Customer Reviews

It Gets Easier! . . . And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers: A Fun, Practical Guide to Becoming a Mom

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is one of the best I've seen on this subject. Part personal chronicle, part self-help, part baby book - it hits every mark. I wish books like this existed when my kids were born. One terrific thing about this book is how Wolk shares details of her own child-bearing and child-rearing experiences throughout, making it very clear that she's not some expert on high. She's in the trenches, engaged in the daily balancing act that being a woman and a mother entails. So she can relate -- and relate she does!

The first part of the book accurately covers the early days of motherhood, from labor to the first weeks at home. I can imagine many new mothers reading the book post-birth will wish they had the book before going into labor, because Wolk's tips on dealing with labor and delivery issues (pain management, breast feeding, nurses) are great.

The book then delves into the early days when mother and child are home, out of the cocoon of the hospital. Wolk's suggestions for getting baby on schedule and getting Mom back on her feet are excellent, but unlike some books of this type, she always digs deeper. She touches on the emotions (exhaustion, isolation and confusion) that women may experience and offers ideas for taking care of oneself physically and mentally. And it's not all sweetness and light. There are discussions on coping with challenging feelings, like being bored at home or wanting back pre-baby freedom and hating housework. I thought her discussions about how a baby can affect marital relationships were particularly insightful. And as she always does, she combines theory with practice. Her suggestions for co-parenting and marital issues (teamwork, scheduling, romance) are useful, witty, and wise.

In the latter parts of the book, when Wolk steps back to deal with the big picture, she really bats the ball out of the park. This section of the book offers the most accessible discussion of the psychological dimensions of motherhood that I have ever read. Wolk very astutely describes the conflicts many women experience when they become mothers. She handles sensitive topics, such as the shifting sense of identity and uncomfortable resentments over money, sex, and housework, with frankness and compassion. I loved it.

This is a great book for anyone interested in child-care, self-help, parenting, and women's issues.

Claudine Wolk's book reads so true to my motherhood experiences that I almost feel as if the writer is speaking directly to me about my life. I love that she ditches the current trend of vague guidelines, niceties and wishy-washy new age advice, (ie, feed on demand... never let a baby cry) and gets down and dirty offering the reader concrete solutions to the many challenges moms face.

This book takes away all the romance that we so often attribute to the concept of motherhood and replaces it with practical knowledge, so that we can truly be better moms and happier women. And that, my friends, is the real secret and beauty of motherhood -- striking a balance, and maintaining personal happiness so that when our little tikes reach milestones, we are rested enough and happy enough to appreciate and treasure them! And it is true that happy moms have happier children. So forget trying to maintain the perfect motherly facade... it's time to shatter that, get real and be truthful with ourselves and our peers. Parenting (and especially mothering) is hard work and this book shows us that it's time we started to help each other out so we can make it through successfully.

And hey ladies... when you are done reading this book, it might be a good idea to pass it along to your hubbies. If they really want to know how you feel, this book would certainly give them a clue.

PS: I am buying this book for every new mom I know. I started with my cousin and she loves the book as much as I do!

if you are having a baby this book is a MUST READ BEFRORE



Honestly, I originally bought the book because I liked the title and I liked the author's name! ha,ha. I have a six year old daughter. I was looking for a book that would serve as a reminder as to what was ahead. I only wish I had bought it when I had my first daughter. Unfortunatley I was completely unprepared. With my first pregnancy I read books on labor, delievery and didn't know what to do or what life would be like with a new baby. This book really gave you the honest picture of what it is like to have a new born. What your life will feel like and how it changes in great detail. But best of all, it doesn't leave you hanging. Claudine gives you very practical suggestions of how to cope with your new baby and new life. Other books get very bogged down in details that are not practical and absolutely not helpful.
This book is HELPFUL! VERY HELPFUL! IT DOES NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!
I am so glad I read it, and now my husband is reading it.
I highly recommend this book for anyone having their first or second or third child.
I love that she offers a baby schedule, that she even gives you tips on how to keep your house clean and manage your life.
Claudine is realistic with our current lives. She even discusses such topics as working mom vs. stay at home mom.
Best of all you truly feel like you are talking with a friend and she is telling you the truth about what is to come after you give birth. The secrets, the answers and the experience.
I feel a lot more prepared and confident since reading this book.
Thanks Claudine!

My baby is now 7 months.
I am so grateful that I read Claudine's book. It truly helped me prepare for the new baby. I had forgot a lot. I am having a great experience with the new baby and a lot has to do with the helpful and useful information Claudine provides in her book. I actually have one of her charts on my bathroom mirror regarding feeding. Worth every penny and every minute. a true blessing.

This book gives a pretty realistic description of what you're in for after giving birth. I thought that babies just naturally went to sleep on their own with maybe a little rocking. Boy was I wrong. I also had no clue about how often babies should eat. This book gave good advice on both issues.

I really liked the idea of a baby schedule for eating and sleeping. Unfortunately I'm no good at establishing a schedule on my own, so my girl didn't get on a schedule (and start sleeping better and stop nursing almost constantly and sometimes for an hour or more at a time) until she started daycare and they put her on a flexible schedule. I was then able to take that established schedule and use it as a guide on at-home days.

I also am grateful for the emphasis on a bedtime routine, which I didn't think was so important for a baby. I thought that she'd just fall asleep when she was tired or that I could just rock her to sleep that would be it. I dismissed it at first, but later came back to it when I couldn't get my daughter to sleep. She became locked in a cycle of being overtired and not being able to get to sleep easily or sleep for very long. Establishing a routine really helped ease her into drowsiness and sleep better.

In combination with a few other books, this book helped me to become a better first-time mom.

This book is easy and enjoyable to read. The author seems to have researched it a lot. I love some of her antecdotes (i.e. the "icing period" - when the Dr leaves you sitting in the room, freezing in your paper gown, scratching files in the bin outside the door, making you think he is going to come in, but he never does). She has lots of wisdom to share - both from raising 3 children, and from trying life both as a stay-at-home-mom and as a working mom. A fun read!

This is the first time I have written an amazon review, but this book deserves it. I feel like I have read every "new mom" survival book out there, but this one was by far the best. It's honest without being preachy or scary and the tips are very helpful. I only wish I had read this when I was still pregnant!

We've come across this great resource for Moms called "It Gets Easier! ...And other lies we tell new mothers". It's written by Claudine Wolk and it's a "Fun, Practical Guide to Becoming A Mom". When I got this book, I was worried it was going to be like many other books I have on my bedside table, I start it and never have time to get past the first chapter! (I can't remember the last time I've finished a book!) When I started this book I couldn't put it down and pretty much read it within a couple days, I loved it that much. It's so much fun and it's THE most honest and real account of what motherhood is really like that I've read.

Claudine is a Mother to three kids and has been both a Working Mom and Stay at Home Mom. She talks about all these issues Moms are faced with in a way that feels like you've known her forever and you're talking with a close girlfriend! She also has SO many "insider tips" for Moms such as:

* Uncensored Tips for Labor and Beyond
* Breastfeeding Tips and Suggestions
* Your New Body Normal
* The Baby Commandments (i.e. helping your baby to learn good sleeping and eating habits)
* THE Schedule (you know...the one that will let you get a full night's sleep again!)
* Heading Back to Work
* New Mom Mantras
* What is a Housewife and how did I become one?!
* Being the Best Mom

This book is something ALL Moms should have and I already have quite a few girlfriends I can't wait to buy a copy for! You will laugh all the way through it and enjoy how candid and uplifting Claudine talks about becoming a Mom. Check out this book and I promise you will not be disappointed! It's our new favorite guide for new moms and I feel I've gotten more out of reading this one book than all my other parenting books put together!

I wish that I had known about and purchased this book before I went to the hospital to deliver. There's no earth shattering information in this book but the book is still worth the money. The first 2 months of motherhood are very challenging and you often feel all alone even with great family support. The reason for feeling alone is this.... when you ask your mother or other experienced moms questions about those first 2 months they never remember their experience. (I'm not sure how it is possible to forget that emotional roller coaster ride.) So, this book helped me to feel that what I was experiencing was actually normal.

One piece of advice from the book that I wish I'd known before my delivery was to let the nurses take your baby to the nursery during the night for a few hours so you can sleep. Once you get home you will not have that block of time to sleep so take advantage of the offer. The first night I refused because I felt like I was being a bad mom. The second night I welcomed the few hours of uninterrupted sleep. It's a good idea to follow this advice because by the time I got home from the hospital I was in pretty rough shape from lack of sleep and a visit to the emergency room for a kidney infection. So, the best advice that is to take care of yourself so that you are able to take care of your baby! This book made me realize it was ok to do this but my baby was already 2 months old. I needed that reassurance sooner so purchase and read this book before you have your baby!

How can I articulate in words what this book meant to me? I met the author today, a LOVELY lady after I read this book a few months back. This book was many things : hilarious, informative, easy read, honest and just plain old fun! If you like the Jenny McCarthy books - you will LOVE this book!!! For women, due to lack of sleep, need some common sense in their lives - this is the book for you. For those who have the clairty to see past the fog - this book makes you feel not alone!!! And perhaps, like I, you can even learn a few things, I did! Thank you Claudine for taking 15 years out of your life to write this book (and raise 3 kids)! I hope you will write another one - about toddlers, tweens and teenagers - so I know what I am up against!!!!

What a refreshing and honest view on the challenges of motherhood. Claudine gives you the ability to let go some of the "Mommy Guilt" which we all feel at one time or another. This was an easy read and I enjoyed the sporadic laughs and humor.