Books for mums
We don't talk enough about some aspects of motherhood.
The immense transformation we go through, seemingly overnight.
The challenges of relentless fatigue and discouragement.
The grief that happens when things don't go to plan.
The hardship amidst beauty and joy.
My transition into wifehood and motherhood turned my world upside down and inspired me to write my book How to love with a healing heart.
The seeds for my book Hot Coffee, Cool Head were sown when I was 'between babies'. My son was born preemie, during Covid lockdown, and my 17-month-old was not allowed to visit for just about the whole 10 weeks he was there.
I now have three young children, and throughout my journey of being a mum I've gleaned inspiration and encouragement from stories and articles penned by other mothers. As a writer, I've found myself similarly wanting to reflect on and write about my own journey.
As a mum at home, and a mum who has gone through some significant challenges with premature babies, I also understand some of the pressures new mums, preemie mums and mums with young children at home can face. With this in mind, if you are in need of some support, I am happy to gift you a book.
Check out my Resources for mums page.
Don't want a book, but want to help someone who does? Consider 'buying me a coffee' or sponsoring a book.
How I first started sharing my story in a wider way
When I first published How to love with a healing heart in 2020, I was half-hearted and hesitant about promoting it. Part of me felt embarrassed about it not being the 'perfect love story' (or amazing mystery novel!) I would have preferred to stamp my name on. I also thought, "It's just me, my story ... who cares?"
Yet I felt a little niggle—dare I say, God ... whispering ... "I care."
"And there are many other people with clumsy and sad and good and wonderful things about their lives, who will be encouraged by this book."
In late 2021 I had a brainwave about contributing copies of my book to Care for Families for their 2022 Mothers' Day packs, and wrote to them to ask if I could do this. I came to know about them because they were a blessing to us when we had our first baby a few years prior.
I remember thinking at the time, one day I want to give something to them in return, and reach out to other parents going through this hard season of being in hospital when they'd quite likely rather be at home getting into the groove of having a newborn around.
In early 2022 I was so pleased to hear from Chercara who included in her lovely message "Yes please, we would love to put copies in our packs so encouraging and have thoroughly enjoyed reading it myself"! Her note made my day!!
At this time I was pregnant with my third baby, and the possibility of her coming early was hanging in the air. I thought of all the mums to preemie babies who would be up at all hours of the night experiencing separation anxiety, or pumping milk for their babies. I remembered how I had appreciated books and videos when I was up at those random hours in the newborn seasons ... how I had loved tuning in to experiences of other mums ... to know they were also going through hard and beautiful things.
I was keen to donate as many books as I can to Care for Families, so I cast the net wider with a fundraising campaign.
Friends and friends-of-friends kindly pitched in and together we raised enough to donate 85 copies of How to love with a healing heart.
I have also given away copies to mums I know and donated copies to little libraries, cafes and the Neonatal Trust (now Little Miracles Trust) in Auckland.
