Reformers Recommends: Books for New(ish) Mums

 Click Here to download a printable PDF version

When you become a mum there are some huge changes to your life. You have a brand new role with lots of new challenges (and a new job description!). Almost immediately your time becomes consumed with babies, toddlers and young children, all of whom are physically, emotionally and spiritually demanding (constantly).

These books for mums have been selected to help those with children around 0-5 years old to maintain the right perspective of who they belong to (mums belong to God, not their kids) and what the goal of motherhood is. Motherhood is intensely practical and so you will find plenty of practical tips in some of these books as well.

Treasuring Christ When Your Hands are Full by Gloria Furman is a refreshing and achievable read. It deals with two common temptations. Firstly, to see motherhood as an inconvenience - instead, we should see children as a gift. Secondly, to forget to treasure Christ - instead, motherhood should draw us closer to Him. Furman shows how the journey of motherhood can and should produce thankfulness to the giver of gifts and spiritual growth as God works in us.

Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full

by Gloria Furman

Loving the Little Years is my favourite practical book for parenting little ones! Rachel Jankovic has a way of making the difficult and mundane fun, creative and meaningful. From ‘pecky chickens’ to ‘thanksters or cranksters’, this book has some great illustrations for children to understand the sins in their heart. She is down to earth and realistic in her approach. The methods aren’t works-based or about control. They are however all about grace and seeking to imitate God in the everyday.

Loving the Little Years

by Rachel Jankovic

Unlike other books for mums that are primarily theological or practical, Devoted by Tim Challies takes a historical approach. As a mum with young kids, I love this book because it transports me into the lives of other mums who have faithfully mothered their children in varying circumstances. The Mother's Reflection included at the end of each short biography was very helpful in applying lessons from the life of the godly mum to my life today.

Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms

by Tim Challies

With the dramatic change in schedule that the demands of young children brings, it can be difficult to continue to have regular times in God's word. The New Baby Survival Guide contains short and achievable devotions from the Psalms with mum-specific questions for reflection and meditation.

New Baby Survival Guide

by Sarah Smart and Cassie Martin

Available in Pink or Blue

Not all books for mums are just for mums. Duties of Parents and Parenting God's Way are great little books that a new(ish) mum and dad could read together to begin to build a biblical worldview of what parenting is all about. I would suggest these are a great starting point even before your first baby is born. That said, I have found them to be refreshing, often-needed reminders in the thick of parenting as well.

Duties of Parents

by J C Ryle

Parenting God's Way

by Alistair Begg

In Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles, Paul Tripp brilliantly gets to the core of what parenting is all about. Sometimes it isn’t another 10-step method that we need, but a change in our own heart and understanding. I have found this book particularly helpful when my impatience and my frustrations rise and when my heart is not in a good place. Tripp gently and firmly guides me back to seeing myself and my children the way God does and how to live in a way that gives Him the glory.

Parenting

by Paul David Tripp

This Reformers Recommends was written by Shamira Eglinton