Motherhood Your Way: How to Worry Less and Enjoy More in Your Baby’s First Year

The first year of new motherhood is met with great encouragement in this insightful guide from birth coach de Cruz (Your Baby, Your Birth). “What matters isn’t getting it right (there’s no such thing),” she writes, “but offering yourself the kindness, compassion and space to go slowly and work it out your way, one day at a time.” Moving from 48 hours after birth through the end of a baby’s first year, de Cruz presents a fresh take on such topics as bonding with a newborn (parents can mirror their movements) and practicing saying “no” (resisting the urge to explain helps). Positive affirmations such as “Each day I learn and grow as a mother” and “I accept, embrace and celebrate every part of who I am” are sprinkled throughout, as are activities including creating a kindness jar filled with things one appreciates about one’s partner to keep the romance alive, and organizing a drawer as a way to decompress from child-related stresses. De Cruz’s advice is solid, and what sets it apart are her sharp focus on a mother’s emotional well-being and her doable suggestions for shifting one’s perspective. For frazzled new mothers, this will be a balm. (June)