I had a feeling I was going to like this book the moment I read the title. I happen to be a 25 year veteran of sleep-deprived motherhood. I’ve done my time and then some in those proverbial trenches. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this fabulous compilation filled with real-life, uncensored, moments and memories written by experts in the field, and by experts, I mean moms, mommas, mums, mommies, and mothers. Those women who live and breathe motherhood in all its glory, dirty diapers, spit-up, and yes – sleep deprivation.

As I read my way through each story I found myself laughing, relating, and remembering. It was the remembering part that touched me the most. I hadn’t expected to find myself on a nostalgic roller-coaster of emotion when I opened this book. With each story I was whisked away, back in time to when my own children and I battled the bedtime wars, the late night feedings, the moments of seeming despair, those precious times I may not have even realized were precious as they unfolded. I admit to shedding a few tears along with quite a bit of heartfelt laughter as I read through the many been-there-done-that-and-survived-it-all moments that touched my heart on every page.

Mothers with children of any age will find pieces of joy sprinkled throughout the words that fill this book. There are funny moments, sad and sincere and honest moments, realization moments, and so much more filling the pages of Motherhood May Cause Drowsiness. This book is a lovely reminder that while sometimes we may feel alone, like how on earth am I going to live through this and am I even doing anything right? we are far from alone, we are right where we are meant to be, doing the best we can, along with every other mother (and father) crouching knee-deep in those muck-lined trenches, and we will eventually crawl out victorious and unscathed mostly.

A wonderful read I recommend to moms sitting up wide-eyed with a nursing babe at their breast, moms who finally got their little angel down for a much needed nap, moms who feel overwhelmed, moms who made it through those early, sleepless years . . . all moms. And dads. Dads definitely need to read this book.

Crystal R. Cook