Everything you need to feel more DGAF (AKA the shit I mention in the pages of this blog)
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Books I recommend:
These are the books I usually slip new moms and new mom friends. The books that I send for a baby shower (even if it’s not on their registry). Books that you’ll want to read over the early years of your entry into parenthood.
Bringing Up Bebe, by Pamela Druckerman
This book helped me identify and define much of how we chose to parent our children in the early years. Especially around practicing “the Pause,” to help your baby sleep longer, and “find their nights.” You can read more tips on how to navigate those early days of parenting and other newborn baby hacks here.
The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight: Gentle Proven Solutions to Help Your Child Sleep Without Leaving Them to Cry it Out – by Kim West
This book is excellent at explaining the stages of newborn and baby sleep, and how to navigate sleep regressions, as well as what to do (and when to do it) to navigate getting your baby to sleep through the night. At the end of the day we did do some hybrid combination of cry it out and the sleep lady shuffle with both of our boys, but we were able to all start sleeping again. You can read more helpful tips on how to get your baby to sleep through the night here.
No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind, by Dan J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
And The Whole Brain Child, by the same authors.
This is a book I come back to time and again. Understanding how my child’s brain works is the first step in helping them figure out how to deal with their emotional regulation. To this day, when my kids are melting down, I make myself as small as possible, even laying on the ground next to them to help them come out of it. You can read more about how to deal with aggressive behaviors in your child here.
This is an awesome book if you’re looking to stop giving so many fucks in general! It’s actually the book I was reading when I decided to start this lil ol’ blog. You can also go to Mark’s website and get weekly “Mindfuck Monday” emails that are pretty fantastic. Read more about how to navigate mom burnout here.
This book made me feel empowered, emotional, and excited to tackle my goals in my career and as a parent. It’s the literature equivalent of listening to all of Lizzo’s songs and feeling like a real bad ass because of how good it made you feel.
Relax It’s Just God: How and Why to Talk to Your Kids About Religion When You’re Not Religious – By Wendy Thomas Russel
Although I am technically Jewish, I am not practicing. I’m more agnostic than I am anything else. When we lost a few grandparents we found ourselves navigating the complex topic of death with our young kids, and without having the construct of religion to lean on. This book is helpful if you’re navigating this topic as well. You can read more about how to talk about death and dying with your kids here.
Products To Help You Be More DGAF
The Instant Pot – for easy dinners.
We use an instant pot at least 3/4 times a week, even if it’s just cooking rice. To steam veggies, to make steel cut oats, to do a one pot pasta dish…it’s all somehow easier for all of it. You can read more about how I meal plan here.
Stitch Fix Subscription
I used to love shopping. And then I had two kids under 2 and was about 40 pounds overweight and the idea of dragging all three of us to a store, or even ordering things, and then having to return them because they didn’t fit was just TEW MUCH. I started using Stitch fix for our wardrobe when I became pregnant with my second. They now also supply my kids with updated trends, and wardrobe options and the best part is I don’t have to think about it other than to remember to update their sizes every few months.
I also used to love cooking. My husband and I both love cooking actually, but since having kids it’s become more of a chore than anything else. Every once and a while, to spice it up and to ignite our cooking juices we’ll re-subscribe to a meal kit delivery service. You can check out the best meal kit delivery services here.
Formula Feeding Resources
Moms who follow my blog have likely run across my post about breastfeeding struggles (aka trauma), and how I stopped giving fucks about the expectations surrounding this choice, and leaned into exclusively formula feeding my babies.
I have loads of content available for new moms (or first time formula feeding moms) available on this site. Click here to read some of my formula feeding related content.
Here are some of my favorite products that help make formula feeding even easier.
Habit Forming Books and Generalized Well Being
Why We Sleep:Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months
Atomic Habits:An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World
Other Bloggers
I know it’s hard to believe but there are some other parenting and lifestyle bloggers out there that you’re going to want to check out.
Sarah, from Busy Blooming Joy has some incredible content for brand new moms, along with crafting ideas. Her content is full of deeply researched and evidenced based action. Check out this post about practicing “the pause” with your newborn baby.
Elizabeth, from Worth Writing For has some awesome content for new moms and parents with slightly older kids. She’s got some fantastic practical parenting tips for several stages of parenting. Check out one of my favorite posts (and the ultimate in DGAF), what to do when you hate playing with your kids and one of her most popular posts about what to do when your toddler wants to be carried all the time.
Sasha, from Life’s Carousel has content that can help you become and stay more organized and productive as a parent, and is chock full of activities to do with your kids of all ages. Check out her post about getting completely organized in 30 days (or less!). Here’s another awesome post about how to make a simple DIY bouncy ball.
Busy Toddler has a fantastic instagram account with tons of easy, no fuss ideas for your kids.
Obviously…Scary Mommy! The mommy blog mother load…Def subscribe to all of their channels.
