I Wish Someone Had Told Me: A Realistic Guide to Early Motherhood

by Nina Barrett

There's no shortage of "expert" advice for the new mother: books, doctors, and well-meaning grandmothers liberally give opinions on what you should be doing and how you should be feeling. But "I Wish... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0897334426
• ISBN13: 9780897334426
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: Academy Chicago Publishers
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

FINALLY - An honest view of first-time motherhood!

I wish someone had given me this book 3 years ago! Our son is now 3, and our experience of early parenthood was the rudest of awakenings. He had colic for 9 weeks, breastfeeding was painful, it took the better part of a year for me to heal from a horrible episiotomy . . . all of which made feel isolated, alone, weak and a failure. Most of the books I read during this time served only to reinforce these feelings. Knowing that what I was going through was within the realm of "normal" would have helped me -- and my husband, and our relationship -- a great deal. This book doesn't offer a "one size fits all" approach. It features real moms with a variety of experiences, some of which are unpleasant, even painful -- and that's motherhood, folks. Even now, after mostly overcoming the trauma of our son's first few months, I find it enormously helpful to know that my experience, while unique to me, wasn't unusual. I highly recommend it to all new moms.

What a great book!

This is a wonderful book full of thoughts from other new moms. I felt so relieved after reading this book that my feelings of fear, anxiety and stress were normal! I recommend this book to every new mom. Makes a great gift too.

A breathtaking, honest look at the myths of motherhood

Nina Barrett's spectacularly written account of the myths and realities of those first terrifying months of motherhood is a must read for any new mom, or mom-to-be. I wish I had read this book before giving birth to my daughter, Emily, this past July. I suffered for weeks with post-partum depression, and found enormous comfort in Barrett's accounts of other mom's journeys; for the first time I realized I was not alone. Barrett interviewed dozens of women from all walks of life about their experiences pre and post labor, and their honest account of their feelings about birth, sex, and returning to work are pearls of wisdom for a new mom. I cannot recommend this spectacular book highly enough.

Great book on reality of motherhood

I, too received this book as a shower gift and read it cover to cover before my son was born. I still think back to many of the insights and realities that women spoke of in the book. It was truly one of the only books, out of many, that I have read that talked about both the joys and sadness that come with being a mother. For those that want to move beyond the sugar coated how-to books, this is THE book.

The most thoughtful gift for a first time mother.

I received this book as a gift from my sister in law when my first son was born. I read it from cover to cover, while he nursed and dozed in my arms. I laughed, I cried, but most of all, I felt good about myself and the decisions that we had made for our son during my pregnancy, delivery, and after his birth. My only regret is that I didn't have this book while I was still pregnant, because I think it would have helped me with my fear of the unknown-childbirth. I have loaned this book out to expectant neighbors, co-workers, friends - every one has loved it for the frank honesty expressed by the mothers interviewed. And even though my children are older now, I still reread sections over again to reassure myself that I'm not the worst mother in the world (in spite of what my 7 year old might think sometimes).