Naomi Stadlen – författare

''Naomi writes so gently; her words are a soothing balm in these months of confusion . . . Thank you, Naomi, for your wise words'' JUNO''Essential reading for mothers'' Breastfeeding TodayIt is amazing to listen to mothers and hear how much they learn.Each mother learns different things - some practical, some mysterious. However, some common patterns come through.Mothers learn that:*Mothering is more than baby- and childcare.*Babies can''t talk but they can communicate.*Mothers are ''in conversation'' with their babies.*Through their babies, mothers learn about themselves.*Mothers form families based on their own values.*The role of fathers is in the middle of a major change.*The reasons for maternal anger need to be understood.*Mothers can still be feminists.*Part of mothering is a spiritual experience.*Mothers bring usable experience back to their workplaces.What Mothers Learn will show, first, how learning to be a mother takes time, and then what a wonderful experience it can be. It also makes the case that, if enough of us agree that mothering is essential, society must find a way to reward the women who do it.

Mothers describe falling in love with their babies and then, more slowly, learning to understand them. Children flourish when their mothers love and understand them.For over 20 years, Naomi Stadlen has listened to hundreds of mothers talking at her weekly discussion groups. In ''How Mothers Love'' she offers unique insights into how mothers and babies learn to communicate intimately with one another.When adults relate to one another, they are building on the foundations usually laid down by their mothers. ''How Mothers Love'' is a study of how mothers start to build those foundations and covers areas such as: how to create emotional ''space'' for your unborn child; how to maintain a close relationship with two or more children; the transformation into motherhood and your role as a mother in wider society.By sharing the experiences of other mothers, Naomi Stadlen offers reassurance and support to all new parents as they navigate the highs and lows of the early years with their babies.

''I can''t emphasise enough how great What Mothers Do is'' Emma Barnett''The best book on parenting'' Guardian''Naomi Stadlen''s What Mothers Do makes you feel like a million dollars'' Zoe WilliamsHave you ever spent all day looking after your baby or young child - and ended up feeling that you have ''done nothing all day''? Do you sometimes find it hard to feel pleased with what you are doing, and tell yourself you should achieve more with your time? Maybe it''s because you can''t see how much you are doing already. In this unique and perceptive look at mothering, Naomi Stadlen draws on many years'' work with hundreds of other mothers of a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. She explores mothers'' experiences to reveal what they - and you - are doing when it may look, to everyone else, like nothing.If you are a mother, and have ever felt: that nobody understands what you do all day; overwhelmed by your feelings for your baby; tired all the time; that nothing prepared you for motherhood; uncertain what your baby seems to want; short-tempered with your partner - you will find this the most reassuring book you have ever picked up.