Helpful Reading Materials

Becoming a parent can be challenging.  Having as many resources as possible is one way to make the transition easier.  This page contains a list of additional resources hand picked by BPP founder Pam Jordan, Ph.D., RN.*

Articles by Dr. Jordan

Enhancing Understanding of the Transition to Fatherhood

Laboring for Relevance-Expectant and New Fatherhood-Dr. Pamela Jordan

Jordan, List of publications

Couples

Pamela Jordan, Scott Stanley, & Howard Markman (1999). Becoming parents: How to strengthen your marriage as your family grows. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Based on the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP®) this book provides scientific knowledge and survival skills for nourishing your couple relationship, taking care of yourself, and dealing with the many ways becoming parents impacts your life.

Natalie Jenkins, Scott Stanley, William C. Bailey, & Howard Markman (2002). You paid how much for that?! How to win at money without losing at love. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Money is the number one problem area for couples regardless of their financial status. This book not only provides sound principles of money management, but also teaches practical techniques to uncover the deeper, often hidden, meanings of money, and conquer the problems it raises in couple relationships.

Howard Markman, Scott Stanley, & Susan Blumberg (2001). Fighting for your marriage. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 This is the authors’ Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP™) in book form. The subtitle says it all, “Positive steps for preventing divorce and preserving a lasting love.”

Howard Markman, Scott Stanley, Susan Blumberg, Natalie Jenkins, & Carol Whiteley (2004). 12 hours to a great marriage: A step-by-step guide for making love last. SanFrancisco: Jossey-Bass.
 The condensed and concise version of “fighting for your marriage.”

Dave and Claudia Arp (1998). Love life for parents: How to have kids and a sex life too. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Filled with practical advice, humor, and great wisdom, this outstanding resource contains countless suggestions for maintaining your couple relationship as you parent.

Jay Belsky and John Kelly (1994). The transition to parenthood: How a first child changes marriage. New York: Delacorte. Based on Belsky’s landmark study, this book explores why some couples grow closer and others apart as they become parents.

Carolyn Pape Cowan and Phillip A. Cowan (2000). When partners become parents: The big life change for couples. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. (Also a 1992 edition of this book published by Basic Books.)
Based on their groundbreaking study, the authors chart the changes that greet the arrival of a first child.  They also reveal common pitfalls and offer sound advice about navigating the troubled waters of early parenthood.

Deborah Tannen (1991). You just don’t understand: Women and men in conversation. New York: William Morrow.
 Using powerful evidence from her research, the author shows that men and women live in different worlds, so conversation between them is like cross-cultural communication. This book helps men and women find a common language men to communicate and build deeper bonds with each other through mutual understanding.

Fatherhood

Jerrold Lee Shapiro (1995). The measure of a man: Becoming the father you wish your father had been. New York: Delacorte.
 The author describes what fatherhood has traditionally meant and why it is so difficult to break free from the negative elements of this traditional role. He also explores women’s influences on the father’s role and how traditional motherhood hinders change in men’s fathering.

David Blankenhorn (1995). Fatherless America. New York: Basic Books. In his thought-provoking book Blankenhorn argues that whether our concern is teenage pregnancy, crime, violence against women, educational failure, or child poverty, no social trend is more dangerous than fatherlessness. He contends that fatherlessness weakens families, harms children, causes our worst social problems, and makes adult happiness harder to achieve.

Armin Brott and Jennifer Ash (1995). The expectant father: Facts, tips, and advice for dads-to-be. New York: Abbeville. A very practical guide for expectant fathers, each chapter includes information on what the mom is going through, what’s going on with the baby, what the dad is going through, and how the dad can stay involved.

Robert Griswold (1993). Fatherhood in America: A history. New York: Basic Books.  This is the first full-scale historical analysis of men’s lives as parents. The author illuminates the critical connection between fatherhood and male identity and explores the vital relationship between fathers, the men’s movement, and feminism.

Motherhood

Susan Jeffers (1990). Opening our hearts to men. New York: Fawcett.
 Prescribes specific steps women can take to explore the origins of their feelings toward men; resulting in increased awareness allowing women to relate more effectively to men personally and professionally.

Parenting

T. Berry Brazelton (1994). Touchpoints: Your child’s emotional and behavioral development. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Touchpoints are the universal, predictable occurrences just before a surge of rapid growth and development when, for a short time, a child’s behavior falls apart. This book helps parents anticipate these times and deal with challenges more effectively while continuing to promote their child’s development.

Elizabeth Pantley (2002). The no cry sleep solution. Chicago: Contemporary.
Helps you understand your baby’s sleep patterns and provides practical guidance to help your baby sleep longer and better.

Carolyn Webster-Stratton (2006). The incredible years: A trouble-shooting guide for parents of children aged 2 to 8. Toronto: Umbrella Press.
 This essential resource teaches all the basics of parenting: how to play with your child, praise, rewards, limit setting, discipline, dealing with anger, etc.

* Disclaimer: The resources and information in the resource section are not all inclusive of resources for couples/fathers/mothers/parents.  The thoughts and opinions expressed in these resources are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policies or views of the Becoming Parents Program.