Subscribe: Need Help Adjusting to Motherhood?
My pregnancy was such an exciting time. In eager anticipation of Baby Mwah’s arrival, I read dozens of pregnancy, parenting and baby books. I gathered a collection of developmentally-appropriate toys, a variety of board books, and baby proofed my house. I was convinced that I was ready for motherhood. I was wrong.
After so many years of in the workforce, I was completely unprepared for maternity leave. I was used to a hectic schedule, frequent meetings, and frequent business trips. But then…POOF…in an instant, my life changed. My days were now a blank slate with the exception of the seemingly eternal cycle of feeding-diapering-napping. It was disconcerting and isolating to be home all day with a baby who could only communicate by crying.
One day while baby was napping, I picked up a review copy I had received of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook: 250 Activities to Do with (and Without!) Your Baby
“Welcome to Motherhood…You’re a rookie mom. Untrained, no experience. That’s you. And that’s not an insult. Even those of us who spent our adolescence babysitting for other people’s children or who work as preschool teachers or pediatric nurses are in for some big surprises. We’ve never been moms before. It’s not the same as changing a few diapers or setting up messy art projects. It means you are in charge all day, every day, and you and that baby are not going anywhere (or getting out of pajamas) unless you make it happen. When our babies were born, we discovered that hours and days lose shape when you have no place you’re expected to be. For those of us who are accustomed to a scheduled, busy life, that can be confusing. Lack of structure can throw even the most confident opinionated woman into a state of mental uncertainty.”
When I finished that passage, I breathed a big sigh of relief. These women “got me.” They understood that it is tough to be a new mom and that it can be embarrassing to admit that you feel anything other than complete fulfillment and joy being home with your new baby.
Their book had a simple prescription to fix the way I was feeling: “Get out of the house!” They weren’t suggesting that I leave baby with a sitter and run back to the office…but instead that I do something outside every single day ”even when it seems easier just to stay in.”
The Rookie Mom’s Handbook is full of suggestions for fun activities to do with your new baby. The book is organized by month, so the suggestions are matched to your confidence level as well as your baby’s age. Some of the early suggestions are simple, such as learning how to use all of your baby gear or going to the grocery store with baby. Others are more adventurous or crafty.
If you are new to motherhood and looking for some fun maternity leave suggestions or if you just want a great baby shower gift for that pregnant friend from your office, I highly recommend buying a copy of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook: 250 Activities to Do with (and Without!) Your Baby
Win It:
For a chance to win a copy, leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm on July 3, 2008 letting us know 1) why you need this book or 2) your favorite activity with baby.
Want It:
Available at bookstores or Amazon.com
I felt like I was reading my own diary while reading your post! I’m expecting baby #2 in December and will be taking 3 months off work and don’t want to feel like I did when I was on maternity leave with my first!
Why I need this book! I am still trying to get the hang of getting out of the house with my 12mo old without feeling frazzled…and baby #2 is going to be here in September. So I need all the tips & tricks I can get for a SAHM, used to running an office-not a mini playgroup, who needs to get out of the house!!
My daughter doesn’t realize yet, but this would be so beneficial for her to read. She is currently 4 months pregnant with her first baby!
Great giveaway; I wish this book had been out when I was younger!
Thank you for the wonderful review. I hope the book gives you months of fun ideas. I don’t need to win the book, but I’ll tell you my favorite activity with a baby: the movies.
I am a first time mom who is finding it next to impossible to leave the house and return to some degree of “normalcy”. I would love to read the suggestions/tips in this book.
I need this book so much. I have 7 month old twins and I’m quickly running out of my own creative ideas. Right now we love to read books and water our flowers, but thats all done in like 15 mins. Thanks for the opportunity to win this, because I don’t want the watching TV…more than they already do.
I need it for the obvious reason – my wife and I had our first ten days ago :)
My favorite activity with my babies is going to a farmers’ market. It’s nice to get outside and interact with people. Boy do I need this book, though. We can only eat so much produce!
I need this book because the adjustment to being a mom is much harder then I ever thought it would be.
I need this book because I can use all the help I can get! My favorite activity with my baby is to go and visit people!
I’m about to have my first baby and its going to be quite a lifestyle change – this book sounds perfect!
I’m always up to trying new things, which is why I would like this book. My favorite activity with baby is Gymboree class.
jceko77@yahoo.com
I am expecting my first child in September and think this would be a great resource for me ! :)
mental uncertainty…stay-at-home funk. that’s me. absolutely. at least now i live in a place where things are within walking or biking distance (wasn’t an option when we were in the country and i didn’t really know anyone in my husband’s hometown…outsider and new mommy all at once…TOUGH!). ok, so we’re in a new place…my son’s crawling…and it’s summertime. i’m ready for some fresh ideas…ways to have fun, get out of the apt, and let calvin see the world.
I’m a first time new mom. I decided to the stay-at-home kind and already I’m feeling complaicent. There are days that I know I need to get out of the house to keep but I find I have no place to go. My friends are all working. I don’t like shoping unless I plan to buy something. It would be great to have this resource. My favorite thing to do with my baby is walk in the nature center.
I have two little girls, one just turned 2 and the other 6 months. My husband works all day and goes to school at night. It would be great to have a book with easy ideas to fend off my boredom and insanity of being in the house all day. My fried mommy brain can’t think of any ideas.
I need this book because I would love to get some new ideas that are more imaginative than going to a playgroup and that are age appropriate. Now my favorite activity is going for a walk in the neighborhood to look for cats and smell flowers.
My favorite activity is reading to her. Great giveaway, thanks!
I am a first time SAHM myself. I’m always looking for new ideas to keep him intellectually stimulated.
One activity that my son and I like to do is going to Kindermusik class.
I need this book because with twin girls I hardly ever muster enough energy and/or desire to get out. (I’m lucky if I get to shower!) But when I do leave the house, I love it. I love going on walks with the girls or just sitting outside on a blanket. I realize I need to do more, but I am already running out of other activity ideas.
Our little guy is just about six weeks old. I’m a rookie mom and could use all the help I can get. Right now he is just starting to smile at us – it’s priceless.
Baby boy is due in 5 weeks and I have no idea what I am doing! I’m winging it as a first-time mom, so that is why I would love to win the book.
Reading your review of “The Rookie Mom’s Handbook” and everyone else’s posts has been so comforting knowing that I’m not the only one feeling like I lost who I was when I became a mom. My husband and I hadn’t even been married 2 year and we had 2 babies who are now 10 months and 25 months. Everything happened so fast that I didn’t feel like I ever had time to really adjust and combine the old single me with the new mommy/wife me. I don’t get out much, since my husband uses the car for work, but we do make it on walks when the weather is nice. My babies are beautiful and I wouldn’t change a thing, but I feel like I could really use this book to find fun things to do with my little ones from people who have been where I am now.
What a great book. My favorite thing to do with baby is to put her in a carrier and go for a walk. We talk about all the things we see, sounds we hear, and smells we smell! How fun!
Reading to my baby and dancing with my baby are my 2 favorite things!!!
Our favorite mommy-daughter pastime? Chasing the dog! I hold my 8-month-old facing forward and chase around our pup saying, “Let’s get Bailey, let’s get Bailey!” My little girl laughs hysterically and the dog gets out her wiggles by hopping backwards on her hind legs.
I’m totally running out of things to do….Need this badly. I love going on walks with him.
I really need this book. I have a two month old and a three year old. And it is tough! I love them so much but at times it takes alot to get us all ready and out the door. It takes alot of preparing,and sweat!
My favorit activity with my son is doing puzzles and dancing. With my baby girl I just love holding her and talking to her and making her smile.
I need this book, too! I am a brand new mom, and daddy is done with his fmla leave time next week, so I will be all alone with baby trying to figure out what to do with ourselves!
Would love this book for my niece who gave birth for the first time 3 weeks ago.
I would love this book! My little one will be 1 on the 4th of July, and we’re hoping to get started on having some more kiddos soon. I have been having a tough time finding the motivation to get out of the house daily. We just pulled out the finger paints today, and we had a blast! :)
i need this book because i have plenty of grandbabies and i need to entertain them when they come to visit. my favorite activity is doing anything i can to get them to laugh. love that!
My little one will be 15 months tomorrow and our new favorite thing to do together is go on bike rides in the morning. I got a baby seat for the back of my bike, and she loves it!
I’m 38, and this is my first child. My friends with babies don’t live near so I feel like I need some guideance. I love to hang out and watch him play with his toys.
I’m a SAHM of one sweet little boy. We live far away from family and the few friends I’ve made here don’t have kids so they totally don’t get what it means to be a mom. Some days I feel totally trapped and alone and this book sounds like the answer to my prayers. Sometimes I’ve felt so alone I’ve threatened (only jokingly) to go door-to-door and knock on doors until I find another SAHM to talk to. :) I don’t think I’d actually resort to that but it certainly has crossed my mind!
My favorite thing to do w/my sweetie boy is go for a walk in our neighborhood or play with him in his wading pool. Thanks for a fun giveaway! Even if I don’t win, I am certainly going to check into getting this book. It sounds like just what I need. :)
I need this because my baby didn’t come with a handbook. lol My favorite thing to do with my baby laying on the ground with her and just watching her play.
I think this would be a helpful book for me since I am having our second child in the next few days!
My sister is a lawyer in immigration law in souther california. I don’t think I’ve seen her sit down in 6 years. She’s got a little one on the way, and I think for ALL of our sanity, she’s going to need this book.
I need this to give to my best friend who just had a baby and REALLY needs this…so it would be a gift for a mom whom I adore…THANKS :)
This would be so helpful for the summers here in the desert! Sometimes it’s tough to figure out things to do when it’s 110+ outside…I think the heat fries your brain. :)
I need this book because I have a 7 week old son . He’s my first child and the first grandchild, so I have no experience around babies!! My favorite activity with my son right now is just making him laugh and smile.
Great idea! My favorite activity with Baby is anything OUTSIDE! From the time he was a colicy infant being outside is what soothed him.
I have a 3 1/2 month old and am still at a loss when it comes to doing “things” with him. I’d love to get this book.
I need this book for my sister in law who is expecting her first baby in October. This would be great!!
i need this book because i still am having trouble adjusting to baby and life with a baby. my favorite activity with baby is doing puzzles.
my friend would love to get one. I have two toddlers and I remember when they were only a week old, I started taking them out for anywhere everywhere. They will enjoy outdoors and you can take your mind off of them.
[...] to Sara from Utah who won a copy of The Rookie Moms Handbook, Christi from Virginia who won a copy of Unplugged Play and Jennifer from South Carolina who won a [...]
[...] my son was a newborn, The Rookie Mom’s Handbook helped me embrace motherhood. Written by the two bloggers who started http://www.rookiemoms.com, this [...]
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