30 Before 30 Update: July 2013 Edition

In keeping with my 30 Before 30 goals, here's the lowdown on the books I read this month:

The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins.  This book was given to me as part of the deal when I bought my stash of cloth diapers. I'm glad it was!  I thought, "How hard can breastfeeding be?"  Pretty darn frustrating, as it turned out.  Granted, without the NICU experience, my issues probably would have been greatly reduced, but since the little man was bottle fed at the hospital, he decided he didn't want to nurse since it required effort.  Thanks to this book (and a great lactation consultant), we're doing well now.  This is a great resource - if you have any questions about breastfeeding, they're covered with this book. It talks about the how and why and when, and is a fabulous troubleshooting resource.  Invaluable!

The Gentle Art of Mothering: A Christian Guide to Infant Care by Ronda Yoder and Miriam Chickering.  I love this book.  I can't recommend it enough for first time moms.  Finally! A resource for current, scientific information presented from a Christian viewpoint.  I appreciated their viewpoint - it's  a balanced approach somewhere between Babywise and Attachment Parenting and right up my alley. I also appreciated their knowledge and personal experience... yes, they're both registered nurses, but they're also moms (with 9 kids between the two of them).  I read this book at the exact time I needed it.  Somewhere in the midst of the drama surrounding Ry Guy's birth, my lack of sleep, the hormonal upheaval, etc., etc., etc., I was feeling pretty overwhelmed.  Ronda and Miriam talk about praying for wisdom, doing the best you can and accepting God's grace for the rest... it was precisely the encouragement I needed - a real Godsend.  I think this would be a fabulous baby shower gift, too!