Let's talk about the first year of parenting

Becoming a parent is about so much more than just taking care of a baby – it involves changes in all areas of your life and it can be everything from fantastic and fulfilling to overwhelming and exhausting… sometimes all at once. It can be hard to work out what’s normal and what’s not, about everything from newborn baby behaviour, feeding and sleep, to your postnatal body, mental health, and relationships including who does the chores and who goes back to work and when.

In this warm, reassuring and practical book, Amy Brown talks you through the first year of parenthood, helping you navigate some of the challenges caring for a newborn can bring for both parents. She focusses on you and your needs, while recognising that each family is unique, in a broad discussion that also tackles men’s mental health and dads staying home, and the experiences of single parents and same-sex couples.

The central focus is on making sure you get the information and support you need, whatever your circumstances.

“An essential book for anyone with a baby. Let’s talk about the first year of parenting is an oxygen mask over your face: at a time when it can feel like the cabin pressure is dropping, it will make sure you are in top shape for the most demanding job on earth.

It covers everything new parents need to know, with a focus on you and your needs; physical recovery, mental health, relationships, work, stay-at-home dads – the whole package. I have a 3-year-old and I’m a doctor and this book was still a shot in the arm. The book is the help we all need, a hug in written form for parents with small ones.” Dr. Chris van Tulleken, doctor, TV presenter and father of two

-- Dr. Chris van Tulleken, doctor, TV presenter and father of two

Professor Amy Brown is Director of 'LIFT' - the centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translation at Swansea University, UK. With a background in psychology, she first became interested in the many barriers women face when breastfeeding after having her first baby. Three babies and a PhD later she has spent the last fifteen years exploring psychological, cultural and societal barriers to breastfeeding, with an emphasis on understanding how we can shift our perception of breastfeeding from an individual mothering issue, to a wider public health problem.

Becoming a parent is about so much more than just taking care of a baby - it involves changes in all areas of your life and it can be everything from fantastic and fulfilling to overwhelming and exhausting... sometimes all at once. It can be hard to work out what's normal and what's not, about everything from newborn baby behaviour, feeding and sleep, to your postnatal body, mental health, and relationships including who does the chores and who goes back to work and when. In this warm, reassuring and practical book, Amy Brown talks you through the first year of parenthood, helping you navigate some of the challenges caring for a newborn can bring for both parents. She focusses on you and your needs, while recognising that each family is unique, in a broad discussion that also tackles men's mental health and dads staying home, and the experiences of single parents and same-sex couples. The central focus is on making sure you get the information and support you need, whatever your circumstances.

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