New book helps Mom and Dad trade fear and stress for joy and confidence in parenting

Preparing for the journey of parenthood

New book helps Mom and Dad trade fear and stress for joy and confidence in parenting

It’s said that when a couple welcomes a new baby, everything changes; but is that a wondrous prediction or an ominous warning? In her new book, Expectant Parents: Preparing Together for the Journey of Parenthood (Focus on the Family/ October 1, 2014/ISBN: 978-1589977945/$14.99), Suzanne Hadley Gosselin examines that question from the perspective of a young mother who has given birth to three babies in fewer than five years.

“I think many Christian couples feel fairly satisfied with their lives and marriages when they decide to have a baby. So hearing ‘everything is going to change’ can sound like a threat,” Gosselin says. “Yes, a baby will change everything, but you will never want to go back.”

While many books for new parents focus on prenatal development and the health of a mom-to-be, Expectant Parents’ core purpose is to help new parents understand key issues related to the arrival of a new child in the home, offering practical assistance as they prepare themselves for long-term family success. This includes strengthening their own marriage relationship, setting plans and expectations for parenthood, increasing communication and preparing for the new stage of their family life that is just ahead.

Expectant Parents could even be called a marriage book, as it offers expert advice on strengthening that all-important marital relationship. “I didn’t fully realize how having a baby would shift the dynamic between my husband, Kevin, and me,” Gosselin admits. “While our shared joy in having a baby was a really special bonding experience for us, the stress of sleepless nights, postpartum hormones and life changes increased our need for communication and empathy.”

It’s often said babies don’t come with an instruction manual. Filled with expert voices, including those of popular authors and bloggers such as Jon Acuff, Matt Walsh, Greg and Erin Smalley and Chrystal Evans Hurst, this book actually provides parents with the information and practical steps they’ll need for writing their own, as they work as a team to create the kind of home and family they desire.

Author Dr. Greg Smalley, who co-wrote the book’s foreword with his wife, Erin, says this guide for thinking through how a child impacts your life and marriage is deeply needed. “This book is filled with stories from real moms and dads who’ve been there,” Greg writes. “You’ll find practical tips and advice as you prepare to dive into this adventure of parenting.”

Ideal for first-time parents, this book will be helpful to any couple wanting to explore and prepare for the emotional, physical and spiritual life-changes that come with the arrival of any new child into the family.

Learn more about Suzanne Hadley Gosselin and Expectant Parents at www.suzannegosselin.com.

About the author

Suzanne Hadley Gosselin is the former editor of Clubhouse Jr. magazine for Focus on the Family. She is now a regular contributor to Thriving Family magazine and Boundless.org, and the recipient of several Evangelical Press Association awards for her writing and editorial work.

Gosselin writes children’s resources for David C Cook, Zondervan and Harvest House. She is also the author of Faithgirlz Handbook: Let Your Light Shine Through and is currently working on the God’s Got an Answer for That children's devotional and activity books to be released in January 2015. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism and biblical theology from Multnomah University.

After having three children in fewer than five years of marriage, Suzanne and her husband, Kevin, who is a children’s pastor, consider themselves on the family fast-track — a blessing they wouldn’t trade for anything. Their family lives in Colorado where Suzanne enjoys sharing a good cup of coffee and conversation with friends and serving in ministry with her husband. Suzanne calls herself a Jesus-follower who delights in watching God infuse Himself into people’s lives and stories.

For more information about Suzanne Hadley Gosselin or Expectant Parents visit her online home www.suzannegosselin.com.