I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids

Most Recently Read Book:

I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids

Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile

I loved the cupcake on the cover of this book!  I love motherhood but I have to agree that it's not easy and it has changed me in some ways.  Ever since I first got pregnant, I have enjoyed reading books about being a mom.  

One of the very first pregnancy books that I read was Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs.  When I think back to Belly Laughs compared to this book I can totally see the similarities.  McCarthy totally makes a joke out of all the crazy worries that go through your head when you are pregnant...my favorite is when she goes down to the jacuzzi to relax after she finds out she's pregnant and tells a random woman that she's pregnant and the woman freaks out because you can't be in a jacuzzi when you're pregnant and Jenny totally think she has hard-boiled her baby!  I loved how real she was and how she didn't feel bad telling all these crazy things or that people would judge her.  I think it was comforting to know that we can only do our best and hope it's out best for our baby and that there are lots of times when we have no clue what we are doing.  

This book seems to take the same perspective on motherhood.  It's completely real.  The two authors share their stories and secrets and knowledge about motherhood but also relay what other mothers they interviewed had to say.  There are chapters on lots of different topics.  Overall, the message is that motherhood is hard, and it's okay for it to be hard.  There are great things about being a mom, but it definitely takes work and it does change your lifestyle.  They talk about recognizing that you can't set extreme expectations for yourself because you'll stretch yourself too thin and make yourself feel bad if you can't live up to those expectations.  

I remember being told when I first had Jordan to take time for myself and not to let my baby completely consume me.  I still needed to be myself and take time for myself.  I think that really is important.  It felt good after I first had him to just be able to take some time to take a hot shower, and then as Jordan got older, it was nice for Chad and I just to go to Target and back while he napped and my parents watched him.  Now, we still love out time away.  This book really made me realize how healthy this really is but also helped me feel better about not letting myself feel guilty for doing those things for myself.  I remember feeling that I didn't feel too bad leaving Jordan because I so needed to get a way but then feeling guilty that I didn't feel bad leaving him.  Crazy!  I like that this book doesn't put up any fronts.  I think this a great book for any mom to read, no matter how old your kiddo is.

I feel like I said a lot, but at the same time, didn't really even say enough of what I could say about this book!  I just think any soon-to-be-mom, future mom, current mom, longstanding mom would do good to read this book!!!!