Pregnancy books help women during pregnancy. They help you to go through difficult times with help.
We all agree that there is no such thing as an easy pregnancy. All pregnancies come with their own unique disturbances and discomforts.
A lot of pregnant women experience nausea, weight gain, forgetfulness, and even changes in their hair and skin.
First-time moms find their first pregnancy the most difficult and most can’t wait for those 9 months to be over.
Reading pregnancy books even before you get pregnant can help you know what to expect, prepare you for the 9 months journey, and help ease your anxiousness.
Importance Of Pregnancy Books
A lot of studies have shown that expecting mothers can get help from books to encourage and inspire them throughout their pregnancy journey.
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Pregnant women experience a lot of anxieties during pregnancy, and these usually cause a lot of unpredictability and uncertainty.
Reading pregnancy books will help you deal with these feelings of uncertainty by giving you the assurance that is difficult to find in reality.
They also give you tips on how to handle these feelings and emotions and how to take care of yourself during your 9 months of pregnancy.
First-time moms never know what they are going to experience in these 9 months of pregnancy, but pregnancy books help prepare them.
Reading also distracts the mind and helps pregnant women escape the reality they are facing. By reading pregnancy books, you are educating yourself about this condition and knowing what to expect.
This will help you prepare well and understand what is going on without anxiety.
How Pregnancy Books Can Help You
Some of the important ways pregnancy books can help you in your journey and make pregnancy less stressful are:
- They make you less anxious. By telling you what to expect and by sharing numerous experiences, pregnancy books remove the fear of the unknown.
These books give a form of reassurance. They relieve stress and help take your mind off the difficulty that you are experiencing.
- Pregnancy books answer all your questions, including those that you are afraid to ask. You will learn about the growth of your baby and how to take care of yourself during and after pregnancy.
Pregnancy books explain every step you have to take to prepare for your baby’s arrival. You can’t ask your friends and family members all the questions, they may be less than forthcoming with the information you need.
This is why you need good pregnancy books.
- Reading pregnancy books helps you understand what is happening to your body. This will give you the power to make the right choices for you and your baby.
These books will explain why you are experiencing the changes that are happening and how to address them. This understanding will help you feel that you are in control and you won’t have any sense of loss.
- Reading helps to balance your emotions. Your emotions can get out of control during pregnancy, one moment you are calm, and the next moment, your mind is racing with anxiety.
Reading about pregnancy will help you stay balanced.
You will feel contained like a whole person. Pregnancy books will give you a sense of perspective and calm that can help you make good decisions for yourself and your baby.
How To Choose Pregnancy Books
In this section, we will cover what to look out for in a pregnancy book. This will help you in making the right choice.
Reputable information
Make sure that the pregnancy book you are reading is from a reputable source. This doesn’t mean that the book must be written by a physician, what we are trying to say is that the book must be backed by science.
Look up the author/writer and ensure that they are legit.
Know your requirement
Are you expecting twins? Are you a surrogate mom? Or, a first-time mom? Look for pregnancy books that suit your requirements.
There are lots of pregnancy books but there is that book that matches your tastes, requirements, and personality.
Make sure you pick a book that is suitable for you. This will make reading interesting and you will absorb the advice easily if you relate to the content.
The 20 Best Pregnancy Books
Here are some of the best pregnancy books that will help you.
1. What to expect when you’re expecting by Heidi Murkoff
This great book is one of the best options for expecting moms who want a comprehensive book on pregnancy.
It contains chapters on specific information during pregnancy like the symptoms of pregnancy, the needed lifestyle for pregnancy, information for dads, information for carrying multiples, and also week-by-week development information.
Don’t let the 600+ pages discourage you from reading, you may not need every single page on this book.
This book is highly comprehensive and has an accompanying app.
2. 50 things to do before you deliver: The first time moms pregnancy guide by Jill Krause
First-time moms reading this post should get this book. It is also one of the best activity books for pregnant women.
The chapters are organized by trimesters thereby helping you to take one step at a time.
It has specific guidance and activities that are tailored to meet every stage of pregnancy.
This pregnancy book is instructive and logical. It is bursting with real-life information.
Pregnant women who love lists and step-by-step guides will love this book. It is also quick to read when compared with other pregnancy books but it is not as in-depth as other options.
3. Expecting better: Why conventional pregnancy wisdom is wrong by Emily Oster
This is the best data-driven pregnancy book on our list. It is written by an award-winning economist.
Emily Oster debunks myths and explains pregnancy by evaluating data. She presents and examines data on almost every decision pregnant women will need to make.
Emily Oster encourages them to make their own informed choice. You will appreciate the calm and informative tone in this book.
This pregnancy book also includes clinical research and it is a quick read. However, there are some reports of printing errors in the hard/physical copy.
4. The mama natural week-by-week guide to pregnancy and childbirth by Genevive Howland
Pregnant moms who are into holistic health and practices will love this book. It provides weekly advice, a holistic-focused point of view, and helpful recipes.
Genevive Howland emphasizes in the book that having a baby is a wonderful biological process and not a medical condition. This is the overall focus of this book.
This pregnancy book is full of weekly advice for every stage of pregnancy and it contains expert advice, birth stories, natural remedies, and nutrition tips.
Please note that some explanations and claims in this book are not based on allopathic science but are views and practices based on naturopathic science.
5. The expectant father: The ultimate guide by Armin A. Brott
This pregnancy book is unique and it is one of the best for new dads. Pregnancy books are not just for women, dads too can get involved with their own expectant father book.
Armin wrote this book just for dads-to-be. It is organized by months and gives them all the tools they need to support their partners.
He also gives them tips on how to prepare for the arrival of their new baby and take care of themselves during the exciting 9 months of pregnancy ahead.
This pregnancy book for dads is a quick read and also includes information on having multiples and even adoptions.
However, it is not as in-depth as other options.
6. Bumpin’: The modern guide to Pregnancy by Leslie Shrock
Expecting moms and parents-to-be (dads inclusive) will appreciate this pregnancy book. It is written in a frank and funny style.
This modern guide for pregnancy includes clinical research mixed with practical advice from a bevy of experts like ob-gyns, doulas, therapists, pelvic floor therapists, lactation experts, and many more.
The combination of information in this useful book is presented trimester-by-trimester, pregnancy symptoms and relief, exercise, registry tips, and important decisions to consider.
The tone of this pregnancy book is lighthearted but you may not find it in-depth as other options.
7. Say No to placenta pics by Jillian M. Parsons
This is one of the best humorous pregnancy books out there. It is a quick read with a lighthearted tone and is highly relatable.
This pregnancy book is a light and funny guide most pregnant women will love. Co-authored by 2 girlfriends, it is an uncensored tell-all guide to pregnancy.
This pregnancy book can be used as a gift to a pregnant woman you care about, it will have her cracking up.
However, this pregnancy book is not as full of traditional information as other ones.
8. What to do when you are having two by Natalie Diaz
This is one of the best pregnancy books for multiples. It can be a big shock finding out that you are expecting twins.
This book will help you calm some of your nerves. It is a very good and well-loved twin survival guide.
This comprehensive book for pregnancy contains lots of information from pregnancy through the first year.
It has twin-specific information that will help expecting parents plan for the unexpected. It will also help them expect changes and challenges that having two babies bring.
This pregnancy book is a quick read and includes practical advice. It is written in a lighthearted tone.
9. Successful surrogacy an intended parent’s guide by Susan MZ Fuller
Many women want to but cannot have their own babies due to some medical condition and these depend on surrogacy to have their own children.
If you are one of such and you are considering surrogacy, don’t be discouraged or feel bad. Just know that the path to parenthood isn’t the same for everyone.
This pregnancy book is a guide for intended parents on the path of surrogacy. It helps intended parents and surrogates have a rewarding relationship throughout their pregnancy journey together.
It is written by an experienced gestational surrogate, Susan MZ Fuller and she helps in demystifying this process. Also, it is a quick read and has helpful “ask yourself” prompts.
10. Nurture: A modern guide to pregnancy, birth, early motherhood, and trusting yourself and your body by Erica Chidi Cohen
This book is written by a doula and she walks you through the months of pregnancy and early post-partum phase in a comforting and non-condescending way.
This pregnancy book has lots of calm and collected advice.
The author also includes recipes and exercises (both physical and spiritual) for each month to keep you going.
As a doula, she focuses on your labor and birth goals with a helpful “birth letter” exercise. She also offers a nice balance of hippie and brass tacks advice in this book.
What we love best about this pregnancy book is that it discusses postpartum nurturing. Birth recovery is very important for most pregnant women.
11. Mayo Clinic guide to a healthy pregnancy
This is one of the most reliable pregnancy books.
This pregnancy book will guide you through your first, second, and third trimesters. They present facts but not in a scary way.
If you want a trustworthy reference book for pregnancy that is not burdensome or cumbersome to read, go for this book.
It gives details about everything that can go wrong and it also includes a 40-week pregnancy calendar and a symptoms guide.
12. Ina May’s guide to childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
The author of this wonderful pregnancy book, Ina May, regards pregnancy and childbirth as natural processes. She believes women’s bodies are designed for these and know how to do these.
This pregnancy book gives women confidence in their bodies and in their ability to handle birth.
Gaskin is a long-time activist and writes her book with a very strong point of view. She criticizes the medical establishment to a point that most readers deem it unfair.
However, in a podcast interview, she said she never intended to make mothers feel guilty if they end up needing a medical birth.
Expectant mothers that are into holistic or natural medicine will like this book. If you disagree with her criticisms, it is still advisable you get this book, it is interesting and filled with birth stories of individual women.
She describes the wide range of physical sensations people feel when giving birth. Since her book focuses on positive birth stories, it will help you feel less scared and more optimistic about labor.
13. The womanly art of breastfeeding
This pregnancy book covers everything about pregnancy including breastfeeding. This book will prepare you for any issue and empower you with the knowledge that you can walk through all these issues.
Although this book can make you feel guilty about leaving your baby for work.
But apart from this, it is a great read and super-helpful for expectant moms.
The author also provides a lot of helpful information about getting around various practical breastfeeding difficulties.
14. The birth partner: A complete guide to childbirth for dads, doulas, and all other labor companions 4th edition by Penny Simkin
This pregnancy book is the best for partners and the sole goal is to mold your spouse to an outstanding and empathetic birth trainer.
It runs your spouse through each of the conventional need-to-knows like how to get ready for labor, how to know when labor starts, what an epidural is, and when a Caesarean birth may be needed.
Apart from these, this amazing book is also packaged with actionable procedures, guides, and spot-on advice.
15. Pregnancy, childbirth, and the newborn: The complete guide by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley, Ann Keppler, Janelle Durham, and April Bolding
This pregnancy book delivers exactly what it states, it covers all aspects of pregnancy, delivery, and the early stage of your baby.
It was first published in 1979 but it has been revised numerous times.
This pregnancy book is one of the most popular as it is filled with lots of information on what to expect with your growing belly, the right nutrition, the latest research, and the answers to your baby-based questions.
This is one of the must-have books during pregnancy.
16. Expecting 411: The insider’s guide to pregnancy and childbirth by Michele Hakakha and Ari Brown
One thing most readers love about this book is the conversational tone and the light humor. This makes it easier to digest the overwhelming information.
This pregnancy book written by an ob-gyn and a pediatrician will set your mind at ease. So when you start panicking about what’s going on in your body or your developing fetus, reach out to this book.
17. The pregnancy countdown book: 9 months of practical tips, useful advice, and uncensored truths by Susan Magee with Kara Nakisbendi M.D
The authors of this pregnancy book use the less-is-best approach in offering up bite-sized chunks of relevant information.
This pregnancy book contains expert advice with real mom anecdotal examples. It is a good read for pregnant women who want to understand what’s going on in their bodies.
18. The pregnancy instruction manual: Essential information, troubleshooting tips, and advice for parents-to-be by Sarah Jordan with David Ufberg M.D
Electronics, appliances, and cars all come with instruction manuals, so why can’t pregnancy have an instruction manual?
This pregnancy instruction manual put together by two authors contains clear graphics and helpful tips for soon-to-be moms and dads.
It is loaded with information and answers to most of your questions.
19. The healthy pregnancy book: Month by month, everything you need to know from America’s baby experts by William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN.
This pregnancy book offers differing opinions on how best to grow and develop a healthy baby in your belly. This can leave you confused.
But what we love about this book and why we included it on our list is that it provides well-rounded data to help you decide what is best for you and your baby.
It covers a lot of topics on pregnancy including nutrition and lifestyle.
20. Mommy IQ: The complete guide to pregnancy by Rosie Pope
This book empowers you and gives you the calm to go through your nine months of pregnancy.
The author even offers maternity fashion and lifestyle tips for expectant mothers.
All this information is packed in this quick read pregnancy book, she doesn’t go overboard and she doesn’t stress you out.
Conclusion on Pregnancy Books
Reading distracts the mind, empowers you with information, and helps you go through your pregnancy with ease.
We hope you find the best pregnancy book that suits you and we wish you a happy pregnancy journey and safe delivery.
If you have any pregnancy books that are good and you would love to recommend, please let us know in the comment section. Also check out cute and inexpensive maternity wear here.
