If you are a brand new mom, then you might be a little anxious about your pregnancy and your future dive into parenthood.
If this sounds right, then don’t worry, because there are tons of books out there that can help ease your anxieties and help you learn all the ins and outs of your pregnancy and parenthood.
Pregnancy is your time to relax and to begin learning all about your body and your new baby. If you’re a first time mom, then you probably will have a lot of questions about changes that are happening to your own body.
Plus, you probably have a ton of questions about how your baby is developing and growing.
Your OB/GYN is a great resource for you and your new baby. She can help answer all of your questions about how your baby is developing and how your body is changing.
However, often OB/GYN appointments are rushed and you may not get to ask all of the questions you have. For this reason, reading pregnancy books is a great idea.
Here are the top eight pregnancy books that you should pick up at the library.
1. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Most first time moms are a little less worried about pregnancy, and a little more worried about labor and delivery.
Moms all around the world have heard horror stories about labor and delivery, and these stories can make even the most strong willed women cringe.
This book is the perfect addition to your library if you are worried about the exit route for your baby.
Ina May talks about the ins and outs of delivery and labor and gives new moms tips on how to make it through labor as peacefully as possible. It is a must-read for any expectant mother.
2. Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
If you are interested in learning about the development of your baby in utero, then this book is for you. The Mayo Clinic is a highly esteemed hospital that is known around the world for being the best of the best.
They’ve put together this pregnancy book to help moms and dads learn a bit more about their child.
This book contains charts on your baby’s growth and breaks down their growth into each week of your pregnancy.
Plus, it goes over all of the weird pregnancy symptoms and helps you realize what is normal and what isn’t.
3. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley, Ann Keppler, Janelle Durham, and April Bolding
This book is a wonderful go to guide for any mom who is just filled with anxiety about all aspects of her pregnancy.
It covers every topic surrounding pregnancy, labor, delivery and the first few months of the baby’s life. This book has been around since 1979 and still stands up to critics to this day.
It has been revised numerous times and includes up to date research and information for mothers in this day and age.
4. Expecting 411: The Insider’s Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Michele Hakakha and Ari Brown
If you are looking for a book with a bit more comedic relief along with the hard hitting facts, then this book is for you.
It is a wonderful resource for brand new moms and pregnant women, and offers a bit of humor to help ease your anxieties.
5. The Pregnancy Countdown Book: Nine Months of Practical Tips, Useful Advice, and Uncensored Truths by Susan Magee with Kara Nakisbendi, MD
This unique book offers 9 months worth of tips and tricks to help you get through your pregnancy.
It breaks your pregnancy down month by month and helps you cope with all of the changes that are happening in your body.
6. The Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy by Viki Iovine
If you are looking for a book that is written in more colloquial terms and less medical research terms, then this book is for you.
While reading this book, you feel as if you’re talking to your best friend who is absolutely full of knowledge about your pregnancy.
It is a wonderful book that delivers the hard hitting facts about pregnancy and labor, but does so in a way that is easy to read and understand.
7. The Pregnancy Instruction Manual: Essential Information, Troubleshooting Tips, and Advice for Parents-to-Be by Sarah Jordan with David Ufberg, MD
All of the major appliances in your home have come with user manuals right? So, why not read a user manual about your pregnancy and childbirth?
This book is an easy to read manual that allows you to learn quickly about various months of your pregnancy and any weird or out of the ordinary symptoms that you may experience.
8. 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
If you are going to read just one pregnancy book throughout your pregnancy, then this should definitely be on the top of your short list.
This book offers a wide variety of advice about each month of your pregnancy, and backs up each piece of advice with years and years of research.
It isn’t a book that contains a lot of fluff, but it does contain hard hitting facts that are full of truth. It provides new moms and dads with a variety of topics that are important to pregnancy, delivery, and for when you take your new baby home.
Reading pregnancy books throughout your pregnancy can help ease some of your anxieties surrounding your body and your baby.
Plus, many pregnancy books also contain great information about labor and delivery to help you get through your baby’s debut.
These eight books are a great place to start your journey into pregnancy literature. With these books and your OB/GYN, you will be set to have a healthy and happy pregnancy.
