Oh Baby! a Mom’s Self-care Survival Guide for the First Year: Because Moms Need a Little Tlc, Too!

Oh Baby by Maria Lianos-Carbone is a candid chronicle of the ups and downs of new mom’s and baby’s first year. Oh Baby belongs to a sub-genre of parenting literature that could be called “4th-trimester counsel,” and it is welcome recognition that the first year, especially the first three months postpartum, is a time of great adjustment for both the baby and the new parents, particularly the mother. I am very glad more and more people are documenting their experiences first hand and mixing it with practical advice. Carbone’s book is organized around excerpts from her blog/journal and vignettes from other moms. It doesn’t pretend to be the authority on any subject; rather, it relates Carbone’s experience and encourages new moms to own their experience and knowledge and make a decision that is best for them and their baby.

Overall, I found the book slightly repetitive. I think it could have been organized a little bit differently that would have made it less so. But Carbone’s chatty, warm-hearted account is a little bit like catching up with another mom, something that can be a lifesaver when you can’t get out of the house.