When you next receive a baby shower invitation or want to acknowledge a newly-pregnant friend, consider buying her one of these two funny and fresh reads for the soon-to-be mom. 
I Don’t Know How She Does It: The Life of Kate Reddy, Working Mother by Allison Pearson is particularly appropriate for someone who plans to work outside the home after having her baby. The opening scene of this book features its main character, a hedge-fund manager and mother of two, sabotaging store-bought treats so they will pass as home-made when her daughter takes them to school the next day! I sometimes think of this scene with a smile when I purchase cupcakes for my own kids to take into school for classroom celebrations!
Pearson’s book is witty and entertaining and strikes a chord with working moms everywhere. Another incentive to buy this book: it’s currently being made into a movie starring Sarah Jessica Parker – and it’s always better to read the book before seeing the movie!
A second fun paperback book for an expectant mother is It Gets Easier!..And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers: A Fun, Practical Guide to Becoming a Mom by Claudine Wolk. Wolk is a columnist, blogger and mother of three, and this how-to guide for new mothers is honest and helpful and witty all at once. This book provides personal anecdotes of the author and many other mothers whom she interviewed during a 12-year research period before writing the book. While the book is an entertaining read, it includes tips that can clearly help any new mom, such as “Well-rested babies sleep better than poorly rested ones. Don’t skip naps in order to help your baby sleep better at night. It will backfire!” Where was this book when I had my first child?
First-time mothers usually read hundreds of pages while expecting, so why not add some fun reads to the pile? If you have any other suggestions for new mom must-reads, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!
