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Working Mom Wednesday: Baby on Board

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There are plenty of books out on the topics of pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care…but not many that focus on the journey to motherhood. Giving birth is a life-altering moment for a woman – it changes everything. Thus, it makes sense that a woman should prepare not only by packing her hospital bag and buying onesies, but also by doing some soul-searching about how motherhood will change her career, her hobbies, and her priorities.

Joelle Jay and Amy Kovarick knew this…so they wrote Baby on Board: Becoming A Mother Without Losing Yourself – A Guide for Moms-to-Be (AMACOM, 2007). The two mothers are the founders of Empowered Motherhood LLC, a company that offers “a range of life coaching resources, products, and services – both online and in person – to women across the country.”

I particularly loved these two statements in the book’s foreword (which set the stage for the content of the book)…

  • “In our present culture, more time is spent on preparing mothers for the day they are in labor than for the transition to motherhood that will follow.”
  • “Every expectant mother is creating two lives – her new baby’s and her own as a mother.”

The authors then proceed to guide mothers-to-be through ten steps – everything from “Imagining Your Ideal First Year” to “Clarifying Your Values” to “Celebrating Your New Life.” Each step has corresponding worksheets and exercises. The reader is often asked to visualize, to make notes, and/or to talk things over with her spouse.

Baby on Board is like The Secret for mothers. It’s all about good feelings, positivity, and the Law of Attraction. Jay and Kovarick offer rah-rahs and encouragements throughout the pages. I appreciated that, but I definitely found that the book was more an emotional-booster than a storehouse of practical tips. That said, I do believe the book offers something that other books don’t – a chance for mothers-to-be to stop and contemplate the changes that are coming and to plan ahead. I like that emphasis and I think it would behoove pregnant women to take their hearts and minds away from baby gear and birth plans long enough to think about how they can become a mother without “losing themselves.”

WIN IT! One mama will win a copy of Baby on Board: Becoming A Mother Without Losing Yourself – A Guide for Moms-to-Be by Joelle Jay and Amy Kovarick. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post (don’t forget to follow the rules) prior to Saturday, Mar. 8, at midnight. The winner will be announced and contacted on Sunday, Mar. 9. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

* UPDATE * The winner is #9 Bree. Congratulations!

Comments

  7. I have two friends who are expecting and would really benefit from this book. I wish I had been able to read it! Thanks for the chance to win.

    Reply

  14. Motherhood is simply a PhD in all areas of studied education. A life experience; no man could even begin to cope with. So lets have the wonderful book, it may even help stay at home DADS/

    Reply

  23. I would love to win this book for my friend who is pregnant with her first. It addresses a topic that I know she is worried about.

    Shannon B.

    shan9452 (at) hotmail (dot) com

    Reply

  26. I would love to win! I am newly pregnant with my first. This book sounds totally different from the normal pregnancy books and I would love to get some insight on how to “not lose myself” after having the baby. Thanks for the give-away!
    muellerlm@gmail.com

    Reply

  31. please add me too, I have three kids and planning on another. I could use this while Im sitting and nursing.

    Reply

  33. My bestfriend is due next month with her first baby this would be a nice gift to give her. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply

  34. I’m due with my first in may and this sounds like something I would definitely sit down and spend some time with. Thanks for the giveaway!

    nifferjeno at gmail dot com

    Reply

  35. This looks like a great book to have while expecting since I’m not sure how much time I’ll actually have after the baby comes! I’m reading everything I can get my hands on now!
    Thanks,
    Marissa :)

    Reply

  46. I’ve just been thinking about this topic lately and have been praying about it. It’s so easy to get lost in the urgency of being mommy, huh? Would love to read this – thanks!

    Reply

  49. It reminds me of how much time we spend planning our weddings while spending little time preparing to be married.

    Becoming a mom and not losing yourself is such an interesting tightrope walk. There is so much pressure to be the perfect mother…it is so easy to lose the person you were. I’m still figuring it out.

    Reply

  50. I would love to share this book with a friend who will be a first-time-Mom.

    Thanks for the chance,
    Lisa

    Reply

  54. Please don’t enter me…I wanted to add a comment about “losing yourself” as a mama in the early years of your babies life. I used to go through phases where I would only feel like my husband’s wife, my children’s mama, the maid…etc..But now that my daughter is getting ready to start school, I feel like the past five years have gone by so fast and the brief moments in life where I couldn’t find “Me” now seem so small. I just wanted to encourage new mama’s today and let them know that the “Baby Years” go by way too fast and before you know it you’re going to have free time to do things for yourself and you are really going to miss the days where your children needed you every second of the day to cuddle with them.

    Reply

  55. I’ve heard about this book! I am due June 2nd, this would be a great thing to win!

    kirkleyak at gmail dot com

    Reply

  57. WHat a fun site! I am expectign baby #2 in a few weeks, and it seems like a whole different experience than baby #1 4 years ago. Maybe I just had my head in the sand, but I don’t remember there being this much support/info out in cyberspace. Thanks for the good work! I’d love to read this book – seems fun and useful.

    rap9r(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply

  58. Hi Stephanie, what a cute site. I love the Arizona sun too, especially since I grew up in Gilbert – I think it was the best place to grow up. Thank you for visiting my site: http://www.littlewindowshoppe.com I am glad that you liked it. I will be sure to visit yours often. Best wishes! ~Emily

    Reply

  60. I’m expecting my first baby in June, just like you said, it’ll be nice to start focusing my mind on motherhood without feeling overwhelming.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Jessie
    choujessie (at) hotmail (dot) com

    Reply

  62. This sounds like a good read. Something I wish I’d had with my kids. It’ll be perfect for my cousin expecting her first.

    Reply

  64. This sounds interesting. I wonder if it would help women anticipate the realities of new motherhood, or if it would only result in frustration when unrealistic expectations become unrealized.

    Reply

  66. I would love to have this book. I am a mother of one and expecting another. I think I need to read this because I’ll be so busy with two that I don’t want to lose myself! It would be so great to have this!

    Reply

  67. I think this book would be a great gift for one of my many expectant-mom friends. I think I would definately peek at it myself first :) I remember feeling like I had spent too much energy decorating the nursery and not enough thinking about just what kind of parent I was going to be when my son wsa born.

    barbara_guerra2000 at yahoo dot com

    Reply

  68. The quote, “Every expectant mother is creating two lives – her new baby’s and her own as a mother.” says it all for me. I have a 15 month old son and that has been a struggle for me in finding/keeping an identity. I think this book would help any mom or mom-to-be. I would love to have this book and share it with my expectant sister-in-law. Thanks for hosting this contest.
    Shannon

    princessbubbles_18 at yahoo dot com

    Reply

  70. I LOVE this giveaway. Reading is something every new mother does, however, I think this book is wonderful for new and old mother’s alike. It is never too late to rediscover your relationship with yourself.

    Great giveaway! Very insightful.

    Suzanne Bastien
    Lilith_Silvermane at yahoo.com

    Reply

  71. Oh I’d love to win this for my best friend who’s due any day now. Thanks for the great giveaway Steph!

    hellomary018 AT yahoo DOT com

    Reply

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