Top Pregnancy and Parenting Book Recommendations
Information on each book below
The Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and Other Labor Companions, by Peggy Simkin
About:
Now fully revised in its fifth edition, The Birth Partner remains the definitive guide to helping a woman through labor and birth, and the essential manual to have at hand during the event. The Birth Partner includes thorough information on:
Preparing for labor and knowing when it has begun
Normal labor and how to help the woman every step of the way
Epidurals and other medications for labor
Pitocin and other means, including natural ones, to induce or speed up labor
Non-drug techniques for easing labor pain
Cesarean birth and complications that may require it
Breastfeeding and newborn care
and much more
What people think:
“For the partner who wishes to be truly helpful in the birthing room, this book is indispensable. ‘This is the ultimate guide for mothers, birth coaches, and doulas. There is nothing else so complete, well balanced, and reassuring.’” ―Kathleen Huggins, author of “The Nursing Mother’s Companion”
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide, by Penny Simpkin
About:
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn provides the information and guidance you need to make informed decisions about having a safe and satisfying pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period--decisions that reflect your preferences, priorities, and values.
What people think:
“This book has so much good information for women and families who are pregnant, going through childbirth, and newborns. Definitely a one stop shop. Highly recommend to all family and friends!!”
Birth Story Pregnancy Guidebook + Journal: A 42-Week Discovery into Your Pregnancy, by Heidi Snyderburn
About:
The only pregnancy book you’ll ever need. Birth Story is a one-of-a-kind discovery into your pregnancy week by week that provides you education through storytelling.
What people think:
“Heidi has an amazing ability to seamlessly weave story telling with factual and up to date information. Not only will this book give you all the feels but it will also educate and empower you to stay true to yourself and honor those feels. The journal prompts and additional downloads available are truly priceless. You won't just be prepared for this journey into pregnancy and parenthood; you'll enjoy it every step of the way.” - Collin P, Education, Empowerment, Emotional Well-being
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin
About:
Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the nation’s leading midwife, shares the benefits and joys of natural childbirth by showing women how to trust in the ancient wisdom of their bodies for a healthy and fulfilling birthing experience. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention.
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth takes the fear out of childbirth by restoring women’s faith in their own natural power to give birth with more ease, less pain, and less medical intervention.
What people think:
“I will definitely be suggesting this book to other mom to be’s! It’s not the holy grail for pregnancy books (no one book ever is) but it really helps you channel your inner tigress. I feel the main point of this book is to eliminate the misconception that society has put on pregnancy being this daunting experience and rather suggests that women are strong, fierce, and if we put our momentum towards the belief that we can achieve anything, then it makes pregnancy this amazing and powerful experience. Definitely read the book!!!”
What to Expect When You're Expecting, by Heidi Murkoff
About:
Your pregnancy explained and your pregnant body demystified, head (what to do about those headaches) to feet (why they’re so swollen), back (how to stop it from aching) to front (why you can’t tell a baby by mom’s bump). Filled with must-have information, practical advice, realistic insight, easy-to-use tips, and lots of reassurance, you’ll also find the very latest on prenatal screenings, which medications are safe, and the most current birthing options—from water birth to gentle c-sections. Your pregnancy lifestyle gets equal attention, too: eating (including food trends) to coffee drinking, working out (and work) to sex, travel to beauty, skin care, and more. Have pregnancy symptoms? You will—and you’ll find solutions for them all.
Expecting multiples? There’s a chapter for you. Expecting to become a dad? This book has you covered, too. Includes:
When can I take home a pregnancy test?
How can I eat for two if I’m too queasy to eat for one?
Can I keep up my spinning classes?
Is fish safe to eat? And what’s this I hear about soft cheese?
Can I work until I deliver? What are my rights on the job?
I’m blotchy and broken out—where’s the glow?
Should we do a gender reveal? What about a 4-D ultrasound?
Will I know labor when I feel it?
What people think:
“Loved it. A lot of information, incredible read, everyone should read it and get educated about pregnancy and maternity! Recommended for mums and dads!”
Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care, by Sally Fallon Morell
About:
The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care makes the principles of traditional nutrition available to modern parents. The book provides holistic advice for pregnancy and newborn interventions, vaccinations, breastfeeding and child development, as well as a compendium of natural treatments for childhood illnesses, from autism to whooping cough. The work of Rudulf Steiner supports the book's emphasis on the child's spiritual requirement for imaginative play.
What people think:
“The thing I love most about this book is that it will lay out the facts on why a specific topic is/isn't ideal and then follows up with, but at the end of the day if you have to do xyz... it's not the end of the world and here's how you can make it work for you and your child. Love the honestly and flexibility.
There's a lot of helpful information, data, recipes, and thoughts on a variety of topics that are super beneficial for new parents! I originally just got this on kindle for free but bought the paper copy too :)”
Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition, by Lily Nichols
About:
Prenatal nutrition can be confusing. A lot of the advice you have been given about what to eat (or what not to eat) is well-meaning, but frankly, outdated or not evidenced-based. In Real Food for Pregnancy, you will get clear answers on what to eat and why, with research to back up every recommendation. Author and specialist in prenatal nutrition, Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, has taken a long and hard look at the science and discovered a wide gap between current prenatal nutrition recommendations and what foods are required for optimal health in pregnancy and for your baby's development. There has never been a more comprehensive and well-referenced resource on prenatal nutrition. With Real Food for Pregnancy as your guide, you can be confident that your food and lifestyle choices support a smooth, healthy pregnancy.
What people think:
“I'm so thrilled to read Real Food for Pregnancy. I absolutely love Lily's work. Her evidence-based approach to nutrition is not only relevant during pregnancy, but for the rest of your life! I think every birth professional (midwife, doula, etc.) should have a copy in their lending library for clients.” --Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, Founder of Evidence Based Birth®
Nine Golden Months: The Essential Art of Nurturing the Mother-To-Be, by Heng Ou
About:
There is so much noise surrounding pregnancy and birth. There are countless books teeming with information—what test does what, the “rights” and “wrongs” of eating, and “safe” or “risky” lifestyle choices—but few that hold a woman through the experience, acting as an elder sister, a matriarch, or as a circle of women might hold her—with compassion, nonjudgment, and, most of all, wisdom. To the authors of Nine Golden Months, this is exactly what’s needed now, in an era of high-speed living, endless demands, and more than a little anxiety and fear.
A woman needs to feel connected to others, rooted in the knowledge that many have done this before her, and calmed and fortified by time-honored practices that nourish her body, soothe her mind, and hold up her spirit. The (still-growing) success of The First Forty Days showed that women are longing to experience the deeper aspects of becoming a mother. Nine Golden Months shares timeless guidance from the authors’ extraordinary circle of practitioners, guides, and wisdom-keepers specializing in prenatal care; it draws from Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and features rituals and self-sourced wisdom, so that it addresses all aspects of a woman’s pregnancy experience: emotional, mental, physiological, and spiritual.
What people think:
“Nine Golden Months is a gorgeous guide to all things pregnancy.
Unlike so many of the cookie cutter pregnancy books out there, this book takes a holistic and elemental approach to preparing for motherhood. It’s inspiring and grounded. I loved the consistent suggestion to slow down and be with the process of pregnancy rather than hurry up and check child creating off a to do list!!
Beautifully written and filled with delicious recipes, this book has something for all mama’s to be!!!
Reading this book reminded me that the foundation of how we approach pregnancy sets the tone for who we become as mothers
I wish someone had gifted this book to me on day one of my journey to motherhood. I will absolutely be gifting it to all the expecting parents I know.. .not to mention making the Warming Cardamom Rose Milk and Roasted Lemony Chicken because…. yum!!!
Gorgeous, heartfelt and beautiful all around. I love what happens when these three authors come together….”
Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation, by Pam England
About:
Here is a holistic approach to childbirth that examines this profound rite-of-passage not as a medical event but as an act of self-discovery. Exercises and activities such as journal writing, meditation, and painting will help mothers analyze their thoughts and face their fears during pregnancy. For use during birth, the book offers proven techniques for coping with labor pain without drugs, a discussion of the doctor or midwife’s role, and a look at the father’s responsibilities. Childbirth education should also include what to expect after the baby is born. Here are baby basics, such as how to bathe a newborn, how to get the little one to sleep, and tips for getting nursing off to a good start. Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is a process of continuous learning and adjustment; Birthing From Within provides the necessary support and education to make each phase of birthing a rewarding experience.
What people think:
“Overall, I'd recommend this book highly to all who are pregnant - although those hoping for a natural or home birth will get the most benefit, those planning a Cesarean, or desiring an epidural, will also find that this guide offers valuable and non-judgmental advice for being ready for the challenges ahead.”
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know, by Emily Oster
About:
Pregnancy—unquestionably one of the most profound, meaningful experiences of adulthood—can reduce otherwise intelligent women to, well, babies. Pregnant women are told to avoid cold cuts, sushi, alcohol, and coffee without ever being told why these are forbidden. Rules for prenatal testing are similarly unexplained. Moms-to-be desperately want a resource that empowers them to make their own right choices.
What people think:
“Emily Oster is the non-judgmental girlfriend holding our hand and guiding us through pregnancy and motherhood. She has done the work to get us the hard facts in a soft, understandable way.” —Amy Schumer
Hypnobirthing: A Natural Approach To A Safe, Easier, More Comfortable Birthing, by Marie Mongan
About:
HypnoBirthing® has gained momentum around the globe as a positive and empowering method of childbirth. Here's why: HypnoBirthing helps women to become empowered by developing an awareness of the instinctive birthing capability of their bodies. It greatly reduces the pain of labor and childbirth; frequently eliminates the need for drugs; reduces the need for caesarian surgery or other doctor-controlled birth interventions; and it also shortens birthing and recovery time, allowing for better and earlier bonding with the baby, which has been proven to be vital to the mother-child bond. What's more, parents report that their infants sleep better and feed more easily when they haven't experienced birth trauma.
What people think:
"What HypnoBirthing gave me was a greater sense of my inner strength, and it empowered me through my labor." —Better Homes & Gardens
The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Genevieve Howland
About:
The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth is the modern (and yet ancient) approach to pregnancy and childbirth. "Natural" recognizes that pregnancy and birth are normal, and that having a baby is a wondrous biological process and rite of passage--not a medical condition. This book draws upon the latest research showing how beneficial and life-changing natural birth is for both babies and moms.
Full of weekly advice and tips for a healthy pregnancy, Howland details vital nutrition to take, natural remedies for common and troublesome symptoms, as well as the appropriate (and inappropriate) use of interventions.
What you'll learn in this book:
Your perfect pregnancy diet (with weekly recipes)
How to ditch toxins in your beauty & cleaning routine
Natural remedies for common pregnancy symptoms
The truth about epidurals (and other interventions)
How to create your birth "dream team"
How & why to eat your placenta (or not)
Natural pain relief during labor
What to do during each stage of labor
Tips to navigate all those newborn interventions
How to start breastfeeding on the right foot, er, boob
What people think:
“A must-read, comprehensive guide that empowers moms-to-be for a natural pregnancy and birth. Genevieve's funny stories and the beautiful illustrations will keep you hooked week after week, through your delivery date and beyond.” --Vani Hari, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Food Babe Way
Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy: Navigating the Wild, Weird, and Wonderful Journey From Conception Through Birth and Beyond, by Leslie Schrock
About:
Feeling overwhelmed? Confused by conflicting advice? Bumpin' will radically transform your pregnancy journey to one of confidence and optimism. With over a decade of experience advising women's healthcare and technology companies, Leslie Schrock distills cutting-edge research into your most comprehensive pregnancy guide—from conception through the newborn months.
What people think:
"A smart, approachable guide packed with practical advice for parents who want a science-backed, individualized approach to pregnancy." -Linda Avey, Co-founder 23andMe
50 Things to Do Before You Deliver: The First Time Moms Pregnancy Guide, by Jill Krause
About:
If you're getting ready to have your first baby, you have plenty to be excited about—and plenty to worry about. Centered on what's most important to expecting moms, 50 Things to Do Before You Deliver narrows the vast field of pregnancy advice to 50 specific, proactive steps for confidence and peace of mind before the baby arrives. Unlike other pregnancy books for first time
moms, this book includes only what you really need and leaves out the rest.
What people think:
"With four kids of her own and over a decade of experience networking with other mothers online, Jill Krause has the experience and the humor to help you prepare for what real life is like with a baby. Centering truths that seasoned mothers often forget or just don’t want to discuss at all, this is the pregnancy book I wish I’d had 14 years ago before I gave birth to what felt like an alien." —Heather B. Armstrong, creator of dooce®
What to Do When You're Having Two: The Twins Survival Guide from Pregnancy Through the First Year, by Natalie Diaz
About:
A mom of fraternal twins and a world-renowned expert on parenting multiples, author Natalie Diaz launched Twiniversity, the world's leading global resource for twin parenting information and support online. Now, with her expanded edition of What to Do, she includes new information on breastfeeding, gear,
sleep, and having two when you already have one, as well as:
• creating your twin birth plan,
• maintaining a realistic sleep schedule,
• managing tandem breastfeeding,
• stocking up on what you'll need (and knowing what high-tech products are now available and
what's a waste of money), and
• building a special bond with each of your twins.
Accessible, informative, and humorous, What to Do When You're Having Two is the must-have manual for every parent of twins.
What people think:
“This book will literally be your survival guide to having twins! Natalie Diaz does a great job preparing twin parents on their journey to parenting TWO babies… and makes you laugh along the way!”
Rebirth: The Journey of Pregnancy After a Loss, by Joey Miller
About:
The challenges of having another pregnancy after loss can be extensive from a physical/medical standpoint alone, but no more so than the emotional and psychological hurdles. Therapist and social worker Joey Miller has counseled women and their families on exactly these matters for nearly twenty years.
She brings deep compassion, knowledge, and wisdom of both the emotional and physical roller coasters to help women and their partners tackle all the tough issues:
How to talk to your doctor
How to handle the emotional fallout, including dealing with your children, family members, and friends
Physical assessments and considerations
How to get the emotional support you need
Support for partners/spouses
and more
Other than personal accounts of pregnancy after loss, no other book addresses what to expect when expecting goes horribly wrong . . . and then beyond. Rebirth provides a road map for that journey. With concrete help navigating the immediate aftermath of tragedy and the difficulties re-acclimating to a very fertile world to the very mixed emotions of grieving while trying to conceive, Rebirth addresses the inconceivable with deep empathy and practical wisdom.
What people think:
"I have worked with Joey Miller as both an obstetrician working in Chicago and as a patient myself. It was because of Joey that I was able to return to delivering babies in the very hospital I lost my own. I know [this book] will help women who are grieving as well as the health professionals who grieve alongside them but often struggle with how best to support their patients emotionally."―Gwyneth Bryant, MD, Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Prentice Women's Hospital, Chicago, and Clinical Instructor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians: How to Stay Sane and Care for Yourself from Pre-conception through Birth, by Rachel Pepper
About:
The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians covers everything you need to make the thrilling and challenging journey to motherhood: from choosing a donor to tracking fertility to signing the right papers on the dotted lines. Rachel Pepper's lively, easy-to-read guide is the first place to go for up-to-date information and sage advice on everything from sex in the sixth month to negotiating family roles. Why a second edition? When the acclaimed first edition appeared, the author's daughter was only a few months old. This new edition takes into account the parenting know-how Pepper has developed over the intervening six years, as well as the evolving legal status of lesbian parents, and the increasing importance of the Internet for information on fertility, sperm banks, and donors. The resource section is greatly expanded, as are the sections on each trimester of pregnancy, on childbirth, and on life with a newborn. And Pepper provides more insight into preconception planning for both single lesbians and couples. An indispensable resource, The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians is now bigger and better.
What people think:
"At last, a lesbian-specific treatise on making a baby and what to do with it once it arrives. Includes lots of bright, funny info about stuff like sperm bank selection and the legal rights of lesbian families." - The Advocate
The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality, by Kimberly Ann Johnson
About:
A guide to help support women through postpartum healing on the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual levels. This holistic guide offers practical advice to support women through postpartum healing on the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual levels—and provides women with a
roadmap to this very important transition that can last from a few months to a
few years. Included:
• how you can prepare your body for birth;
• how you can organize yourself and your household for the best possible transition to
motherhood;
• simple practices and home remedies to facilitate healing and restore energy;
• how to strengthen relationships and aid the return to sex;
• learning to exercise safely postpartum;
• carrying your baby with comfort;
• exploring the complex and often conflicting emotions that arise postpartum;
• and much more.
What people think:
“Birth is our inbuilt experience of initiation to self, but we are in desperate need of sage guidance throughout this otherwise overwhelming and scary transformation. Kimberly Ann Johnson lights the path to our truest, most actualized, and empowered feminine selves...because it begins in the Fourth Trimester. Every mother-to-be and mother-lover needs these pages to learn how to truly honor this mystical transition.”—Kelly Brogan MD, author of the New York Times bestseller, A Mind of Your Own
Transformed by Birth: Cultivating Openness, Resilience, and Strength for the Life-Changing Journey from Pregnancy to Parenthood, by Britta Bushnell
About:
This book embraces birth as a metamorphic experience―a rite of passage in which you are initiated by opening to the unbidden, embodying your own wisdom, and gaining freedom from limiting beliefs. Childbirth is more than just having a baby. Transformed by Birth invites you to discover childbirth as a transformational experience that alters your knowing of who you are and lasts long after pregnancy and birth are over.
What people think:
"Britta, you are a master at what you do." ―P!NK, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor's Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices, by Sarah Buckley
About:
Sarah Buckley might be called a third-wave natural birth advocate. A doctor and a mother, she approaches the question of how a woman and baby might have the most fulfilling birth experience with respect for the wisdom of both medical science and the human body. Using current medical and epidemiological research plus women's experiences (including her own), she demonstrates that what she calls "undisturbed birth" is almost always healthier and safer than high-technology approaches to birth. Her wise counsel on issues like breastfeeding and sleeping during postpartum helps extend the gentle birth experience into a gentle parenting relationship.
What people think:
An authoritative guide to natural childbirth and postpartum parenting options from an MD who home-birthed her own four children. * Speaks to a new generation of parents who are concerned about the medicalization of childbirth and want current and science-based info about alternatives.
Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool, by Emily Oster
About:
As any new parent knows, there is an abundance of often-conflicting advice hurled at you from doctors, family, friends, and strangers on the internet. From the earliest days, parents get the message that they must make certain choices around feeding, sleep, and schedule or all will be lost. There's a rule—or three—for everything. But the benefits of these choices can be overstated, and the trade-offs can be profound. How do you make your own best decision?
What people think:
“Both refreshing and useful. With so many parenting theories driving us all a bit batty, this is the type of book that we need to help calm things down.” —LA Times
A Parent's Guide to a Safer Childbirth: Expecting the Best: Using the Power of Knowledge to Help You Deliver a Healthy Baby, by Gina Mundy
About:
Now YOU can help your baby arrive safely to this world… This one-of-a-kind guide takes expecting parents through the decisions surrounding childbirth to help them ensure the safety and health of both the mother and the baby. A groundbreaking resource for parents that is redefining how they prepare for childbirth.
Get ready to discover:
The most common problems that occur during childbirth and how YOU can help prevent them
Labor and delivery lingo you NEED to know to communicate with your delivery team
The RIGHT way to pick your doctor and hospital for a less stressful delivery
Tips for when your delivery team is NOT at your bedside
The EASY way to determine how your baby is doing at any point during labor
How to create the ULTIMATE birth plan for keeping both you and your baby safe
What people think:
“This book is a game-changer for expecting parents. Written by an attorney with a deep understanding of childbirth, it offers unique insights blending medical and legal expertise. The guidance provided is clear, empowering, and genuinely useful, covering everything from understanding labor lingo to creating the ultimate birth plan. The tips for interacting with the delivery team are invaluable, especially for navigating the less-discussed moments of childbirth. It's reassuring to have such a knowledgeable resource, making me feel more prepared and confident about the safety and health of both mother and baby. A must-read for all parents-to-be”
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother, by Amely Greeven
About:
The first 40 days after the birth of a child offer an essential and fleeting period of rest and recovery for the new mother. As modern mothers are pushed to prematurely “bounce back” after delivering their babies and are often left alone to face the physical and emotional challenges of this new stage of their lives, The First Forty Days provides a lifeline—a source of connection, nourishment, and guidance.
The book includes 60 simple recipes for healing soups, replenishing meals and snacks, and calming and lactation-boosting teas, all formulated to support the unique needs of the new mother. In addition to the recipes, this warm and encouraging guide offers advice on arranging a system of help during the postpartum period, navigating relationship challenges, and honoring the significance of pregnancy and birth.
What people think:
“A great read, especially during the second half of pregnancy. . . . Includes pantry and shopping lists to prepare beforehand, as well as step-by-step instructions for making everything from bone broth to body salves. It discusses how to approach relationships, setting guidelines for visitors, and asking for help and support from family and friends.” —Mother magazine
Welcome to Fatherhood: The Modern Man's Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Fatherhood., by David Arrell
About:
Funny, fast-paced, and full of solid and practical ideas and advice, Welcome to Fatherhood dives right into the challenges that many modern Dads-to-be face as they try to partner up with their pregnant significant others. Not just another take on the “be helpful and supportive” mantra most books preach, this book gets right to the point and gives dozens of specific and detailed tips, tricks, tools, and techniques to help you meet and exceed all of today’s expectations.
Most Dads-to-be want the same things. To better understand and connect to Mama on her pregnancy adventure. To better prepare for Baby’s arrival. To feel like they know what they are doing. To step up successfully into their new role. And most importantly, to be a good partner and Father. Welcome to Fatherhood helps you achieve all these things and more, and have some fun along the way.
What people think:
I have started recommending this book to all my clients. As a doula and lactation consultant I often find dads-to-be not as prepared as they could be. While I like "The Birth Partner" as a prep-book I think "Welcome to Fatherhood" gives insights that the birth partner doesn't give. It truly is written for first-time-dads and grabs their attention by making all topics very accessible. It is written from experience, quite hilarious at times and a great read. Well done- I am sure the workshops are even better than the book!
Written by Sarina Abraham, Doula at Sweet Willow Birth, www.sweetwillowbirth.com