Parenting, Uncensored: Straight Talk from Real Moms and Dads on Getting Pregnant


Book Description

Where do babies come from? Any parent can tell you that it's much more complicated than any stories that were passed around the playground. Between adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy complications, and more, it's clear that no path to baby leads straight from point A to point B — and that this convoluted journey looks different for every parent. In 12 essays that share the hilarity, hope, and heartbreak of trying to get pregnant, Parenting Uncensored shares real parents' perspectives on what it takes to conceive. Their stories run the gamut from blogger Aela Mass's ups-and-downs in IVF ("I'm gay. That's my fertility issue.") to Megan Jordan's fear of sharing the news of her pregnancy with her infertile friends ("I have been hesitant to talk about this new baby until I could end every sentence with a huge exclamation point. As in, 'I'm pregnant!' rather than 'I'm pregnant. Oy.'"), you'll learn that any roadblock you face in getting pregnant isn't a burden you have to face alone. Several essays in the book were chosen by the Babble community as the most compelling and helpful look at the topic. Babble, the leading site for parents sharing "tell-it-like-it-is" guidance, presents the latest volume of Parenting Uncensored, a series of short ebooks on topics of vital interest to expecting and new parents.




Parenting, Uncensored: Straight Talk from Real Moms and Dads on Pregnancy


Book Description

Any woman in the midst of it will tell you that pregnancy is, above all, a bodily function—from sore breasts to exhaustion to a wildly strong sense of smell. But the body is not the only storyline. Starting a family can be a downright magical time—the growth can be a welcome sign of a positive identity shift. It can feel exciting, exhilarating, and oftentimes, suspenseful. In 12 essays, Parenting Uncensored covers this whole gamut of changes, some pleasant and exciting, others surprising and uncomfortable. Lyz Lenz grapples with the shifting landscape in "Pregnancy Boobs": "I was warned that my boobs would get bigger. But I wasn't warned about the lifestyle change. About how everything from the way I slept at night, sat in a chair and walked across a parking lot would change." Blogger Liz Gumbinner writes about gaining perspective when she comes down with a potentially hazardous case of toxoplasmosis. In her post, "Obesity, Pregnancy, and The New York Times" Cecily Kellogg writes about weight discrimination and how her ideas about her own body changed during pregnancy. Hopefully, you'll be able to identify with at least one, maybe more, of these stories, and be inspired to join the conversation. The Babble community chose some of these essays as the most compelling and helpful examination of the topic.




Parenting, Uncensored: Straight Talk from Real Moms on Breastfeeding


Book Description

There are two facts that all new parents learn: "Breast is best" and "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." The first is learned from books, nurses, pediatricians, lactation consultants, unsolicited advice from strangers, and embroidered pillows. The second lesson is often a product of the first. In twelve frank and funny essays, Parenting Uncensored gives a range of perspectives on an often controversial topic: breastfeeding. From Stefanie Wilder's plea for everyone to stop judging one another to Ilana Wiles's account of pumping in public ("You don't know breast pump awkwardness until two 20 year-old guys are coordinating your pumping session over walkie talkies, then appearing to escort you to the back of the hair and make-up trailer and standing outside the front door ... "), you'll hopefully find a kindred spirit and even be inspired to join the conversation. Several of the essays in the book were chosen by the Babble community as the most compelling and helpful examination of the topic. Babble, the leading site for parents sharing "tell-it-like-it-is" guidance, presents the first volume of Parenting Uncensored, a series of short ebooks on topics of vital interest to expecting and new parents.




From the Hips


Book Description

Drawing on the experiences of hundreds of real parents and the expertise of doctors, midwives and other birth and baby pros, this indispensable resource is filled with the most accurate and up-to-date information about having and caring for a baby, including: Decisions, Decisions: A judgment-free breakdown of every major choice, including prenatal testing, natural vs. medical childbirth, circumcision, breast or bottle feeding, and work/life options The Endless No: What not to eat, take, and do when you’re pregnant-get the real facts behind the prohibitions I Want My Life Back: Anxiety, regret, ambivalence, and other rarely discussed postpartum emotions Parents and partners: A look beyond the one-size-fits-all approach to family, with strategies for minimizing perfect-parent pressure and managing your real-life relationships through the changes Sorting Through the Voices: A user-friendly guide to the dueling gurus, trendy techniques, and conflicting theories that confuse new parents A forward-thinking book that includes a wide range of voices and approaches, From the Hips reflects the many ways of being pregnant and parenting without suggesting that there is one right way.




Operating Instructions


Book Description

With the same brilliant combination of humor and warmth she brought to bestseller Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott gives us a smart, funny, and comforting chronicle of single motherhood. It’s not like she’s the only woman to ever have a baby. At thirty-five. On her own. But Anne Lamott makes it all fresh in her now-classic account of how she and her son and numerous friends and neighbors and some strangers survived and thrived in that all important first year. From finding out that her baby is a boy (and getting used to the idea) to finding out that her best friend and greatest supporter Pam will die of cancer (and not getting used to that idea), with a generous amount of wit and faith (but very little piousness), Lamott narrates the great and small events that make up a woman’s life. "Lamott has a conversational style that perfectly conveys her friendly, self-depricating humor." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review "Lamott is a wonderfully lithe writer .... Anyone who has ever had a hard time facing a perfectly ordinary day will identify." -- Chicago Tribune




The Sense of an Ending


Book Description

BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre. Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.




Big Fat Negative


Book Description

'This book is totally brilliant - informative, sensitive, funny and wise. Reading it is like talking to a fairy godmother who also happens to be a gynaecologist and expert on all things fertility' Sophia Money-Coutts Big Fat Negative (BFN) - a term commonly used on internet forums to refer to a negative pregnancy test. Infertility can be a lonely journey. One in every six couples will struggle to conceive but, despite this, many don't feel comfortable talking openly about their experiences and sharing what they are going through. As a result, they feel isolated and alone. It doesn't have to be this way. By talking, laughing and shouting about our experiences we can start to lift the cloak of shame that so often engulfs those going through it. Big Fat Negative does just that. This no-nonsense, honest guide to infertility from the hosts of the Big Fat Negative podcast smashes the taboo around this isolating and heartbreaking illness, offering first-hand experience, an understanding voice when friends don't get it, expert advice, reassurance for when you feel alone and - most importantly - humour when it you need it the most. Using first-hand accounts of the various hurdles of infertility, from work to diagnoses and IVF, coupled with advice from leading experts, Big Fat Negative will hold your hand on the not-so simple journey to motherhood - helping you to face and defeat the trials of trying for a baby.




I’m Taking My Eggs and Going Home


Book Description

Lisa Manterfield was a sensible 32-year-old when she met The One—a man who sparked a passion for tango, an urge to break down closed doors, and a deep-rooted desire to reproduce. Five years later she was a baby addict, hiding her addiction, plotting a maternity ward heist, and threatening anything that got in her way, including her beloved husband and his pesky practicality. In this gritty, award-winning memoir, Manterfield traces her spiraling route from rational 21st-century woman to desperate mama-wannabe. She examines the siren song of motherhood, the insidious lure of the fertility industry, and the repercussions of being childless in a mom-centric society. But this isn’t just another infertility story with another miracle baby ending, nor is it a sad introspective of a childless woman; this is a story about love, desire, and choices—and ultimately about hope. It is the story of a woman who escapes her addiction, not with a baby, but with her sanity, her marriage, and her sense-of-self intact. 2012 Independent Publishers Book Awards winner.




Mommy Cusses


Book Description

For fans of Go the F*ck to Sleep, Mommy Cusses is a hilarious novelty parenting book full of tell-it-like-it-is quotes, snarky lists, and too-true anecdotes that will resonate with new moms everywhere. For new-ish mothers who need to laugh at the absurdity of parenting so they don't cry, who are looking for a we're-in-this-together sense of solidarity, and who don't have time to read a "real" book, here is a hilarious and highly relatable collection of mom malarkey. There are real-talk quotes, helpful lists (such as "How to Look Like You Have Your Act Together"), "mom-tivities," and quizzes, all delivered with a healthy dose of sarcasm. Packaged in a handy trim size with colorful illustrations throughout, Mommy Cusses is the perfect gift for moms and moms-to-be who need some comic relief. • GREAT GIFT: Mommy Cusses is super relatable and laugh-out-loud funny, making it an easy gift for Mother's Day or a baby shower, or an anytime gift for a parent. • PERENNIAL TOPIC: It doesn't take long to experience all the ups and downs of parenting. Mommy Cusses features timeless mommy humor that won't go out of style and a fresh look and feel that speaks to young parents. Perfect for: • Expectant parents and parents of children under 5 • Shoppers looking for a baby shower or Mother's Day gift for a friend, spouse, or daughter • Followers of the Mommy Cusses blog or Instagram account




Love Her Well


Book Description

Now an ECPA Best Seller—Kari Kampakis's Love Her Well gives moms ten practical tips for how to build strong and lasting relationships with their daughters. For many women, having a baby girl is a dream come true. But as girls grow up, the narrative of innocence and joy changes to one of dread as moms are told, "Just wait until she's a teenager!" and handed a disheartening and too-often-true script about a daughter's teenage season of life. Author, blogger, and mom to four daughters Kari Kampakis thinks it's time to change the narrative and mind-set that leads moms to parent teen girls with a spirit of defeat instead of strength. Love Her Well isn't a guide to help mothers "fix" their daughters or make them behave. It's about a mom's journey, doing the heart-work necessary to love a teenager while still being a steady, supportive parent. Kari offers wisdom about how moms can: Choose their words and timing carefully. Listen and empathize with her teen's world. See the good, and love her for who she is. Take care of themselves and find a support system in the process. By working on the foundation, habits, and dynamics of the relationship; mothers can connect with their teen daughters and earn a voice in their lives that allows moms to offer guidance, love, wisdom, and emotional support. Kari gives mothers hope, wisdom, and a reminder that all things are possible through God, who is the source of the guidance and clarity they need in order to grow strong relationships with their daughters at every age—especially during the critical teen years.