Fourth and Fifth Trimesters Booklist
by Stephanie Anderson, Assistant Director, Selection, BookOpsSeptember 19, 2019
My kid is seven months old, which means we've survived the fourth and fifth trimesters of his life! For me, and I'm guessing for most parents, these first six months have been full of questions, and a lot of 3 am Google-fests. And there's a lot of great information for parents online (thanks for everything, kellymom.com!), but it's also easy to get sucked into wormholes of outdated advice, horror stories, and judgmental forums. Thankfully, there are also lots of great books that can guide the new parent through the daily joys and crises of these dizzying first months. Here are a few that kept me sane.
Despite the name, this book is actually best to read in your third trimester. Nothing can really prepare you for the sudden shift from being a pregnant person to being a parent, but this book can help you begin to imagine what life will look like on the other side. And, importantly, will help you get the help you need to make it through the first twelve weeks and enjoy the newborn cocoon as much as possible.
This was recommended by a friend right before my son was born, and I can never repay her for the recommendation. I ended up reading it cover to cover in the first couple of weeks when I was trapped under the baby on the sofa and it gave me the confidence I needed. Written by two pediatricians who are also parents, it's easy to read, very practical, and helps answer that repeated question: "Is [X] normal?"
There will come a time when your baby has a fever or a rash or a weird spot and you will have no idea whether to worry about it. This book, also by a pediatrician, will let you know. It's divided into easy chunks and has a great index. It's almost as fast as Google and much more reassuring.
Breastfeeding seems like it should be simple, but for many of us, there are some hiccups in the early days. This book is recommended by many lactation counselors and provides common-sense advice for nursing mothers. (Plus, it's a paperback, so you can start practicing nursing while reading!)
This is more of a narrative non-fiction book than a how-to, but if you are feeling very overwhelmed by all the mixed messages around breastfeeding and formula feeding, and aren't sure what to do, you might appreciate Sears-Allers' research into how American society got to its current state of uncertainty around the best way to feed a baby.
Since many women return to work 12 weeks after their baby is born, the next 12 weeks can be considered a fifth trimester - another big transition for parent and child. This book focuses on both the emotional and practical aspects of that transition. From thinking about the emotional differences between different types of childcare to rethinking your morning routine so that it's compatible with a tiny human's, this is a book that will make you more prepared for the shock of re-entry. I approached my return to work with a lot more confidence, thanks to this book.
Vanderkam is probably best known for her book 168 Hours, which offers an intriguing, week-centered approach to time management. In this book, she applies that approach, plus a lot of information gleaned from interviews with working moms, to provide a toolkit of ways to approach the new demands on your time. You can have it all - you just can't have it all at once.
Many American parents worry about how a child might impact their career trajectory because the needs of an infant can seem to be the absolute opposite of the needs of your job. This book outlines a different way of thinking about the balance between parenting and working, with help from interviews with many parents who have already faced this challenge.
Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!
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