Ever notice how fast births on TV go? And that they almost always start with water breaking even though this typically happens 10% of the time? It's not just pregnancy and birth that pop culture misses the mark on, but the postpartum period, too. This book helped me process what happened during the incredible birth of my daughter and saved me from feeling isolated in the aftermath. We need to stop subscribing to the Western idea that doing more is always better. The fourth trimester is not a journey that is best done alone. Johnson writes that new mothers have 5 universal needs: 1) an extended rest period, 2) nourishing food, 3) loving touch, 4) the companionship of wise women, and 5) contact with nature.

The question, "What can my baby do this week?" is answered in this book with in short, read when you have a minute, chapters. I was able to interact with my baby in developmentally suited ways so that her awake time was maximized for learning. The illustrations are a bonus for your sleep deprived zombie brain. If you only read one book during your baby's newborn months, this one is the way to go. It's the superfood of books, packed with all the baby basics (i.e., how to swaddle your baby for better sleep, what the color of your baby's poop means, how their vision develops, and much more).

Signing to your baby can begin as early as you want it to. Our sweet, easy-going girl had suddenly started screaming during diaper changes. We figured it may have had something to do with her recent doctor's visit where there was a medication applied to her belly button that stung. Lying on her back then had a negative association. So we started using the sign for "change" every time we put her on the changing table. The second time we used the sign, she only cried a little and by the third time, she was happy again to get her diaper changed. Plus, how cool is it to communicate with your child even before they start talking?

One of the first lines reads, "It seems that sleep should happen naturally, like pooping. You might, therefore, reasonably assume that babies will fall asleep when they need to. But they don't."

Alexis Debief needs to do standup. Consider this book your Cliff Notes for all the latest baby sleep research and strategies. Every baby has different needs, and this book is critical in setting up your baby's sleep habits for better sleep in the whole house. When your sleep tank is running on fumes, leave it to the experts to fill it up. Or you could leave it to Meet the Fockers to decide your fate.