not yet a mom, I\’m trying to learn as much as possible and hoping.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:46 pm 14
Don’t buy newborn clothes. Most outfits rub the cord stump the wrong way, and they only fit for a week anyway.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:25 pm 15
Even Supermom needs a break, don’t feel guilty when you need one, you’ll be a better mom AFTER you’ve had one!
June 6th, 2008 at 9:40 pm 16
In the beginning, just take things one day at a time and don’t listen to anyone who tells you to let your baby ‘cry it out’, that’s terrible advice. Pick them up and cuddle them, you are the center of their universe – feel privileged!
June 7th, 2008 at 10:10 am 17
My new mom tip is to insist dad help! They are usually nervous but it is best in the long run-plus you’ll get time to shower.
June 7th, 2008 at 4:04 pm 18
Almost everything can wait until later or the next day; baby needs attention and you must find out what works for him/her to be satisfied and comfy.
yourstrulee(at)sasktel(dot)net
June 7th, 2008 at 6:26 pm 19
I dont have a suggestion, but my mom says let baby cry a little. lets em know who’s boss!
June 7th, 2008 at 7:10 pm 20
I’m not a mom (yet!) – but I’ve heard over and over, “just pick the baby up” and “enjoy him/her now; they’ll not be like this again.”
June 7th, 2008 at 7:37 pm 21
talk to your baby like he’s a person. he’ll respond, eventually, and you’ll really help to build the bond.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:09 pm 22
Parenting classes helped me!
June 10th, 2008 at 2:33 pm 23
1. Always carry wipes
2. Housework can usually wait – love and enjoy that baby
3. Let go a little bit and let Daddy parent his own way (aka: don’t be bossy). There really is no one, right way and maybe he’ll have a trick up his sleeve that you didn’t know
4. Just Tell Me What to Say is a great book for as they grow
5. Don’t compare yourself or your baby to others. You are unique and wonderful.
6. Visine eye drops work wonders after sleepless nights.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:15 am 24
Read to your baby! They love it!
June 11th, 2008 at 2:25 pm 25
New mom suggestion? Trust yourself and don’t take other people’s advice too seriously. For example, everyone “warned” me about letting my baby fall asleep while breastfeeding, but it ended up being the best thing for our family…
June 11th, 2008 at 6:38 pm 26
I would tell a new mom, to sleep whenever the baby sleeps and not to worry at all about housework!
June 11th, 2008 at 10:11 pm 27
I say..
Let Daddy watch the new baby at least 1 x per week.. so he and the baby can get aquainted and give Mommy a very needed break. Notice I did not say baby sit. When it is your own child dad it is not called baby sitting… It worked for me….
June 13th, 2008 at 6:54 am 28
“Nap when your baby naps.” Just kidding. I think it has to be to introduce the bottle at 2 weeks – 1x a day – if you’re breastfeeding.
June 13th, 2008 at 9:15 am 29
Go out to eat and a movie without the baby for some couple time.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:58 am 30
Though it seems like diapers and not sleeping will last forever – it doesn’t – enjoy your baby time while your came.
June 13th, 2008 at 2:21 pm 31
Don\’t be afraid to ask for help!
July 11th, 2008 at 5:42 pm 32
1 let those beautiful seniors love and hug your baby; 2. give yourself every mroning a minimal of 5-20 minutes for meditation and reflection; 3. take granmothers advice not everyone wins the wars; chose which ones carefully for the battles are not always won by the parent/adult. Thanks SW.1.