New parent and baby gift

Most Mothering readers know the basics of a healthy parent-child relationship. You know to hold your infant when she or he cries. You know how to set limits with a toddler. You even know how important it is to make time to take care of yourself. But what about all those other questions? What about help with breastfeeding? Using herbs for a child's illnesses? Meeting the needs of a pregnant partner? Thankfully, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are those who have gone before, and they are here to tell you all about it. In addition, an array of children's books will remind you that though your role as a parent is important, you don't have to take yourself too seriously.

Mother Rising: The Blessingway Journey into Motherhood, by Yana Cortlund, Barb Lucke, and Donna Miller Watelet, is a complete manual on the art of creating, planning, and producing a blessingway, a ceremony inspired by a Navajo ritual that honors pregnant women. The book provides ideas and instructions for the five stages of ritual, plenty of resources on goddesses and symbolism, and recipes. If you want to do it up big, get this book! (Seeing Stone Press, 2004; www.seeingstonepress.com)

Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth, edited by Sheri L. Menelli, features empowering anecdotes about successful VBACs, hypnobirths, and plain old homebirths. At the end of most accounts, a section called "A Mother's Guidance" lists the specific techniques, books, and tapes that helped the authors. (White Heart Publishing, 2005)

In Meditations for Pregnancy: 36 Weekly Practices for Bonding with Your Unborn Baby, Michelle Leclaire O'Neill, PhD, RN, presents soul-nourishing weekly readings that chart the fetus's physical development while affirming the emotional and spiritual evolution of both mother and child. The book includes a CD with a soothing 20-minute guided meditation. (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2004)

Bestfeeding: How to Breastfeed Your Baby, rev. ed., by Mary Renfrew, Chloe Fisher, and Suzanne Arms, is a classic, easy-to-understand guide to the basics of breastfeeding. With ample photographs that clearly instruct the reader on proper positioning, and grounded advice on such important topics as finding helpful assistants, this is a top-notch book for new breastfeeding morns. (Celestial Arts, 2004)

The Nursing Mother's Herbal, by Sheila Humphrey, BSc, RN, IBCLC, is a thorough, detailed manual on breastfeeding that pays careful attention to herbs. It includes chapters on breast problems and milk supply, an appendix on herbs and safety, and an extensive list of holistic health organizations. (Fairview Press, 2003)

Aviva Jill Romm's Naturally Healthy Babies and Children: A Commonsense Guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition, and Health offers an A-to-Z handbook of natural treatments for common childhood ailments, as well as chapters on using herbs during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This excellent resource was written by a mother of four who is the president of the American Herbalists Guild. (Celestial Arts, 2003)

Rhonda Pallasdowney's The Complete Book of Flower Essences: 48 Natural and Beautiful Ways to Heal Yourself and Your Life is a comprehensive guide to the author's original flower-essence tinctures. For each essence, Pallasdowney describes the chakras and patterns of imbalance addressed, the physical attributes of the plant, and a patient case history. This fascinating book is a terrific addition to any alternative healing library. (New World Library, 2002; www.living floweressences.com)

First Moon: Celebration & Support for a Girl's Growing-Up Journey, a kit by Maureen Theresa Smith, can be a creative, affirming gift for girls on the threshold of womanhood. The boxed set includes a book explaining the practical and spiritual aspects of menstruation, a blank journal, a "flow chart," and fun stickers. (New World Library, 2005)

How to Say It to Girls: Communicating with Your Growing Daughter, by Nancy Gruver, cofounder of New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams, features no-nonsense ways to address myriad issues pertaining to preteen and adolescent girls. Each concise entry details what to say--and what not to say--about everything from anger to drinking, from money to sexuality. (Prentice Hall Press, 2004)

Lu Hanessian's Let the Baby Drive: Navigating the Road of New Motherhood is the sharp memoir of an attachment-parenting mother struggling to trust herself and her baby. Hanessian's writing is humorous, wise, and real. (St. Martin's Press, 2004)

In If You've Raised Kids, You Can Manage Anything: Leadership Begins at Home, former New York Times economics reporter Ann Crittenden adeptly demonstrates how parenting skills such as multitasking, negotiating, and concentrating amid distractions are easily transferable to the workplace. (Gotham Books, 2004)

Weaving a Family: Untangling Race and Adoption is the latest from renowned author Barbara Katz Rothman, best known for her In Labor, the first book to distinguish between the midwifery and medical models of birth. In this latest work, the sociologist and white mother of an African American girl provides an accessible, sensitive portrayal of the inherent sociological complexities of mixed-race adoption and parenting. (Beacon Press, 2005)

The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Being a New Dad, by Joe Kelly, is a concise, empathetic book of practical advice from the cofounder of the nonprofit organization Dads and Daughters. Kelly's philosophy of parenting by instinct will appeal to Mothering readers. (Penguin Group, 2004)

Joe Kelly also wrote The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Being an Expectant Father. Although it does not make strong cases for natural and homebirths, the book is worthwhile for its explanations of how pregnancy affects women's physical and emotional well-being, and how men can best help their pregnant partners. (Alpha Books, 2004)

Jewish Fathers: A Legacy of Love is a coffee-table book with a message: fathers matter. Crisp photographs by Lloyd Wolf and candid interviews by Paula Wolfson capture the characters of the diverse men profiled--secular and Orthodox, financially struggling and philanthropists, and Holocaust survivors, homeschoolers, and stay-at-home dads. A little jewel for those seeking to enrich their lives with Jewish culture. (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2004)

Valerie & Walter's Best Books for Children: A Lively, Opinionated Guide, rev. ed., by Valerie V. Lewis and Walter M. Mayes, features a well-organized collection of spirited reviews by people who truly love kids' books. Thousands of titles for children, from infants to 12 year olds, are included in this terrific reference work. (Quill, 2004)

What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books, collected by Amy Gash and illustrated by Pierre Le-Tan, is a lovely treasure trove of inspired wisdom for the child's heart in each of us. Here is one example, from Katherine Paterson's Jacob Have I Loved: "To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another? (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2004)

video

The Real Deal on Breastfeeding is a reassuring primer on lactation for first-time mothers. Hip young morns discuss the joys and difficulties of nursing, while a lactation consultant gives a breastfeeding demo and answers common questions and concerns. (Playgroup Productions, 2004; www.realdealvideos.com)

children's books

Ken Setterington's Morn and Mum Are Getting Married! is the tender story of a child who dreams of being a flower girl at her lesbian parents' wedding. Illustrated by Alice Priestly with a pastel palette and soft lines, this book easily introduces the topic of same-sex marriage in an age-appropriate manner. Ages five to nine. (Second Story Press, 2004; www. secondstorypress.on.ca)

God Believes in You, by Holly Bea, is a nondenominational book that uses an adorable, troublemaking bullmastiff to demonstrate that nothing a child ever does makes him or her unlovable. Free of dogma, the book encourages kids to listen to their inner voices and take risks. Illustrated with Kim Howard's playful, cheery watercolors. Ages five to ten. (New World Library, 2004)

Madison's Descent: A Child's Journey, by Page Allen, is an original myth about the origin of babies. Tiny beings flow down the Great River in little boats shaped like leaves. Shepherded by animal friends and protected by the maternal My Moon, they are finally delivered from the world of Night to the world of Day. The book features Allen's beautifully subdued, opaque watercolors in muted tones. Ages seven and up. (Otis & Randolph Press, 2004)