The Attached Mother

There are so many great books out there for AP parents to read. Some are great, some are good, and some aren’t worth your time. I have several personal favorites, books that I keep on my shelf and go back to time and time again. I thought it would be great to share my list of the top picks and why they are my favorites. I’ll link each book to Amazon.com so you can check them out yourself. Happy reading!

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two - Dr. Sears This is the, pardon the pun, mother of all baby books. Written by the AP guru Dr. Sears, The Baby Books is full of all the tips, advice, and suggestions that new mothers need.

Attachment Parenting: Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child - Katie Allison Granju This is another great resource for new parents who are unsure what to do. The information is laid out easily and the answers are clear and well defined.

The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost - Jean Liedloff While there are some issues with the book that certainly date it to it’s time, such as the outdated ideas on homosexuality, the pieces of wisdom shared in the book are still beautiful. It is a great look at happiness and peace and has inspired many parents to look at their own family.

Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times - Zoe Weil This was one of the first books I ever read after my oldest was born, and I still turn to it when in need of comfort. Parents hoping to raise their children peacefully will appreciate the ideas presented, which I feel takes Dr. Sear’s ideas for babies and toddlers and expands them onto older children.

The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart - Jan Hunt This book explains simply and clearly what most AP parents know, how we treat our children determines how they will grow. A detached childhood grows a detached adult.

Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves: Transforming Parent-child Relationships from Reaction And Struggle to Freedom, Power And Joy - Naomi Aldort, Ph.D. Many people think that Attachment Parenting only works when their children are infants. This book takes those same parenting concepts and moves them into raising older children, and also helps parents see their own limitations and issues.

Playful Parenting - Lawrence Cohen Though not considered an Attachment Parenting book the ideas in here of playing and fun as the connection between parent and child are worth reading. I think this is great for any parent struggling with discipline as it shows ways to connect and love to build a relationship with your child. Guiding rather than discipling is often a huge struggle for AP parents.

Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason - Alfie Kohn I would like to suggest every Alfie Kohn book, but if you can only read one this would be it. You’ll find yourself taking a good, long look at the traditional parenting techniques such as threats, bribes, rewards, and time out.

Baby Matters: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Caring for Your Baby - Linda F. Palmer DC This is a wonderful little book to have on hand if you are wondering why certain things are suggested or when naysayers pipe up to chide you on your choices. It is packed full of research on everything from co-sleeping to baby wearing to breastfeeding. A valuable resource to have.

Natural Family Living : The Mothering Magazine Guide to Parenting -Peggy O’Mara Written by the editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine this is a good general book for family life beyond just attachment parenting. Topics such as nutrition, television watching, education, and more are discussed.

I’m sure everyone’s list is different, but these are the books that have helped and guided me the most. These are all more general books, though there are many great books that focus more on select topics such as breastfeeding or co-sleeping. I may try to share some of them later this week for anyone looking for books on certain topics. If you have any book recommendations let me know.

books, attachment parenting, parenting, parenting books