So you just found out you’re pregnant. Congratulations! You may be feeling super excited, maybe even a bit scared or overwhelmed by all things you are just now realizing you don’t know about pregnancy and babies. It is time to get educated!
As you do a quick search online or browse the shelves at your local bookstore, you come to realize that there are a ton of books out there and it is hard to know which one to choose. There is so much information out to sort through; you may not know where to begin. So we have done all of the work for you by gathering recommendations from other fellow moms!
The following is a list of some great reads about pregnancy and life with baby. The best of the best pregnancy books recommended by many experienced mommies out there so you don’t have to waste your time with all the others.
“For Moms Who Want To Know Everything About Her Pregnancy”
The Pregnancy Countdown Book
If you are looking for a lighthearted and a bit humorous read, then The Pregnancy Countdown Book by Susan Magee
is for you. It provides you with day to day guide that gives you great encouragement for any expecting mom. It is also great for getting those questions that you want answers to but may be a bit too embarrassed to ask. It doesn’t sugar coat what pregnancy is really like – the bad, the uncomfortable and the ugly but Susan Magee does highlight and reminds us how rewarding pregnancy can be. There are also many good pregnancy tips in the book, so you know you are getting well rounded information. For the first time mom, this is a great first pregnancy book to read!
Mayo Clinic Guide To A Healthy Pregnancy
For moms who had read “What To Expect When You Are Expecting”, many of you will be aware that the book instills quite a bit of fear and paranoia with its attention to everything that can go wrong during your pregnancy. Though it is quite informative, the book is known to have kept some new expecting mom’s up at night. If you are looking for a better alternative, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
is it. Very well organized, this book makes it very easy to find information about any topic that you are looking for and gives it to you in a straightforward manner. Complete with week-by-week chapters, this book is full of great information and is best at easing those early pregnancy anxieties many new expecting moms may have.
“For Moms Who Are Interested In Pregnancy Fitness And Health”
How To Exercise When You’re Expecting
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This pregnancy book by Linsay Brin
is great for those who already have a workout routine and want to know how to customize it now that they are pregnant. Each workout can be customized to your level that you are comfortable with and are easy to understand and follow. There are also many different exercises broken down by trimester so you can make the necessary adjustments to your growing body. In addition to the exercise, the book also contains a nutrition guide that has many great and easy to make recipes that won’t limit you to only salads.
Primal Moms Look Good Naked
Primal Moms Look Good Naked by Peggy Emch
is a great healthy lifestyle pregnancy book in which you can find lots of information about how to eat healthier foods and how certain foods can help reduce some of those awful side effects that can happen while pregnant. With the author’s own experiences and years of scientific research, she is able to give you the tools to achieve and maintain excellent health while you’re growing that wonderful baby inside you. There are a lot of changes that go on within a woman’s body during pregnancy and this book is a great informational guide about it.
“For Expecting Moms Who Want To Laugh”
Belly Laughs
If you are looking for a good chuckle and a downright fun book to read, Belly Laughs
is a great choice. Author, Jenny McCarthy is hilarious and gives us a humorous take on what women really go through while pregnant. She has stories that will make you laugh out loud and can completely relate to. She tells brilliantly funny accounts about her own pregnancy experience that many expecting women have gone through. This is truly a fun read and will give you a break from all those textbook pregnancy information!
“For Expecting Moms Who Are Excited About Nesting”
Baby Bargains
You may be a bit overwhelmed with all the items that you are going to need for the arrival of your new bundle of joy and the total cost may be freaking you out a bit. Baby Bargains
is a great guide on how to save money during that first year of parenthood. Between all the new furniture, equipment, clothing, and diapers – having a new baby can be very costly. Inside the book, Baby Bargains will let you know the best places that offer the best baby item discounts, give you great reviews on baby products, how to save money, and how to affordably baby proof your home. They also have an awesome and very true list of ridiculous baby products that you should never buy and the biggest money wastes when it comes to baby clothes. After reading you will be better equipped to know what to spend your money on and how to save the most money.
“For The Moms Who Want To Document Everything”
The Belly Book
If you are looking for a book that you can hold onto forever and document everything you can think of during your pregnancy – The Belly Book
is it. Perfectly organized, this book is broken up into trimesters and then further down into weeks. The author gives you questions week by week to answer as well as spaces to include any other comments you may have. It asks you about all those cravings, morning sickness, baby movements, and other things you may experience while pregnant. What is also nice about this book is that it provides spaces where you can attach photos, week by week of your growing belly and ultrasounds. This journal is a great keepsake!
“For Expecting Moms Who Want To Educate Their Baby’s Father”
The Expectant Father
Ladies – get this book for your husband, boyfriend or significant other! The Expectant Father
is a great month-to-month instructional and informative pregnancy manual for the new father-to-be. It will give him valuable insights as to what you are experiencing as well as help him to prepare and know what to do for the coming 9 months. Easy to read, this book will be an entertaining read for your man to connect with.
“For Moms Who Want To Know What Happens After Baby Arrives”
Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay
Once you have a baby and even before, you will find that everyone will want to give their two cents on their best parenting advice. You will be bogged down by everyone’s opinion on the best way to raise a child and that can be a bit stressful. You may even start to question if you are doing it right. Stefanie Wilder-Taylor’s book
is a wonderful and funny take on all the parenting advice out there. In her short essays, she tackles everything from mommy and me classes to breastfeeding. Very witty, Stefanie is great at dishing practical advice and encouragement that will make you laugh and feel like you can handle this whole parenting deal. It will give you the self-assurance that you are doing an awesome job as a new mommy.
The Shit! No One Tells You
The Sh!t No One Tells You
dishes out real advice for expecting and new mothers out there. Well-written and funny, author Dawn Dais will tell you what your first year with your baby will really be like. I am sure many of us had unrealistic fantasy’s about what life with a baby would be like. They would sleep through the night right away, take to the bottle easily and most certainly not be colicky. Everything would be all rainbows and sunshine! But the truth of the matter is that sometimes it is not always pretty and it can be ridiculously stressful. Dawn is great at letting you know what to expect that first year and gives hope to us moms who feel overwhelmed that we are not alone and that there have been many other mothers out there who have felt the same way and have survived. Wonderfully written and very funny, you won’t be able to put this book down.
One Hot Mama
There is a lot of information out there about your baby’s first year but not many great books out there that focus on what will happen to you personally during your first year. One Hot Mama
is a great guide on how to get back mentally, physically, and spiritually after your baby arrives. It is such a great motivational book and a nice read that now focuses on you. That first year, you will get so caught up in making sure all your child’s needs are met and satisfied that you can forget about another important person – yourself. This book is great for new moms and even those who are expecting #2, #3, #4, and so on. This is a great guide to helping you feel your best during that first year of craziness!
“For Moms Who Want To Breastfeed”
The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding
In my first pregnancy, I thought that once my baby was born all I would have to do is to shove my boob in his mouth and all would be well. I was completely wrong! It was a lot of struggle and looking back, I really wish I had done my research and prepared to take on this difficult task of breastfeeding. In my second pregnancy, I purchased this book and it was a lifesaver! Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, or a working-from-home mom, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
has great advice and tips on how to be successful at breastfeeding your child. This book will give you the confidence you need to push through whatever struggles you may face while trying to breastfeed and encourage you to stick with it. It also has a great informational guide on the benefits of breast milk.
The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide To Making More Milk
If you are concerned about being able to produce enough breast milk or maybe you are expecting multiples, then The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide To Making More Milk
is a great book to have in your possession. From a certified breast lactation consultant, this easy-to-read book provides great information on how to boost your supply and tells you about everything that can affect your milk supply. Well written, this book provides great information on supplements you can take and other types of food that can help boost your supply. Martha Sears is also great at helping moms figure out what possible problems they may encounter in breast milk production and providing you with effective solutions.
