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Cat and Nat's Mom Secrets

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The bestselling authors of Cat and Nat's Mom Truths go deeper than ever before with outrageous revelations and relatable stories that let every mom know she's not alone.

Remember when you were first expecting, and it seemed like every woman on the planet who had ever given birth felt the need to warn you? Your life is about to change forever!

With seven kids between them, Cat and Nat know a thing or two about the way motherhood turns your life upside down. Fiercely committed to dismantling the pressure to be perfect, they've connected with their audience by sharing their completely real take on the stress, guilt, and joy of being a mom. One might even say they've made a brand of oversharing.

In their first book, they shared short dispatches and advice from the trenches. Now, Cat and Nat have invited the legion of moms who love them to share their own deepest darkest parenting secrets, and use those to kick off their own stories, going deeper about big topics like guilt, balancing career with motherhood, and body image.

Cat dives into the Bachelor-inspired trend of taking your kids on one-on-one's and shakes off the guilt when she doesn't have the time/energy/helicopter to pull it off. Nat explains why her husband is completely off base when he romantically refers to her as his best friend (obviously, Cat already fills that role!). And Cat and Nat finally share the skincare routine that a lot of you have been asking about (it involves the car mirror and severely delayed deodorant application).

These moments of truth are wildly funny, but also universal and oh-so-relatable. Grab a weighted blanked and curl up with this book for the comfort and camaraderie every mom needs.

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2022

59 people are currently reading
4239 people want to read

About the author

Catherine Belknap

2 books26 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Profile Image for Shannon.
8,320 reviews424 followers
March 30, 2022
I am a huge fan of this Canadian podcasting mom duo!! Their newest book is full of their own and fan confessions and covers a range of issues about relatable mom moments all told with humor and a great deal of heart.

Great on audio narrated by the authors themselves, this book really focuses on letting women know how isolating motherhood can be without solid female friendships and that moms need to learn how to let go of all our guilt! We all feel it and it's okay not to be perfect - no one can be!

There are a TON of hilarious chapters in the book but one of my favorites was the one where they talk about what to do when your kids find your sex toys! I also really enjoyed the one where they contrast what a weekend in their twenties looked like compared what one looks like after kids (aka a lot less sleeping in, but maybe the same amount of drinking??)

Favorite quotes:
"Moms share more in common with one another than we realize. Motherhood, like many good things in life, is full of contradictions. It is the most frustrating, heart wrenching, difficult and isolating role. And it's also the most wonderful, rewarding, inspiring, fun and unifying."

"It's an invisible part of society, the way moms keep the world turning. Moms do without the accolades, without the acknowledgement. That's why when you're a mom you need yourself more than ever. No one is telling you you're a great mom all the time. You're sitting in this journey by yourself. That's why women need each other. The only person who can relate to this is another mother. You're going to fail daily, you're going to feel like you're failing daily but it's not actually failing, it's not being a bad mom, it's called life."

Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy of this great book!
Profile Image for Taisia Crudu.
608 reviews77 followers
April 7, 2024
#2024 #46
Cele două autoare sunt niște mame simple care împărtășind experiența lor din maternitate au devenit faimoase în Canada și se pare la nivel mondial având blogul Cat+Nat. Canadiencele vin să te convingă pe tine, mamă sau viitoare mamă, că oricare ar fi metoda pe care o folosești pentru a-ți crește copilul, dacă îl iubești, sigur folosești cea mai bună metodă.

În filele acestei cărți cele două prietene își împărtășesc propriile trăiri și întâmplări din viața lor de zi cu zi în calitate de mame a șapte copii. Nu pretind a fi mame perfecte și citind cartea te vei convinge și singură de acest lucru. Scopul lor nu este să-ți ofere o soluție la problemele cu care te confrunți de-a lungul maternității. Ele tind mai degrabă să-ți transmită mesajul că ești o mamă bună și că nu există mame perfecte.

Citind această carte îți crește încrederea în sine ca mamă. Te amuzi la unele pasaje, dar și s-ar putea pe alocuri să realizezi cât de mult se aseamănă între ele mamele din lumea întreagă. Nu ești singură, există atâtea mame care au parte de același provocări ca și tine. Ești cea mai bună mamă pentru copilul tău!

“Secrete de mămici” de Catherine Belknap & Natalie Telfer
Profile Image for Summar.
193 reviews
March 10, 2022
*Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this ARC*

I have been following Cat and Nat on tiktok since last year and I think they’re freaking hilarious! So when I saw that their new non fiction book was an option for an advanced reader copy I was so ecstatic. This book did not disappoint at all! I was audibly laughing so much to the point where my family was like “what are you reading?” 😂

I’m only 24 years old and not yet a mom but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. Each chapter of this book centers on a different “mom confession”, and in these chapters we read little snippets and stories from both Cat and Nat giving their thoughts on that confession and how they’ve seen it play out in their own lives.

While this book may be titled “Cat and Nat’s Mom Secrets” you definitely do not have to necessarily be a mom to enjoy this. My favorite part of this novel was the chapter writing a letter to their younger selves. In this chapter we learn so much about just general female empowerment, making sure girls are lifting other girls and not tearing them down, and learning to take things as they come.

Overall this was a super fast read because it felt like reading a convo between friends tbh and I’m absolutely going to read their other book!
Profile Image for Jennie Bak.
156 reviews3 followers
November 24, 2022
I didn’t connect with this very much. A bit cute and funny but I definitely have very different values and priorities and struggles. Not super relatable to me personally.
Profile Image for Zibby Owens.
Author 8 books24.3k followers
March 30, 2022
This book is an excellent follow-up to their first book. It offers an honest and funny perspective on "mom-hood": getting away from the need to be perfect, appreciating the joys, and owning the bad parts along the way because it is all normal. This book includes stories from many moms on how they deal with guilt, love, and the pressures of motherhood.

I liked this book because it went against the grain of how to be the "perfect" mom. When I picked up some of the other parenting books, it felt as if I had already failed on page one. This book is informative and makes us moms feel like we're not crazy and we're not alone. But it does it in a hilarious way. I laughed aloud when I read the section on how we feel as parents when we catch our kids filming a TIK TOK in the bathroom. I also loved the chapter that dove into the question: should your husband be your best friend?

To listen to my interview with the authors, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/cat...
Profile Image for Jenny Laird.
309 reviews8 followers
May 6, 2025
A few years ago Cat & Nat’s show came to my city and I went with some mom friends- knowing nothing about them. It was hilarious and great for a night out so thought I’d give their book a try. I listened on audio- where they both narrate and definitely would recommend that format over reading, as reading it may be hard to tell what’s a joke and what’s not.
Although there were definitely laugh out loud moments- I don’t think their funny personalities translated well to parenting advice. There were some chapters that literally had me cringing.
So while there was relatable snippets and some funny content- it was overshadowed by the amount of times I cringed and almost stopped listening. One example is where they said as long as their kids didn’t get into anything “heavier than cocaine” in their teen years -they would be okay. Yikes.
Profile Image for Genevieve Trono.
597 reviews129 followers
Want to read
March 30, 2022
I enjoyed Cat and Nat's last book Mom Truths and was eager to see what this one was all about. Cat and Nat's Mom Secrets was another great mix of humor and reminding us that we are never along in the rollercoaster ride of parenthood. I love their reminder of never taking life too seriously, and also appreciated the heartwarming messages they intertwined as well. Fans of Cat and Nat will especially enjoy this new read.

Thank you to Rodale Books for my gifted review copy.
Profile Image for Jen Hardy.
73 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2022
When I received the ARC for Cat and Nat’s newest novel Mom Truths, I knew I would be in for a good time and lots of laughs. What I did not expect however was to find myself in a puddle of tears within the first few pages of the book.

Cat and Nat, two best friends who share the realness of motherhood and everything that comes with it with thousands (if not millions) of people on the internet, have known one another since Highschool. They started to bond once they each encountered the highs and lows of parenting. Now, they get through the day-to-day with lots of humour.

Humour, or rather the art of finding it in the daily routine, is a big part of this book. But also how we, as mothers, can do our best to make sure our kids are not going to grow up completely clueless and screwed up. Cat and Nat talk about fears every mother encounters and talks us all off the ledge and somehow makes it believable that we are the best mothers to the kids we have.

If you like following Cat and Nat on the social medias, this book will be a great fit for you. I will reach for this book again and again, not just for the daydream fantasy 😉

Disclaimer: I’ve received a ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
Profile Image for Colleen.
1,748 reviews76 followers
April 9, 2022
I read and enjoyed “Cat and Nat’s” first book “Mom Truths”, so when I saw they had a second book out on the topic of motherhood I grabbed it as soon as I could.

I just re-read my review of their first one and realize that I could, verbatim, write the exact same review for this one. That’s not to say that it’s the same book: their kids are a bit older now, and they’ve climbed up the fame ladder a bit (enough that they’ve actually gone on tours). But really, this is a continuation of the first book and follows the same style. Basically, moms, RELAX! If you’re doing the best you can, then you’re doing fine.

As with the first, I have to confess my parenting style is SO not like theirs. Nor are our personalities remotely similar. But just as they wouldn’t judge me if they met me, I won’t judge them. Rather, I just set my parenting style aside and sat back to enjoy what can only be described as a wild Cat and Nat motherhood adventure. I may not agree with everything they say or do, but their hearts are in the right place and heaven knows, moms need all the support they can get. It’s not a book for the faint-hearted and if crude language and a lot of sex talk offends you, look elsewhere. But if you’re willing to buckle up, I guarantee you’re in for a fun (and funny) ride!
Profile Image for Dani Alberstadt.
8 reviews4 followers
March 28, 2022
This book was SO perfect for where I am in my motherhood journey right now. I have an almost 5 year old daughter and a 2.5 year old daughter, mostly stay at home, but work part time. I have watched reels and videos from Cat and Nat over the years and they’ve always made me laugh, but I never intentionally followed them or their content until I had access to this title. I laughed out loud multiple times because I could so relate to things they discussed. But beneath the humor, Cat and Nat (and the individuals who shared their Mom Secrets) were so vulnerable, raw, and honest about the realities of motherhood. I found myself nodding along as I read things about how I want my daughters to view me, how I want them to see themselves, and how I want others to see them. I was shocked by how many discussions I hadn’t even considered needing to have with my daughters as they grow up, but Cat and Nat summed it up nicely- would you rather them hear things from you or from someone else? This book was amazing because it was easy to read, funny and self-deprecating, but so genuine and authentic in the lessons it taught. I can’t wait to go back and read their first book now! Thanks for the ARC!!
Profile Image for Jessica Gentry.
14 reviews2 followers
March 28, 2022
I was SO excited to be able to read this book before release day!

Cat and Nat are 2 moms who tell it like it is. They don't sugar coat the reality of being a mom but also talk about trying to find yourself in all the chaos. They talk about raising kids and making sure there kids are able to ask questions and not be completely clueless and needing to take time for yourself as a person..not just being mom. This is definitely a book empowering moms.

Let's be real. We as mom's need a little wooing sometimes. Momming can be hard!

I read there first book "Mom Truths" and I loved it. When I heard they were releasing another book I knew I HAD to read it.

This book is funny, down to earth and REAL. I definitely recommend this book for mom's. But also to anyone who just likes some good humor and fun.

Thank you to @netgalley , Rodale Books & @catandnat for giving me the opportunity to read your book!
Profile Image for Amanda.
725 reviews9 followers
February 17, 2022
Thank you #Netgaley for the advanced copy of this hilarious book.

As someone who as seen Cat and Nat's social media, I was excited to get my hands on an early copy. The book did not disappoint, they take turns sharing honest stories about their experiences during motherhood. I enjoyed how they would share their pre kids vs post kids perspectives regarding situations like going out on a Saturday night. I also appreciated the references to other social/entertainment topics like the concept of dating your child and the bachelor. The honest perspective that it doesn't work for everyone even though you have the best intentions. Loved the morning routine essays about skin care, outfits, diets, I was laughing out loud. Such a fun quick read!
93 reviews2 followers
February 19, 2022
I have two kids, aged 1 and 3, so a lot of this hit home for me. It is a light and fun read, mostly funny, sometimes somber, and reminds you that you just can't take parenthood too seriously. I agree with the morning routine of splashing water on your face and putting on whatever leggings are on the floor from yesterday, especially during the pandemic. I was not familiar with the authors prior to reading this but will check out their social media.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rodale Books for the opportunity to review this free-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Bri.
25 reviews2 followers
March 26, 2022
What an amazing book! This was so funny and felt so true to being a mom. My first time reading from Cat & Nat, I must say after this I am looking forward to whatever they come out with next. I recommend this to any mom who just needs a pick me up, and who needs to know its ok to have a bad day and its ok to not be perfect. This book will give you all the laughs and advice you didn't know you needed! Thank you @wellenough for the free book!!
Profile Image for Allie Angello.
9 reviews1 follower
July 25, 2024
Over all I wouldn’t recommend, definitely depends where you are at in life and the type of reading you’re looking for. There are some funny and relatable parts, but over all not as relatable as the first book. Some of the topics I personally felt it would be hard for Cat and Nat to relate to a “normal life” with. But on the other side some of it also was eye opening that no matter the life style most moms have the same struggles even tho life may look differently.
Profile Image for Christina.
165 reviews8 followers
April 15, 2022
I quit around page 50. I loved their first book and was so looking forward to this one but ended up being highly disappointed. This had some funny one liners and I could have powered through but was not what I was looking for. It was parenting advice from parents but parents/specialists combo. That and I have a 3 year old but this was more parenting advice on tweens.
Profile Image for Simonew.
1,717 reviews
June 29, 2022
I don't think I quite fit the demographic for the book - I am not their intended audience . That bering said I can see how at a different point in my life I would have found it way more funny and it would have resonated with me. There were still some things that I could take away - primarily needing to continue to foster friendships with other women.
Profile Image for Alicia.
155 reviews93 followers
April 20, 2022
These people stole my idea! Everyone needs a Cat to their Nat! I have a friend and we laugh and laugh and laugh and joked we were going to start a mom podcast! Maybe we will🤣

This is the first book club book I’ve ever read. Easy read. Helps me feel normal while raising my kids.

Profile Image for Melissa  Fitzgerald.
26 reviews3 followers
May 4, 2022
This book made me constantly think of my best friend and our relationship. Cat and Nat are so funny and give great insight into motherhood/parenthood in general. I constantly find myself feeling like I’m “just a mom” and in their book it taught me that “just a mom” is not an easy task either.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
349 reviews10 followers
May 6, 2022
I am not their demographic. They are what I call "in the weeds" of child-rearing. I am an empty nester, but their nuggets of wisdom are great. It is a realistic look at being a mom that I wish I had when I was there. I loved the letters to their younger selves. I may even write one to me.
1 review
May 25, 2022
One of the funniest books written by the funniest moms on social media. The book shows real life struggles and how they manage life with seven kids and still remain best friends. Cat and Nat are extremely funny and this book is a must read if you need a good laugh, even if your not a mom.
Profile Image for Kate Burgess.
49 reviews1 follower
July 9, 2022
Love Cat + Nat and enjoyed this light & breezy read. Just a head’s up I would not recommend it to any Moms who are sober or who want to get sober because I’m worried it’s pretty triggering at some points. For one example they say “Do you drink wine on the weekends? No? Not our person.” 😬😅
Profile Image for Brittany & Julie.
8 reviews4 followers
July 10, 2022
I didn’t know how much I needed to read this until I read it! Especially Cat&Nat’s letters to their younger selves at the end. I can’t recommend this enough. I definitely plan on getting their other book too. Being a mom is hard af.
748 reviews
December 10, 2022
[Audiobook] Oops, I meant to read Mom Truths first and I got mixed up. Baby brain I suppose as I became a mom 3 weeks ago today. It didn’t matter though. So this book was quite timely. May I recommend it as an excellent listen while breastfeeding and pumping? More Cat and Nat please!
70 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2023
My soul needed this. I think it was better than the first book. “Confessions” are sent to Cat & Nat, and they answer/give advice. Effing hilarious (of course), very relatable, and good reminder/validation.
Profile Image for Kim Nyborg.
137 reviews
June 19, 2023
Very sweet & hilarious book for ALL MOMS! As a mom, I see myself in so much of this. It's so nice to read a fun, NON-JUDGMENTAL book for moms, about moms, by moms that assures us it's still ok to be human beings & that being a mom isn't the only thing that defines us.
Profile Image for H.M. Shander.
Author 46 books502 followers
Read
April 20, 2025
Maybe because my kids are late teens, but I didn’t relate to this as much as I thought I would. Perhaps it boils down to different parenting styles? IDK.
It had some moments but it wouldn’t be something I’d recommend.
Profile Image for Dawn Dawson.
43 reviews7 followers
March 28, 2022
Loved this book. So relatable and hilarious. Had me laughing at every chapter. A quick read, read it in one sitting. Trust me when I say, if your a mom your gonna want to read this. 🤣🙌🥂
11 reviews1 follower
April 8, 2022
Relatable and Funny

Every mom should read this!! We all feel inadequate sometimes but in the end our children know we love them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews

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