Getting pregnant and having a baby was nothing like type-A Laura had planned. Tossed completely off balance, and in the midst of a global pandemic, she went from rule follower and spreadsheet organizer to rebel mama by the time her son, Jack, celebrated his first birthday. Join Laura in redefining motherhood norms through the milestones of getting pregnant, giving birth, circumcision, breastfeeding, sleeping, introducing solids, and all the phases in between. Her story shares what worked for her, and unlike many parenting books, is not meant to be a how to guide. Rather, it is meant to invite every fellow mama to awaken her rebellious side and storm the gates of any modern parenting practice that goes against her instinct! "With absolute honesty, exquisite perceptiveness, and a commitment to bury the concept of what is 'normal' for babies or parenting, Laura Rafferty (alias Rebel Mama) leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination and in so doing provides often a hilarious but remarkably comprehensive, edgy but always realistic and a warm-hearted picture of the magisterial highs and the inevitable challenges of becoming and being a mother. It is an intensely personal journey that she takes you on (no scientists needed here) an intensity that gives great vibrancy to the larger point she makes, and that is to trust yourself and your baby because there are as many ways to be that alleged elusive 'good mother' as there are mothers who strive to be one, that is, who strive and care to make their baby safe, secure and loved in whatever ways are possible, given her circumstances. I highly recommend the journey she will take you on." - Dr. James McKenna, Director of Mother Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at University of Notre Dame and author of Safe Infant Sleep "Rebel Mama is a fun, relaxing read with a powerful underlying message. When you become a rebel mama, you realize you have the power to create your own birth experience. You don't need permission. You seek the support you need and you get it. Laura's personal style puts you at ease and delivers her message with authority and grace. Pregnant couples will enjoy every single page of this guide to creating the birth they want, navigating the system, and launching into parenthood whether you are having your first or your last baby. Birth professionals would benefit, also, from taking notice of what families want. Rebel Mama is a five star experience!" - Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCCE, Midwife, Founder/Director of Waterbirth International and Author of Gentle Birth ChoicesReaders' Favorite 5 Star Review: "Upon deciding to have a child, the author realizes that in order to succeed and thrive in her new role she will need to abandon her previous approach of meticulously planning out her life and become a 'rebel mama.' This book is not intended to be a guide for new parents, but rather it is an opportunity for one new parent to share what helped her through the trials and tribulations of first-time parenthood. This is a very candid sharing of a very personal experience in the author's life. The lockdowns around the globe that were initiated in response to the Covid-19 pandemic pushed people into situations that gave them a new perspective on their lives, and the idea of going through that experience whilst also becoming a parent for the first time boggles my mind with the emotional implications. Laura Rafferty, though, is a mother who learns to take life in her stride, and her skilled prose brings her journey alive with warmth and humor. Rebel Mama is a great read for first-time parents who are feeling overwhelmed. Not because it will provide them with step-by-step instructions on what to do but because it gives a feeling of solidarity for those parents who are overwhelmed by the process and are finding it hard to adapt to the new life with their child."