The Best Books for Expectant Parents
When first becoming pregnant, many people will look to other parents for advice. Pregnancy books have long been a popular resource for expecting parents, but with so much choice and differing advice, it can be hard to know where to look and who to trust. Each person's journey is personal, so what might work for one person's pregnancy might not work for someone else.
We have put together a list of five pregnancy books, all of which come highly recommended and offer various approaches. Whether you're interested in hypnobirthing tips, a new look at traditional pregnancy wisdom, or empowering stories, we hope you can use the below guide to find the perfect book for you.
1 Jul 2024
Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan by Rebecca Schiller
Rebecca Schiller is a women's rights campaigner and co-founder of human rights in childbirth charity, Birthrights. Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan offers practical information that aims to prepare the reader for their pregnancy journey, in both body and mind. With a distinct understanding that not every choice will be the same for everyone, Schiller carries a non-judgemental and inclusive tone throughout the book, presenting facts in a way that enables the reader to make their own decisions.
Nurture: A Modern Guide To Pregnancy, Birth, and Early Motherhood by Erica Chidi
Erica Chidi is an experienced birth and postpartum doula, having worked with hundreds of new parents throughout her career. Nurture: A Modern Guide To Pregnancy, Birth, and Early Motherhood is comprehensive and inclusive. The book includes holistic remedies, nourishing month-by-month recipes, and it is packed full of information on all aspects of childbirth. It is a helpful resource aiming to arm parents-to-be with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions that work for them.
Expecting Better by Emily Oster
Emily Oster is an economist, and her bestselling book Expecting Better provides a data-driven perspective on childbirth. Oster questions some of the traditional pregnancy wisdom, looking at the data behind it and offering alternative approaches. Like other books on this list, Expecting Better aims to give parents the information they need to make their own decisions, backed up by Oster's unbiased, fact-based analysis.
Give Birth Like a Feminist by Milli Hill
Milli Hill is a journalist and founder of the Positive Birth Movement. Her book Give Birth Like a Feminist encourages readers to take control over their own pregnancies and childbirth. The book covers birthing plans, your rights, and stories from women across the globe about their own experiences. This book is less a resource for practical advice, and more a book that looks to empower.
Your Baby Your Birth by Hollie de Cruz
Holle de Cruz is an Instagrammer and successful hypnobirthing coach. Hypnobirthing is a practice that looks to reframe pain during childbirth using a variety of mindfulness techniques. In Your Baby, Your Birth, De Cruz draws on her own experience and teaches readers to listen and learn from their bodies, offers tips and techniques for pain management, and hopes to provide pregnant mothers with the tools they need to have a positive childbirth experience.
