How did you feel the moment you found out about your pregnancy? Shocked? Excited? Scared? All of them? It’s normal to experience a wide range of emotions, especially for first-time moms and dads-to-be.
It can be terrifying not knowing what to expect and how to be prepared for the next nine months. Every pregnancy is different.
So, even if you’re expecting your second baby(or your third), you might have many questions about the changes happening in your body and are looking for reliable resources to get as many practical tips and medical information as possible.
In this article, I’m going to make you a list of pregnancy books so that you can be best prepared for pregnancy, childbirth, and your new life once the baby arrives.
So if you are wondering which types of books to read during pregnancy, read on!
10 Best Pregnancy Books to Read
There are many pregnancy books, and it can be challenging for new parents-to-be to decide which one they need to read. Getting the ones supported by evidence-based research and written by the subject matter experts is essential.
Here is a list of the 10 best pregnancy books categorized by type.
Most Popular Book
What To Expect When You’re Expecting
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The most popular pregnancy book is What to Expect When You’re Expecting. This book is filled with the latest information on pregnancy, practical advice, helpful tips, and everything a pregnant woman needs to know about pregnancy and childbirth.
It’s a 600+ page book that breaks down pregnancy week by week. It covers everything you need to know about pregnancy symptoms, the development of the baby, postpartum complications, and ways to cope with pregnancy loss.
It even has a small chapter that includes useful information for dads-to-be.
Data-Driven Book
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong—and What You Really Need to Know
This book is written by award-winning economist Emily Oster, who did a pretty cool job debunking the most common pregnancy myths. She found that most of them are misguided, and some are simply wrong.
From caffeine’s real effects to gardening’s surprising dangers, she evaluated and examined pregnancy do’s and don’ts using data.
In her book, she also explained why some foods should be avoided during pregnancy while other foods and drinks in moderation don’t harm the baby.
This book includes clinical research and provides the correct data to make an informed decision about your body, health, and growing baby.
Book for Expectant Father
The Expectant Father; The ultimate guide for dads-to-be
Those nine months of pregnancy can be pretty intimidating to an expectant father. This book is a useful tool for dads-to-be to understand the baby’s growth, take good care of their pregnant partner and support them through the joys and challenges of pregnancy.
Anything you need to know, from fertility, prenatal care, and delivery to the first few months after your baby’s birth, is illustrated with cartoons to make this a fun read.
This book is filled with real-life experiences of many parents and expert advice from leading OB-GYNs, and it also covers financial planning and work-life balance with a new baby.
An excellent read for your birth partner and to prepare them for fatherhood!
Book for First-time Parents-to-be
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy: From Doctors Who Are Parents, Too!
The Mayo Clinic’s “Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy” features a 40-week pregnancy calendar and a symptoms guide. The calendar works like a pregnancy journal where expectant parents can track their baby’s development each week.
You can also find out what weekly changes the mom-to-be can expect throughout the pregnancy. This comprehensive guide contains information about fertility, prenatal care, typical pregnancy symptoms, and postpartum conditions.
If you can’t decide what’s safe to eat, what type of birth plan suits you the best, when to go back to work (after the baby arrives), or if your baby boy should be circumcised, this book can be your guide to help you weigh your options and make an informed decision.
Activity Book
50 Things to Do Before You Deliver: The First Time Moms Pregnancy Guide
Too much information and unsolicited pregnancy advice can be overwhelming, right? To make things simpler, this book narrowed down the steps before the baby arrives from unlimited to 50. It’s organized by trimesters and includes only the information that you’d need.
For different stages in pregnancy, you’ll get specific guidance and a list of proactive steps to feel empowered and well-prepared to welcome a healthy baby.
If you’re someone who loves lists and real-life information from other moms, OB-GYNs, and midwives, you might find this book helpful.
Natural Birthing Book
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
It’s a classic pregnancy book written by Ina May Gaskin, who has more than 30 years of experience as a midwife. This book explains what happens during labor and how to work best with your doctor or doula to make birth enjoyable.
In this book, she focused on empowering women and provided tips to maximize your chance to give natural birth(without drugs) with reduced labor pain.
She encouraged women to have faith in their body’s ancient wisdom and strength for a fantastic birthing experience to avoid postpartum bleeding and depression.
As an expectant mother, if you want a holistic approach but are worried about home birth or natural hospital birth, reading this book can help you feel empowered as it’s filled with natural birth stories and practical tips.
Nutrition Books
Best Eating Guide: “What to Eat When You’re Pregnant: A Week-by-Week Guide to Support Your Health and Your Baby’s Development
What pregnant women eat can have a lasting effect on their developing baby’s brain development and behavior. This book is a week-by-week nutrition guide to what to eat to support a healthy pregnancy and baby’s development.
This nutrition guide gives a clear picture of your body’s needs and includes 50 recipes to help you stick to a healthy diet. It also has a section on breastfeeding and expert advice on continuing to eat well even after giving birth.
Holistic Childbirth Book
The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth
This holistic-focused book stresses that having a baby is a normal yet wondrous biological process that shouldn’t be treated as a medical condition. Using an evidence-based research approach, this book clarifies the life-changing significance of natural birth.
It’s filled with week-by-week advice for every step of pregnancy. It also includes expert insights, nutrition tips, natural remedies to manage common and weird pregnancy symptoms, and positive natural birth stories from women of all backgrounds.
Multiple Pregnancy Book
What to Do When You’re Having Two: The Twins Survival Guide from Pregnancy Through the First Year
Expecting twins? The shock, excitement, and anxiety are doubled when you discover that you’re going to be a parent of two (or more). Now, you need to learn about things like multiple pregnancies, tandem breastfeeding, and creating a birth plan for twins.
Lucky for you, this book has got you covered. It includes twin-specific information on budgeting for twins, breastfeeding, necessary gear, sleep, and managing and bonding with two babies when you already have one.
This comprehensive and humorous book will help you get through your first year with twins.
Spiritual Book
The Mindful Mother: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Enjoying Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond with Mindfulness
The Mindful Mother is a pregnancy book that helps moms-to-be better understand their pregnancy journey. It explores the joy and challenges of a new mom from a mindful perspective.
This book is organized into clear, thematic sections that provide mindful exercises and techniques to help your mind work with you instead of working against you. It’s filled with many great tips to help moms survive and find happiness in their new role as a mother.
Based on the principles of yoga and Buddhism, this book can help you be better equipped to deal with common mothering dilemmas and postpartum depression by cultivating a daily practice of mindfulness.
Conclusion
The type of books you read during pregnancy is essential in helping you stay stress-free and enjoy your pregnancy journey. Finding the right book for you might take some time, and one book might not have all the information you’re looking for.
So, take your time to explore so that you can find the books that suit your lifestyle, needs, and circumstances best.
