What I'm Reading Postpartum

Plus, our book is almost out!

Fun fact: Turns out there was poop on my shirt that got on the book! Very on brand—we love #babiesanddreams at Catholic Women in Business!

It’s been over a month since my second daughter was born, and overall, this has been a beautiful postpartum. Very challenging, of course—postpartum is the hardest part of motherhood so far for me, physically and emotionally. But I was more prepared this time, and having an older child makes it more difficult physically and logistically but also helps get me out of my head, which is very helpful. I also have

Elise Gallagher

’s and my book to look forward to! It’s out in less than a month now, and we have our copies in hand. It’s just beautiful, and I’m so excited for you to read it.

Nursing is actually working out this time, which has been amazing. It also means I’ve been doing a lot of reading while nursing and while the baby and preschooler are both napping (or, I should say, when the baby is napping and the preschooler is doing “quiet time,” because she rarely actually sleeps these days!). Here’s what I’ve been enjoying…

• First of all, I want to share my latest Natural Womanhood article with you, all about thoracic endometriosis—a rare but potentially fatal complication of endometriosis.

• I loved The Giver when I was a kid; I still remember reading it in one morning, and then I read it again for school in 8th grade. When the film came out, I had many criticisms, as did many people, but it struck me how pro-life the story was and how surprising it was that Hollywood managed (likely accidentally) to keep that pro-life message. This Word on Fire essay by

  Kody W. Cooper
  is a good discussion of the film, 10 years after its release.

• The science of matrescence (becoming a mother) is fascinating and awe-inspiring. This Guardian article discusses some of the brain changes that happen during pregnancy—obviously a particularly timely read for me.

• Another Word on Fire essay, this time by

  Brianna Heldt
  , discusses one of my favorite topics—what it means to be a woman. And, of course, she cites one of my favorite saints, Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta).

• I always love

  Emily Stimpson Chapman
  ’s takes on a variety of topics, and this essay on food and the feminine genius was particularly beautiful.

• As I start editing and writing again postpartum, I was happy to see this Plough essay by

  Beatrice Scudeler
  on the “stay-at-home intellectual mom”—a title I happily identify with.

• For Johnny Cash fans, this Word on Fire piece by Matthew Malone may be of interest.

• I’m a bit late to this one, but Pope Francis published a letter on the role of literature in formation earlier this year. It was originally aimed at priestly formation but, as he says, “this subject also applies to the formation of all those engaged in pastoral work, indeed of all Christians.” Definitely worth a read!

• I loved, loved, loved Bishop Baron’s take on the Mary and Martha story in his Gospel reflection on October 8. We need to talk about this perspective more! (I didn’t realize how much Word on Fire I’d been reading lately!)

• Finally, the always provocative and interesting Dr. Carrie Gress wrote a great piece on motherhood for First Things.

And the Books…

• I received Baby and Beyond: Overcoming Those Post-Childbirth Woes

  Allison Auth
  as a gift and really wish I’d been able to read it after having my first daughter. I highly recommend it and will probably buy it as a gift for every woman I know who has a baby from now on. So, so good. It’s aimed at Catholics, but a lot of it will resonate with anyone.

• I finally read

  Heidi Hess Saxton
  ’s new book Stories of the Eucharist: A Family Treasury of Saints and Seekers. It’s a lovely collection of stories about Eucharistic miracles and saints, and I can’t wait to read it with my girls.

• Our first Well-Read Mom book of the year is Peace Like a River by Leif Anger. I usually save my judgment of WRM books until after my group meets, because sometimes they point out things I didn’t notice, but this time I think I can safely say I love it. A beautiful book.

• Speaking of Well-Read Mom, Ave Maria Press sent me a copy of The Well-Read Life: Nourish Your Soul through Deep Reading and Intentional Friendship, a new book by their founder Marcie Stokman and director of vision and outreach Colleen Hutt. It’s a great book, especially if you are wanting to start reading more deeply but aren’t sure where to begin.

• I checked out When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion, a new book by Julie Satow about the women who led department stores in the early to mid-20th century, and it was a fun and interesting read.

• I wrote about seeing Mary Ann Glendon speak at GIVEN over the summer, and I finally read her latest book, In the Court of Three Popes, about her work with Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. So interesting. So good. She is incredible.

• The Daughters of St. Paul sent me Kelsey Gillespy’s new book Real Life with Mary: Growing in Virtue to Magnify the Lord, as well as her first book, In the Trenches: Finding God through Parenting Littles, and I read each in one day. They’re encouraging, funny, and relatable.

That’s it so far! Next up is The Aeneid for Well-Read Mom and How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, because my husband is going back to work soon and I have no idea how I’m going to manage the house with two small children! Tips welcome!