Postpartum Books Won’t Hand You All the Answers (but they can help you find your own)
BY: REBECCA BELENKY OF LOS ANGELES BIRTH
Preparing for birth is important, but preparing for postpartum is just as vital. The weeks after a baby arrives can be tender, overwhelming, and transformative. In this post, I share my own postpartum story and review three books—The First 40 Days, Nurture Revolution, and Breastfeeding Made Simple—that offer wisdom, comfort, and practical guidance for navigating life with a newborn.
The Postpartum Transition
When we are preparing for a baby, it’s quite common to focus most of our attention on labor itself. It is a HUGE life event after all. But the days and weeks after a baby arrives can be just as transformative—and often just as challenging. Postpartum recovery, healing, and the transition into parenthood deserve thoughtful preparation too. These three books offer guidance, wisdom, and practical support for the first months with your newborn.
My Postpartum Story
I was in shock after I had gave birth to my son. It was a really long (and quite traumatic) birth experience, and looking back it makes a lot of sense that I struggled with almost every aspect of new parenthood. I was pretty shattered emotionally and in a lot of physical pain. On top of that, I was the first person in my friend group to have kids, so I didn’t have a solid community to lean on. Instead, I relied heavily on books to guide me and help me find my way. And let me tell you—I read A LOT of books then when I was a new mom.
It wasn’t until I had been a parent for a few years that I felt like I was really able to trust my own intuition and values, and I owe much of my thinking and expansion around parenting to reading books by informed authors.
Some people worry that books can override their instincts, but in my experience they helped shape and strengthen mine. A truly good book—or sometimes even a really bad one—can make a huge impact during such a vulnerable and transformative time and direct you 👉✨ towards your desires or in the case of a bad one AWAY 🔄✨ from shady dogma.
📘 The First 40 Days by Heng Ou
The First Forty Days
This beautifully written book draws on traditional Chinese practices around the postpartum period, known as “zuo yuezi” or “sitting the month.” Heng Ou weaves together recipes, rituals, and reflections that honor rest, nourishment, and recovery. More than just a cookbook, The First 40 Days emphasizes the importance of slowing down and receiving support during a time when many parents feel pressure to “bounce back.” It’s an invitation to treat the postpartum weeks as sacred—a time of healing and bonding with your baby.
📘Nurture Revolution by Greer Kirshenbaum, PhD
The Nurture Revolution
Greer Kirshenbaum brings together neuroscience, psychology, and attachment theory to show how the earliest moments of life can shape emotional development. Nurture Revolution explains how responsive caregiving—things like cuddling, soothing, and skin-to-skin contact—literally wires your baby’s brain for resilience and joy. Kirshenbaum makes the science accessible while offering practical tools for parents who want to foster deep, secure connections with their children. It’s both reassuring and empowering, especially for those who may worry if they’re “doing it right.”
📘Breastfeeding Made Simple by Mohrbacher & Kendall-Tackett
Breastfeeding Made Simple
Breastfeeding can be one of the most rewarding yet challenging aspects of postpartum life. Breastfeeding Made Simple takes the overwhelm out of the process by distilling research into seven natural laws that help nursing unfold more smoothly. From positioning to understanding supply and demand, Mohrbacher and Kendall-Tackett provide evidence-based advice that reduces stress and builds confidence. Whether you plan to exclusively breastfeed, combine feeding, or just want to understand your options, this book offers clear, compassionate guidance.
Last Thoughts…
Preparing for postpartum is just as important as preparing for birth. These books highlight nourishment, connection, and confidence—the foundations for a healthy transition into parenthood. And if you’re like me—recovering from a difficult birth, feeling alone, or simply overwhelmed—books can offer both comfort and clarity.
✨ They may not have all the answers, but the right books can illuminate the path forward until your own voice and intuition grow strong.
Are you located in the Pasadena Area? ✨ Learn more about giving birth in Pasadena.
Or maybe you live in Highland Park? ✨ Check out these Highland Park Birth Resources.
Rebecca Belenky is a Los Angeles–based doula, childbirth educator, and lactation educator who has been supporting families since 2014. Through her practice, Los Angeles Birth, she offers compassionate, trauma-informed care that helps parents feel informed, grounded, and confident through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
