Reading List
Our favourite books on self-care, self-help, motherhood, depression and anxiety. Uplifting and thought-provoking…
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse
(Charlie Mackesy) A unique and beautifully uplifting book, part quote, part story, part illustration - about the bravery and courage in asking for help, being yourself and embracing kindness and surrounding yourself with good people. Buy online
Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope
(Johann Hari) Lost Connections offers a radical new way of thinking about this depression. It shows that once we understand the real causes, we can begin to turn to pioneering new solutions - ones that offer real hope.
Reasons to Stay Alive
(Matt Haig) Aged 24, Matt Haig's world caved in. He could see no way to go on living. This is the true story of how he came through crisis, triumphed over an illness that almost destroyed him and learned to live again. Moving, funny and joyous.
Black Milk
(Elilf Shafak) Affecting and beautifully written, this is a memoir on motherhood and writing, but also a book about losing yourself and facing up to depression. Shafak is a beautiful writer and her descriptions of depression as a black monster in her bedroom will ring true for many mums. Transformative and very moving.
Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression
(Brooke Shields) After suffering from postpartum depression following the birth of her first child, Brooke Shields knows only too well the difficulties of the disorder, which lead her to nearly crashing her car into a wall. Here, she explains its impact on her loved ones and how the combination of therapy and medication played an important part in getting her back to herself.
Sketchy Mama: What it Means to Be A Mother
(Anna Lewis) This gorgeous little book charts the various bewildering stages of becoming a mother. Anna Lewis clearly understands the light and shade that comes with motherhood, and it is those universal truths that will connect all those mothers who delight in her sketches.
A Life’s Work
(Rachel Cusk) This funny, moving, brutally honest account of Cusk’s early experiences of motherhood is wonderful. An education in babies, books, breastfeeding, toddler groups, broken nights, bad advice and never being alone, it is a landmark work, which has provoked acclaim and outrage in equal measure.
The Postnatal Depletion Cure
(Dr Oscar Serrallach) This book offer a practical programme to help mothers replenish their bodies and minds after having a baby. The book includes a comprehensive guide to the nutrients women need to balance hormones, along with advice on how to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine and get necessary rest, despite the demands of motherhood.
Hurrah for Gin
(Katie Kirby) This book won't tell you how to get your baby to sleep, how to deal with toddler tantrums, how to be a good parent, a cool parent or even a renegade parent. Instead, it shares beautifully honest anecdotes and illustrations from the parenting frontline that demonstrate it is perfectly possible to love your children with the whole of your heart whilst finding them incredibly irritating at the same time.
The Republic Of Motherhood
(Liz Berry) Poet Liz Berry likens motherhood to a foreign land, that once you enter you can never return from. “As required, I stood beneath the flag of motherhood and opened my mouth, although I did not know the anthem”. This collection is sure to be a comfort to many new mothers, a salve for the soul during a time of huge change.
This Isn't What I Expected
(Karen Kleiman) In this comprehensive guide, social worker Karen Klieman and Dr. Valerie Davis Raskin discuss both the psychological and environmental factors involved in postnatal depression. The book helps sufferers to sort through the myths and seek help. Along with advice on self-help and getting professional treatment, the authors also offer tips for partners of those who have been affected.
The Little Book of Self-Care for New Mums
(Beccy Hands & Alexis Stickland) Bringing together decades of experience from a midwife and a doula, you'll find invaluable tips and tricks to boost confidence and calm frazzled nerves. From easy recipes to nourish your postnatal body and five-minute fixes to restore your sense of humour, this is the book you can turn to when the overwhelm sets in.
The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality
(Kimberly Ann Johnson) A holistic, practical guide to support women through postnatal healing on physical, emotional and relational levels. Many women entering motherhood are shocked at what this actually means for their bodies, minds and relationships, and Johnson’s book is a simple, gentle guide to getting back to yourself.
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety
(Sarah Wilson) Practical and poetic, wise and funny, this is a small book with a big heart. Wilson offers readers comfort, humour, companionship, and practical tips for living with ‘the Beast’. It will encourage anyone battling anxiety to embrace it as a part of who they are, and to explore the possibilities it offers for a richer, fuller life.
Surviving Post-Natal Depression: At Home, No One Hears You Scream
(Cara Aiken) This uplifting book tells the stories of ten mothers who have suffered from postnatal depression, offering an insight into the illness and its impact on family life. Unlike the other books on this list, it includes discussions with fathers, which reveal the effects the depression in their partner can have on them. The author’s positive suggestions about coping with PND will be useful to both current sufferers and their professional helpers. An informative read and great source of hope.