You read all the birthing books, took the Lamaze classes, and made it through labor (mostly) unscathed, but now the baby is home—and it’s a whole new ballgame!

There are plenty of books and resources about how to properly care for your new baby, but what about caring for yourself? Maria Lianos-Carbone, founder of AMotherWorld.com, outlines the “proper care and feeding” of mothers during their baby’s first year with humor and honesty. From the physical and emotional changes a new mom will undergo to rekindling intimacy with her partner, Oh Baby! Mom’s Survival Guide for the First Year keeps the focus on moms—because you can’t draw water (or breastmilk, for that matter) from an empty well. Maria's straight-talking, no-nonsense approach will give new moms everything they need to survive as they embark on the journey of motherhood.

This book is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hestia International, Inc., the trademark owner and publisher of Oh Baby! Magazine in Canada.

Maria Lianos-Carbone's profile page

Maria Lianos-Carbone is a mom of two, social media strategist, and publisher of amotherworld.com, a leading lifestyle blog for women, and lifeandstyle.ca, a travel blog.
Also a freelance writer, Maria's work has been published in Huffington Post Canada, CanadianLiving.com, TodaysParent.com, and Parents Canada . Maria has worked on digital campaigns with brands such as Rogers, Air Canada, MasterCard, American Express, TD Canada Trust, Best Buy, H&M, Old Navy, Sobeys, Staples, P&G, and more. She has appeared as a guest on CNN Newsroom, CBC's Marketplace, The Mom Show, and Rogers Daytime .

Maria has a way of telling it like it is, from a very personal perspective. While she shares her own motherhood experiences, most will be completely relatable to new and nervous Moms, looking for some reassurance that everything is 'ok'. Readers will find it easy to flip to their current concern as the chapters are laid out in a succinct, easy to read format. A sort of an up to date "What To Expect," readers will also learn "What To Accept."
-Kathy Buckworth, author of I Am So The Boss Of You
"Advice you want in a tone you'll love. Lianos-Carbone mixes the facts and support every new parent needs with the smile-at-the-whole-crazy-ride we want in that moment. No patronizing help here, she tells us exactly what to expect and-even better-reminds us that new parenting is worth the struggle. Like sitting down with a trustworthy friend, who really gets it!"
-Deborah Gilboa, MD, author of Get the Behavior You Want . . . Without Being the Parent You Hate!
"When I gave birth to my first child in 1980, I wondered what was wrong with me when reality didn't match my idealized vision of blissful motherhood. The Truth About Motherhood would have saved me a lot of anxiety. Maria writes like a big sister, or best girlfriend who had a baby before you, sharing secrets of the motherhood trade in an intelligent, down-to-earth manner. Doctors should hand this book to all their expectant moms."
-Mary Potter Kenyon, mother of eight, and author or co-author of six books, including Mary Me: A Lasting Link Through Ink, and the award-winning Refined By Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace
"If Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year had been around when I had my first baby, the transition might have been a whole lot different! Must-read for every new mom."
-Natalie Klein, CEO of Hot Moms Club
"Funny, thoughtful, and non-judgmental, Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year is the coffee chat with a friend (in book form) that every new mother needs. Maria Lianos-Carbone presents the big and small challenges of motherhood in a supportive and honest light. The easy-to-read format of the chapters are filled with practical tips, real mom experiences, and milestones for moms and babies alike. Oh Baby! is a great companion on your journey through motherhood."
-Caroline Fernandez, owner of ParentClub.ca and author of Boredom Busters and More Boredom Busters
"Written after both personal experience and research about best practices, Maria offers an incredibly detailed approach for moms, in particular, after the birth of their baby. While Oh Baby! offers a great deal of information about what to expect from baby, a theme that flows throughout encourages new moms to take care of their own needs too-an important message, I believe. This book is easy to read and relatable, offers humour, and has great illustrations. The mom-to-mom sections are a welcome addition too."
-Sara Dimerman, psychologist and author of Am I a Normal Parent and How to Influence Your Kids for Good

"In my first year of pregnancy, I have turned to Maria in moments of worry and fear, many times over. As a dear friend and an experienced mother who is deeply connected to raising children, and has a strong and progressive outlook on bringing up babies, Maria was able to guide me out of any panic. Maria has taken her knowledge and experience and turned it into a book, available to anyone. Oh Baby! is filled with funny anecdotes and sensible information backed by research in an easy-to-understand format.
Would make a fantastic baby shower gift!"
-Anita Doron, filmmaker ( The Lesser Blessed, screenwriter ( The Breadwinner ), and TED Fellow

"Synopsis: Maria Lianos-Carbone is a freelance writer, a mom of two, a social media strategist, and a publisher of amotherworld.com, a leading lifestyle blog for women, as well as lifeandstyle.ca which is a travel blog.

She has written Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide For The First Year specifically for all the mothers who read all the birthing books, took the Lamaze classes, and made it through labor (mostly) unscathed, but now the baby is home and find out that it's a whole new ballgame!

There are plenty of books and resources about how to properly care for your new baby, but what about caring for yourself? Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide For The First Year outlines the proper care and feeding of mothers during their baby's first year.

From the physical and emotional changes a new mom will undergo to rekindling intimacy with her partner, Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide For The First Year keeps the focus on moms because they (or their baby) can't draw water (or breastmilk, for that matter) from an empty well.

Critique: Sound, sensible, 'real world practical', effective, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide For The First Year should be considered an essential and mental health saving read by every new mother-and even mom's working on the first year of their second, third and even fourth child. While very highly recommended for community library Parenting instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide For The First Year is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99)."
- Midwest Book Review