Today, I’m 37w1d pregnant and growing more and more excited by the day (baby girl is officially term!!). In addition to finishing up all the little details (pack a hospital bag, install carseat, buy postpartum supplies, wash all baby clothes / sheets / blankets / swaddles, stock up on household essentials, cook a few more freezer meals, etc.), I have a ton of birthing and infant care books to finish reading before our daughters arrival. Here’s what I’ve decided to read…
The Books I’m Reading to Prepare for Birth & Postpartum
Let me quickly preface my birthing book choices. I’ve always been drawn to holistic, organic, and natural family planning, so it wasn’t really a shock to me (or my husband) when I started toying with the idea of an unmedicated birth. Pretty much all of my birthing books are geared towards unmedicated birth prep. That’s not to say that my list below won’t be useful for you if you know unmedicated isn’t the path you want to take.
The Mama Natural by Genevieve Howland
This was the very first book I cracked open to explore natural, unmedicated birth and of course all things pregnancy. It was an excellent read that made unmedicated birth approachable, it was backed with evidence, and was really great. It also outlined all options and different scenarios to really make you feel informed.
Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley
OK so the Bradley Method is written by a male in the 1960’s, it’s going to a be a little bit old fashioned with a slightly patronizing tone. If you can look past that, and the fact that the book is a bit tough to get through because of the repetitiveness, the odd writing, and nonsensical formatting then you’ll be in good hands. All of the nonsense that comes with the book can be overlooked because the method is sound. The Bradley Method is a must read for anyone who is committed to the idea of a natural, unmedicated birth. Even if you don’t sign up for the 12 week long course…
At first, I wasn’t jiving with this book. It felt like a super watered down version of the meditation classes I attend, but geared towards birth. And then I started skimming and found a few little nuggets of gold. A breakdown of labor pains to experience, how to stay mindful during a contraction, staying present, etc. All in all, the book does have useful pieces of information, but a lot of the rest is just jargon that can be skipped / skimmed. Still recommended though.
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
LOVED this book. Reading Ina May’s experiences as a midwife over the past half a century really gave me confidence that an unmedicated route is the right choice for me and my baby. I feel very empowered reading this book and have never trusted my body more. Excellent must-read for pregnant lady!
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by
Easy to digest with honest and practical information. It touches all aspects of birth and pregnancy in a really approachable way and truly lays out all your options as non-judgmentally as possible. They say if you’re only going to buy one book for pregnancy / birth / infant care, this is the one to buy.
The Womanly Art of Breast Feeding by
I haven’t even cracked this open, but it was on my midwife and doulas list of must-read books. The Breastfeeding Center of Greater Washington also highly recommends it, so at some point I’ll give it a go because I do plan on breastfeeding.
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
This was a gift given to me by one of my clients who swears by this book. It discusses ways to sooth a crying baby and focuses a lot on the ‘fourth trimester’ which is a theory that deeply resonates with me. I’m very excited to crack this book open!
What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
I bought What to Expect When You’re Expecting as soon as I found out I was pregnant. This was before I knew anything about pregnancy or the birthing process. Because everyone buys that book, right? Wrong! My doula and midwives advise everyone to stay clear of it. It uses a ton of fear based language, information is extremelly broad and general, and isn’t backed up by facts. PASS!
I’m now on maternity leave and have nothing but time on my hands to finish up this reading list! Wish me luck, Baby Girl can make her appearance literally any day now…