Hiccups

A Pediatrician Mom's Guide to Surviving Your First Year of Parenthood

By: Diane Arnaout

Bloomsbury presents Hiccups by Diane Arnaout, read by WIllow Nash.

The quintessential guide for new parents while they navigate the joys and challenges of their baby’s first year.

Parenting these days is harder than ever, and having a new baby in the age of social media is both a blessing and a curse. It can be hard to know what information out there is sound and trustworthy.

In Hiccups: A Pediatrician Mom’s Guide to Surviving Your First Year of Parenthood, Dr. Diane Arnaout provides a down-to-earth and (very, very) honest guide for the first year of your baby’s life. She covers the most common questions she gets daily in her office and on social media—she’s seen and heard it all—and breaks down the science of babies in an easy way for any parent looking to be led by evidence, not influencers. From reflux to snot, food allergies to vaccines, sleep regressions to illnesses, Dr. Diane leaves no stone unturned. And every topic discussed feels like a conversation with a good friend—who also happens to be a pediatrician.

Hiccups provides new parents with encouragement and reassurance from a pediatrician mom who’s been there, with a dose of humor and personal anecdotes alongside evidence and science. Featuring easy-to-read recommendations for at-home care and guidance for when to call the doctor, Hiccups lets parents know the weird “normals” of babies, understand the science behind the way they are, and experience the joy of every milestone reached.©2026 Diane Arnaout (P)2026 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Critic reviews

Dr. Arnaout delivers exactly what exhausted new parents need—clear, evidence-based guidance wrapped in humor and hard-won wisdom. This book brilliantly bridges the gap between medical expertise and real-world parenting. Dr. Arnaout translates complex pediatric science into accessible, actionable advice while maintaining the highest standards of evidence-based care. Her emphasis on understanding expected developmental variations and recognizing when to seek help makes this an essential public health resource for new parents. (Jessica B. Steier, DrPH, PMP, public health scientist and founder of Unbiased Science)

In this funny and deeply reassuring guide, Dr. Arnaout pulls up a stool for the real talk every new parent deserves. From feeding and sleep to milestones and managing your mother-in-law’s opinions, this isn’t another parenting philosophy—it’s a common-sense conversation with a practicing pediatrician, who’s seen it all and still believes you’re doing great. (Natasha Burgert, MD, FAAP, general pediatrician and author of Managing Childhood Anxiety For Dummies)