The Christian Mama's Guide to Baby's First Year: Everything You Need to Know to Survive (and Love) Your First Year as a Mom

by Erin MacPherson

An entertaining, practical guide for first-time mamas and those who need a baby refresher course. The new mom initiation ritual involves sleepless nights, an inexplicable obsession with baby booties, and more questions than answers. This take on everything baby offers new moms the Christian girlfriend advice she needs to feel confident in her new role, Easy-to-read and relatable, this been-there-done-that guide answers these questions and more with a dose of humor an a lot of grace so that new moms can become the moms that God intended them to be during their baby's first year.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Christianity

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2013

About the author

Hi! I'm Erin. I'm a 32-year-old mom of two. And, if we're being honest, I'm not really qualified to guide anyone on anything.

My house is a mess, my daughter has been halfway potty trained for five months and I just stuffed an entire load of clean, dry laundry into a laundry basket without folding it. The last time I attempted a craft with my kids, it ended in a tempra-paint induced meltdown (from me, not my kids). I'm not particularly organized or style-savvy or discipline-wise.

But, I am a mom. And a Christian. And since my new pregnancy book (coming March 1, 2011) is entitled "The Christian Mama's Guide to Having a Baby", I figured that entitling my blog "Christian Mama's Guide" just made sense.

So, welcome! Pull up a chair. Get comfortable. I can't wait to meet and connect with other moms like me-- moms who just love their husbands, love their kids and love their not-so-organized, not-so-crafty and not-so-fashionable lives. I'd love to hear your stories, your ideas and your thoughts and (if you have any) your potty training advice.

Reviews

[Maggie RDV · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun and lighthearted. There were some good tips for first time moms. The major downside is that it is fairly outdated down, since it was written in 2013. I also would have preferred some sections to be a little more serious, but she definitely has a very light and sarcastic tone.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one wasn't quite as good as the pregnancy one overall, but it did have some qualities that I liked better. Some of the things I liked better were the little bits of scripture and prayers for different feelings you may be having in the first year (including exhaustion, struggles in your marriage, etc.). I thought those were really neat and I will refer back to them. I also liked some of her lists of things you need, Christian books, etc. As with the first book, this had a chapter from men's perspective and I really enjoyed that too.
The things I didn't like were her lists of things that were trying to be funny, but just weren't. For example, types of moms you'll meet at mommy and me classes or in the park. These kind of lists were just stupid and over exaggerated stereotypes.
Overall, I thought this book was helpful and entertaining and a nice perspective on the first year of baby's life.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some helpful information, encouragement and humor. Nothing ground breaking for me, personally. But I am sure it would be a very useful tool for mama's with little experience with babies in general.

[Heather King · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, you’re having a baby or recently had a baby and maybe you’ve even stocked up on every version of What to Expect and How to Care for Your Baby that you can possibly fit on your bookshelf or Kindle. Why would you want or need another book on parenting and buy The Christian Mama’s Guide to Baby’s First Year? It’s not that this book is going to tell you every technical or medical fact relevant to baby’s first year. It’s because sometimes want you want is a friendly voice to remind you of what’s essential, what’s realistic, what’s honest, and even sometimes what’s just plain funny.

Erin MacPherson reminds the reader throughout the book that she’s no medical expert, so this might not be the only book on your parenting reference shelf. She is, however, willing to share what she did as a mom to three kids and why that may or may not work for you,. Then she takes the pressure off so you can make the best decision that will work for your baby and your life: Like breastfeeding or bottle feeding, when to introduce solid foods, and whether or not to plunk down the $75 for a mommy and baby music class.

She’s always careful to be inclusive. Her tips include info for adopting moms as well as birthing moms, those that had a C-section and those that delivered vaginally, those that breastfeed until their kids are 2 and those that use the bottle in the hospital room, and for working moms, stay-at-home moms and work-from-home moms. And that’s a huge bonus for a mom book because the last thing we need as moms is pressure to meet someone else’s expectations or conform to someone else’s parenting ideals.

Throughout the book, Erin Mapherson includes “Time Out For Moms,” brief devotionals with a quick Scripture verse and prayer to help calm your heart and focus you in on God even when you’re suffering from extreme sleep deprivation and a major case of baby brain.

She also includes info from friends, a nutritionist, and a chapter for dads on how to bond with their babies. She’s a list maker, so many chapters end with lists like what baby gear you actually need and then what could be really cool, how to begin teaching your baby about Jesus early, and what kinds of things to play with your baby both in the house and when you need the incentive to get dressed, do your hair and makeup and go out. In addition, she shares a brief overview of pretty much every baby-to-sleep philosophy out there, some ideas for moms on how to lose the baby weight, information on postpartum depression, and encouragement for new moms on how to keep their marriages strong even when a new baby changes the dynamic and makes romance more difficult.

Just like her book on having a baby, this is really mostly about you as a mom. It’s about your exercise and nutrition, your mental health, your relationship with your husband, and the like. It’s not about the benchmarks and baby milestones to expect for your baby each month or a comprehensive guide to baby doctor visits and vaccinations. So, you’ll probably want to get another book to answer those detailed and often more medical questions.

But for a mom who just wants to hear from another mom what this is really like, how can I really make all this work, and how we can trust God to help us care for our babies, this is a a fun and encouraging book. It’s light and easy to read and very funny along the way. When women lived in small communities and popped over to each other’s houses all the time, we’d probably hear about these things from our mom, aunt, grandmother, and next door neighbor. Now, it may just take someone like Erin MacPherson who is willing to be that friend and resource for us.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[GothChickVibing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title: The Christian Mama's Guide to Baby's First Year.

Author: Erin MacPherson.

Genre: Christian, Nonfiction, Humor, Parenting, Self-Help.

Plot: Having read and enjoyed The Christian Mama's Guide to Having a Baby by the same author way back in April, it occurred to me that I didn't really know much about what to do with the baby once it was born. So I requested the sequel and then found out I was pregnant in mid-to-late May. Of course, that made me want to read the book even more, and I did, very easily. The hard part was writing the review later on because morning sickness set in shortly after and what with that lasting four lovely months and trying to find a doctor/midwife/somebody, I was swamped. So, here is a very belated review.

While this book is very informative and helped me learn new things that I well, didn't know before {like lochia and other postpartum stuff}, a lot of it was just common sense stuff. Like, for example, the author describes her experience trying to trim her baby's tiny little finger nails for the first time and having it backfire on her so badly that she recommends just leaving the nails alone. The easiest and smartest way to trim baby's nails is the way my mom taught me; you do it when they're asleep and you have good lighting. Duh. It also wasn't as funny as the first book, which I was a bit disappointed with because I'd really enjoyed the exaggerated humor of the first book {of course, I didn't realize just how exaggerated it was till after I read it and started experiencing it all for myself}.

I do think it gives a good rundown of information, such as breastfeeding and formula feeding, sleep training and making sure you take time out for the helpful new father and any older siblings the baby might have. It was well written and had a good flow to it, neither too fast nor too slow. It was interesting and informative without being boring, and I liked it. Just not as much as I liked the first book.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for content {it's for married women who've just had babies, so things like postpartum sex with your husband are briefly discussed}.

Date Report Written: December 13th, 2013.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second in the series of 'Christian Mama's Guide' series and it is also a great book! Again, Erin chronicles her own experiences and those of friends and family. This first year of motherhood - hmmmmm.....no quite what we all expected - just be honest. Each new mother envisions motherhood through rose colored glasses with high expectations of a perfectly behaved baby, easy nursing (or bottle-feeding), no diaper rashes or sleepless nights.

I have been there (more than once) and have been ever grateful to the break in the day to day tasks for a laugh at this season. This author has a way of bringing the sun to rainy days of motherhood, of bringing the sound of laughter in the middle of the storms of motherhood. All mothers at some point feel inadequate to the task, overwhelmed by the tasks of running a household on a very limited amount of sleep.

In this book Erin explores the topic of baby sleep - yep that ever tiring struggle of getting that bundle of joy to sleep through the night (you know when you reach this point you are one Awesome mom!), breast feeding and bottle feeding, weight loss and neat ideas to burn those extra calories, and time management. And yes, she does it in an unbiased totally sweet way. In fact reading this made me smile more than once as I reflected those moments of first time motherhood when I sat deflated on the floor in the middle of a pile of unfolded laundry with a cranky baby on my lap and spit up on my clothes. Oh, and what about those sleepless nights of floor-walking, baby bouncing and trying to mix a bottle in the middle of the night because nursing did not work out. I would have greatly appreciated this book in that first year - just so I could have had a "girl-friend" that understood this totally un-done time of my life. So I laughed on these reflections, and made a mental note to buy this book along with the others for the next baby shower I attended.

Thanks again to the publisher - Thomas Nelson and the author for this review book.

[Julia Roller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is like having your best friend from church in your house with you offering you practical, funny, and loving advice as you try your best to figure out one of the hardest things you will ever do: mother a new baby.
Erin's tone is funny, light-hearted, very easy and fun to read, but also practical. It seems to me that a lot of mom books with a great funny voice end up being more comic relief than actual helpful advice. That is not the case here. She's really got all the bases covered here, and she is not afraid to tell you the messy details, like what is really going to happen down there after you have that baby. (Don't let your husband read that section.)
What I really liked, however, was her Christian approach. For example, in the sleep section, she talks about the reason that there are so many sleep strategies is because God created each baby different. Love this perspective. And each chapter has a thoughtful (and blessedly short) "Time-Out for Mom" with a Bible verse and prayer. Because, for me anyway, anything long or in-depth would have felt way too intimidating during that challenging new baby time.
There's a lot here I wish I'd known before I had my two boys. Especially helpful, I think, are her words about how to keep connected to God in your new mom life and her general reassurances that no mom is perfect and you're going to just keep doing your best. These were messages I couldn’t get enough of as a new mom.
Like most moms, I have read a lot of parenting books, and something Erin does really well here is synthesize a lot of that material without judging different parenting paths. That feels like a refreshing change. So if you're breast-feeding or bottle-feeding, letting your child cry it out or practicing a no-cry sleep method, you'll find relevant information here and a lack of judgment. That is in itself a parenting feat.
I highly recommend this one for your parenting library, both for its light-hearted, balanced voice and for the way her Christian perspective is integrated seamlessly into the text.

[Jenny Sulpizio · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve recently been inducted into motherhood (or are preparing to do so in just a few shorts months), then let me just say, that this is the book for you, girls. Jam-packed with information, insight, humor, and the helpful advice that every new mommy will appreciate, this is the one guide that every Christian mama needs on her baby registry (not to mention her nightstand too). Throughout "The Christian Mama’s Guide to Baby’s First Year," Erin MacPherson provides her readers with the “in’s and out’s,” as well as the “high’s and low’s,” of practically every issue that new mommies must face when caring for their infants. Whether it’s dealing with breastfeeding, a nocturnal newborn, or even post-partum depression, MacPherson’s relatable style of writing and faith-driven message(s) ensures that her readers have a friend (and a knowledgeable one at that) guiding them throughout their trials as first-time mothers.

If you’re going to be a mommy, or know someone who is, then there’s plenty of information/advice to be gleaned by investing in this fabulous read.

-Jenny Sulpizio, Author of "Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe"

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin Macpherson’s book, The Christian Mama’s Guide To Baby’s First Year, is a new Mama’s best friend. Her helpful advice and stories are laced with humor and realism. She is likable and relatable. But, what make this book singularly unique in my opinion… is Erin’s use of scripture and prayer to help ease a new Mom through one of life’s most stressful (I mean blissful) transitions. Whether you’re a new Mama or Michelle Duggar these verses are poignant through every season of parenthood. The Christian Mama’s Guide, gives the reader confidence that she too can make it through her baby's first year or at least the next all nighter. I would defiantly buy a copy for any expectant Mommy friends…as any good BFF would.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what can I even say?? This 'Baby Guide' is unlike any I have read before. It does contain the normal chapters of diapering, postpartum recovery, and feeding, but it also has real chapters like how to play with your child and a chapter for dads with advice FROM dads!
What really sold me was the HUMOR. Oh my gosh. MacPherson can speak fluent sarcasm without a doubt and she has many a true, funny tale to tell.
I highly recommend this book, and the others in the Christian Mama's Guide series, to everyone. Check it out!
My blog review is here: http://christiansugaraddict.blogspot....

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read while nursing ...

Nothing revolutionary in this book. In fact, a few pieces of advise contradicted things taught in our parenting classes, but then they do tend to change advise every 5 years or so to keep things interesting. :-0 Also, I read this book when our baby was 3 months old and 75% of the stuff we had already figured out by necessity. This might be a better book to read while pregnant. Initially, I found her casual girlfriend-tone annoying, but in some rough parenting moments, I found it helpful to be "talked off the ledge” in a soft way.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this is common sense. I did like the parts on how to pray about certain subjects. I also liked the section on including the father and making him feel like he can be really involved and still taking time to make him feel important.

[Amyb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is like talking with a great friend! Wish I had read it earlier though, our baby is 3 months old. This would probably have best to read when up late at night during the first weeks of pregnancy.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author clearly has a sense of humor about things, and is just trying to give new moms a boost of confidence. There’s nothing ground-breaking here. Despite the title, it’s not really that religious.

[Aisha Oaktree]

review pending 2013

[Ashleigh Rivers]

encouraging

[Susan Mathis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin shares a hope-filled, come-along-side-you guide for knowing how to handle the 24/7 details of living—and succeeding—with baby. Be sure to start the trip with this valuable guide.