Strong as a Mother is the most compassionate, nonjudgmental and comprehensive new mom book I’ve ever read. Kate Rope covers every topic you could imagine, from managing pregnancy to how to ask for help, genetic testing, co-parenting, sex, childcare, competitive parenting and setting boundaries. A mix of quotes from experts, real-life moms and her own personal perspective, this book truly has everything. The bite-sized structure of the chapters and sections makes it easy to dip in and out if you don’t want to read it all in one sitting. This book will be especially helpful to any moms who have a history of anxiety, depression, other mood disorders or trauma, but it contains useful information for anyone. It’s like sitting down with a supportive big sister or older friend who walks you through the process and soothes your fears.

I think this is one of the most practical books on motherhood you can read. The focus of the book is on those who are expecting to be mothers all the way up to post delivery.

The author was speaking based on her research, interviews with experts, as well as her personal experience through the process.

I requested this book and the publisher through NetGalley granted it in exchange for honest feedback.

Kate Rope's book "Strong As a Mother " is excellent. I was already familiar with the author's writing and I knew this book would be well done—I was right! I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's pregnant or in the early stages of parenthood. It's a modern-day version of the classic parenting books and it's written by a seasoned journalist/editor with a welcome sense of humor and myriad insights on what it is to be a good mom.

I'm childless by both choice and circumstance, but I read child-rearing/parenting/fertility books like it's my job. To a certain extent I suppose it is. #librarian #readeradvisorylife Personally, I enjoy non-fiction that is accessible but foremost informative. I want the information to be accurate, current, and verifiable.

Kate Rope has written a book that reads like she's a good friend. I would definitely recommend this book to women who are struggling with selecting a book about pregnancy into parenthood and who are looking for something down to earth and highly readable. The content is there and so is the perceived emotional support from a comrade in motherhood.

I wish every new mom could have the opportunity to read this book which covers pretty much every topic related to pregnancy and new parenthood. I'm happy I had the opportunity to read it. Thank you!

I interviewed Kate Rope for Episode 9 of my podcast Anxiety Diaries. Link below:
http://bit.ly/AnxietyDiariesEp9

I have a read a lot of books about pregnancy and childbirth, some are great and some a terrible. This one is most certainly in the great category. The book is broken down into several parts. Part 1 is titled " Expecting Strong: Your Emotional Guide to Pregnancy and covers all 3 trimesters and tackles just about every topic you can think of from, when you should tell people about you pregnancy to sleep to preparing for birth and pretty much everything in between. Part 2 is titled "Starting Strong: Your Guide to Thriving in the First Year and covers topics from recovering from birth to what to expect if your baby is in the NICU to getting back to having sex after giving birth. Part 3 is titled "Staying Strong: The Big Picture of Motherhood" are covers topics such as how to figure out who you are after having children and learning your own way to being a strong mother.
There are many things I enjoyed about this book and I was definitely most interested in the first section, as I currently don't have children yet. The author talks about how you might be feeling when you find out your pregnant and these feelings can range greatly. She also includes some notes from other women about how they felt when they found out they were pregnant, which I also enjoyed. One of the things that I enjoyed throughout this book is the author talks a lot about the emotional side of pregnancy and into the postpartum time period, and that is something I haven't really encountered in many other pregnancy books. I think it is a really important topics to discuss and women reading the book who are experiencing anxiety or depression during or after their pregnancies, will hopefully feel more comfortable speaking to their OBGYN about it. The input from other women on a lot of these topics throughout the book was also very helpful.
Overall, I really liked Strong as a Mother and would definitely recommend it. Compared to many other pregnancy books I have read, it covers a wide range of topics and it isn't one sided. Often I really books and they are only speaking about different pain management options or they are speaking completely of natural birth. I lean more towards the natural side, but I of course want to be educated about all of my possible choices. This book really does cover a great deal of information in a way that I haven't previously read in pregnancy books. I would certainly recommend this book for anyone who is trying to conceive, is currently pregnant or who has just given birth.
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for sending me an ARC of this book.

Very informative! I'm excited to recommend it to all the new mothers in my life!

Strong As a Mother How to Stay Healthy, Happy, and (Most Importantly) Sane from Pregnancy to Parenthood: The Only Guide to Taking Care of YOU! by Kate Rope is a must read. I picked it up thinking it would be a good section for my library’s parenting corner and I was right. The book breaks into different sections from when you are first pregnant to about a year after the birth of your child. It gives the reader much needed knowledge if you never had any experience with children.
But it keeps the mother in mind completely by calming any fears and giving good advice. I really liked the mothers’ feedback on each chapter of the book giving advice from real mothers to the reader. It made me realize each pregnancy is different and each child is different. It tackles questions from, is it safe to have sex after getting pregnant and what will it be like after the child is born? What kind of daycare would be best for my child? and legal paperwork is discussed if you are adopting. Other things are included are different kinds of birthing situations to what to do for relaxation and peacefulness so you won’t be stressed out during this time.
It was a helpful book for anyone, like me, who never had any experience with pregnancy and parenthood and what to expect when it comes. It gave me things to think about like, we need to have a feeding schedule in place so I’m not a zombie in the mornings. I need to pack my slippers and comfy robe for the birthing room in the hospital. Oh you mean that everyone has thoughts of accidentally dropping your child and it’s normal to have those fears? The book answers questions like what is not normal during this period of life? How can I get help? The question is answered with different phone numbers and websites to use. It is a must read for anyone thinking of having children in the future. It’s really a good thing to have on hand or check out from your library.

publisher synopsis:
Strong as a Mother is a practical and compassionate guide to preparing for a smooth start to motherhood. Everyone knows the secret to having “the Happiest Baby on the Block.” This is your guide to being the Sanest Mommy on the Block. It will prepare you with humor and grace for what lies ahead, give you the tools you need to take care of yourself, permission to struggle at times, and professional advice on how to move through it when you do. This book will become a dog-eared resource on your nightstand, offering you the same care and support that you are working so hard to provide to your child. It will help you prioritize your emotional health, set boundaries and ask for help, make choices about feeding and childcare that feel good to you, get good sleep, create a strong relationship with your partner, make self care an everyday priority, trust your instincts, and actually enjoy the hardest job you will ever love.

This book is here to take care of you.

I found this book was like so many others when it comes to pregnancy and your body, it has some good information and some information that was not for me. So my advice would be the same with this book as it is with others.. read it, see what works for you and ignore the rest.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.