Engaging NLP for New Mums, by Judy Bartkowiak

I read this book a few weeks after my second daughter was born. This is one of the most concise books I have read on NLP, and this is a major strength for new mums who may have limited time and energy to read anything much in the aftermath of new baby, sleepless nights etc! Although concise, the author has covered the key principles of NLP in a highly readable format, and has applied them imaginatively to the issues facing new mums, encouraging the reader to try out the approaches through the practical workbook style. I was able to immediately apply the learning and insights from this book to my own situation, and this has had a positive and energising effect for my family and myself. I work as a doctor (GP) and will recommend this book to new (and no so new!)mums.

One thing most new mums experience, especially with their firstborn, is fear. Whether it's a fear of being inadequate, or a fear of doing something wrong, fear adds to the stress created by night feeding sleep deprivation and other baby related issues.
I wish I'd had this book when my firstborn came into the world. I would have learned how to step back and dissociate from the various situations that raised my stress level. Looking at these situations without maternal emotion would have prevented me from beating myself up mentally for being a "bad mother";. I would have been able to identify where my beliefs about mothering came from and assess whether these were valid or not in my personal situation. Among other things I would have also learned a technique for encouraging a baby to sleep.
New mums don't have much time on their hands for reading, but this is a small book with a huge reward for those who find the time to go through it and learn the techniques. If you don't have a new baby, but you know someone who is about to have one, this is a perfect baby gift. It won't only be of benefit now, but also in years to come as many of the NLP techniques learned are skills that have positive results extending far beyond new motherhood.