The Working Gal's Guide to Babyville

Book excerpt: You're an independent career woman suddenly dropped into the chaos of Babyville. You have a newborn to care for, three months (if you're lucky) of unstructured time to fill, a work decision to make (to go back full-time? part-time? job share?), childcare to acquire, and family finances to balance. You need someone to make you laugh during the hard times, a doctor to call in the middle of the night, and a good career counselor to boot. Never fear! Sure to become the gold standard resource during that crazy first year, The Working Gal's Guide to Babyville combines stories and sisterly advice from the trenches, infant care information and tips from a pediatrician, and career and budget guidance from a pro. From getting baby to sleep through the night to making the most of maternity leave, from weighing work options to finding childcare, from networking with new parents to emotionally transitioning from "Ms. Independent to Mom," it offers desperately needed, easy-to-execute strategies and expert solutions on all manner of Year One issues. The essential guidebook for today's busy career moms, it's every bit as hip, smart, and savvy as the women who'll be reading it.