I’ve always been a massive bookworm.
As a child my parents used to joke about how I always had my nose in the pages of the newest hardback I could get my hands on.
As a teenager learning to drive I found out how much I didn’t even know the streets of my hometown well enough to navigate without help, as I’d usually spent my time as a passenger reading.
As an adult I still spent hours immersing myself in different worlds from fiction novels, or filling my brain with new information from non-fiction books on topics I found interesting.
Since becoming a mother six months ago, however, I found I hadn’t really been taking part in one of my favourite activities, reading, at all.
Now diagnosed with postnatal depression and anxiety, together with my therapist we decided that one of the many goals to shoot for (in an aim to get my mental health back on track) was to make time to read again.
It’s something that makes me happy, and helps me feel like “me” again, and therefore is beneficial to my mental health, according to my therapist. I certainly agree.
So recently I’ve been making the effort to read more – whether that’s picking up a book while my daughter is contact napping on my lap, reading a couple of pages next to her while she is engrossed in play on her playmat, or leaving her with my husband so I can have some “me time”, soaking in a relaxing bath with a book in my hands (possibly my favourite place to read).
In a further effort to help me to continue to prioritise this activity, which does seem to be helping, I thought I’d start a monthly series letting you all in on the books I’ve been reading.
Here’s what was on my bookshelf during April:
Please note that the links provided are affiliate links, so I would earn a small commission if a sale is made through them, at no extra cost to the buyer. I only ever link items I would truly and honestly recommend.
The Gentle Parenting Book by Sarah Ockwell-Smith
I’d heard of the concept of Gentle Parenting before having my daughter, through other parents, and from what I’d heard of it, it deeply resonated with my ideas on mothering and parenthood too.
To finally pick up the book and give it a good read through felt so right.
The Gentle Parenting Book teaches how to parent with empathy, respect and understanding, using current science and child psychology alongside the needs of both parent and child.
So much of what Ockwell-Smith discusses in the book made complete sense to me, and further cemented in my mind that Gentle Parenting was definitely the way forward – for me at least – as a parent.
I really appreciate that this book exists, as it helps affirm to me that my natural parenting instincts are correct, and that much of the other “good advice” we’ve all heard in other parenting books (things that just don’t seem to sit right with me) is certainly not as good as many seem to think.
Reading this book has helped calm a lot of my anxiety about parenting and the way in which I choose to raise my daughter, helping me feel like I am doing the right thing and being a “good mum” after all.
I’d highly recommend it to any parent or soon to be parent.
Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan
From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal, this novel explores the complexity of motherhood.
When a paediatric doctor is called to the Emergency Department to check on a baby with a suspicious head injury, she is surprised to find it’s the baby of a good friend – someone she would only ever describe as the perfect mother.
One moment changes everything in this thrilling and emotive book.
It’s safe to say, it had me hooked!
So hooked, in fact, that I devoured it in the space of two days.
Maybe it was the fact that I could heavily relate to one of the leading characters, a mother of a young baby struggling with postnatal mental health issues.
This story just had me glued to it, I just HAD to know the truth about what had happened as the timeline flitted backwards and forwards and across different character perspectives to put the pieces together.
A fabulous, gripping read, especially one for mothers who may be able to relate to one or all of the mothers who are portrayed in this story.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo
Ok, so this wasn’t a fresh read, I’ve actually read this one before.
However, my family is preparing to move house once this lockdown breaks, and so I picked my copy of this book back up to give me some inspiration.
I thought it might be a good idea to clear some unwanted clutter before we move all our possessions to a new house.
Once again, I was inspired by Kondo’s sentiments, however I’d be lying if I said the motivation it spawned went any further than one sort through of my clothing.
It turns out motivation to clean and organise dies quickly during mentally straining times such as Coronavirus lockdown, and I’m not going to put added pressure on myself right now.
So the KonMari-ing may just have to wait until lockdown is over and we’re in our new house (and a better headspace) after all.
Still a fantastic read though, and I’d recommend it to anyone who is wanting to reduce their mental or physical clutter.
What have you been reading lately? Let me know in the comments below!