People say there isn’t a book that tells you how to be a parent. We disagree. Here’s a helpful list of books moms love.

A Collective love note: Audiobooks can be a lifesaver for busy moms. And contrary to popular belief, we don’t actually have eyes on the back of our head. Plug one earbud in AND keep an eye on your child (if you can multitask). Even better, you can connect your library card to the Libby app and check out (some) free audiobooks.

modern parent

• All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior

• Becoming by Michelle Obama

• But I'm NOT a Wicked Stepmother!: Secrets of Successful Blended Families by Kathi Lipp and Carol Boley

• How to Be a Happier Parent by K.J. Dell’Antonia

• How to Not Hate Your Husband After Kids by Jancee Dunn

• How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results by Esther Wojcicki

• Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples by Eric Rosswood

• Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin

• Stepcoupling: Creating and Sustaining a Strong Marriage in Today's Blended Family by Susan Wisdom, LPC and Jennifer Green

• The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family by Karyn Purvis, David R. Cross and Wendy Lyons Sunshine

• The Co-Parenting Handbook: Raising Well-Adjusted and Resilient Kids from Little Ones to Young Adults through Divorce or Separation by Karen Bonnell

• The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads: Everything You Need to Know About LGBTQ Parenting But Are (Mostly) Afraid to Ask by Eric Rosswood and Greg Berlanti

• Unequal Childhoods by Annette Lareau

• Year of Yes: How to Dance It out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

WORK

• The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom's Guide to Style, Sanity, and Success After Baby by Lauren Brody Smith

• Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid Schulte

• Work. Pump. Repeat.: The New Moms Survival Guide on Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work by Jessica Shortall

• Back to Work after Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave by Lori Mihalich Levin, J.D.

• I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time by Laura Vanderkam

• I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson (a novel!)

• The Second Shift: Working Families and the Revolution at Home by Arlie Hochschild and Anne Machung

• No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work by Liz Fosslein and Molly West Duffy (a bit off topic, but emotions run high when you’re a stressed out working mom!)

PREGNANCY + BIRTH

• Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know by Emily Oster

• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

• Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke

• Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes

• The Sh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy: A Guide to Surviving Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Beyond by Dawn Dais

NEWBORNS + NEW PARENTS

• The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer by Harvey Karp, M.D.

• Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood - and Trusting Yourself and Your Body by Erica Chidi Cohen

• The Informed Parent: A Science-Based Resource for Your Child’s First Four Years by Tara Haelle

• Whoa, Baby!: A Guide for New Moms Who Feel Overwhelmed and Freaked Out (and Wonder What the !$& Just Happened)* by Kelly Rowland and Tristan Bickman, MD, with Laura Moser

• The New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First Year by Armin A. Brott

SLEEP

• Precious Little Sleep by Alexis Dubief

• Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau

• Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, 4th Edition: A Step-by-Step Program for a Good Night's Sleep by Mark Weisbluth, M.D.

• 12 Hours of Sleep by 12 Weeks Old by Suzy Giordano

• On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep by Robert Bucknam, M.D.

feeding

• Latch: A Handbook for Feeding with Confidence at Every Stage by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC

child health + development

• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.

• NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson

• Becoming Attached: First Relationships and How They Shape Our Capacity to Love by Robert Karen

• The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children by Alison Gopnik

• Supernormal: The Untold Story of Adversity and Resilience by Meg Jay

• Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline

• The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller

• Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together and So You Can Too by Adele Farber

• Co-Parenting Works!: Helping Your Children Thrive after Divorce by Tammy Daughtry

• The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.

• Autism With HEART: A Guide for Parents with Newly Diagnosed Kids by Katherine Kanaaneh

Toddlers

• No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame by Janet Lansbury

• Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting (The Peaceful Parent Series) by Laura Markham

• The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever-And What to Do About It by Katherine Reynolds Lewis

• Toddlers Are A**holes: It’s Not Your Fault by Bunmi Laditan

• How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber

• No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.

• Positive Discipline book series by Dr. Jane Nelson

• The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies

• Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right by Jamie Glowacki

self care

• Brené Brown (literally everything she says, writes and does is everything. all. the. time.)

• The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking

• Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms

• Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time and Energy Management for Busy Moms by Kate Northrup

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Ruben

• Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne

• The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

• Mindful Parenting by by Kristen Race, Ph.D.

• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

• 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story by Dan Harris

• The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming Our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity by Meg Meeker, MD

• The Year of Less by Cait Flanders

• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

Note: The Mom Collective may receive a referral bonus for some product recommendations.