5 Best Books to Read While Pregnant

Families are flooded with media about pregnancy and childbirth. Publishers happily send free magazines, television shows are devoted to the subject and even full web sites have been born to share information about the process of pregnancy and childbirth. If that weren't enough to prevent an expectant mom from buying a book on the subject, when she arrives at the book store she finds herself searching through shelves of books trying to find just the right one.

It is worth it to buy a book, if you know what you are looking for. Every book is different, written for a different purpose by an author with a unique expertise. The following books are five of the best about pregnancy and childbirth, but they may not all be good matches for you. Choose the book or books that have the best chances of answering your questions in a way you can relate to.

For Fun

Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz is by no means your typical childbirth text. Written by a midwife, it talks about the spiritual, emotional and psychological issues surrounding birth missed by most other authors. Instead of telling you what to do, the book is designed to help you discover who you are and where your strengths lie. This is done through games, art projects and a variety of other activities. Mothers who are looking for something other than the nuts and bolts of pregnancy will find Birthing from Within a welcome treat. However, mothers who are looking for answers may find the book too vague and scattered and would do better to pair this book with another more intentional about answering questions.

For Education

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley and Ann Keppler covers everything you could think to ask about the entire childbearing year. Written very much like a text book, this comprehensive guide is well indexed and follows a logical sequence with charts to help you quickly find and compare information. The authors' expertise as nurses, childbirth educators and doulas is displayed in the wide variety of information they share, from the physical process to how it feels and what to do about it. Mothers who are pregnant for the first time, or want to understand more about the process of pregnancy and childbirth will love reading this book cover to cover. Experienced mothers who know the basics will benefit from looking up answers to specific questions.

For Information

New Active Birth by Janet Balaskas shares the information you need to know to work with your body during labor. Moving beyond the basics of what options are available and what different terms mean, Active Birth explains the movements of the baby through the pelvis and how to help your baby make these moves. Authored by a childbirth educator, the book not only explains what to do, but why you should do it based on good body mechanics. With exercises for pregnancy to help you learn to move your pelvis, this is the perfect book for any mother looking for the next step of information to help her prepare for labor. Mothers without previous birth experience may find the book too focused on position and movement of labor to answer all their questions and should use it in combination with another book.

For Courage

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin is written in such a warm style you feel as if the author is a trusted friend sharing her experience. Rather than being impersonal, Ina May’s Guide treats birth as a normal, healthy event and celebrates the wonderful experiences women have during pregnancy and labor. Not shy about answering embarrassing questions, and not to proud to admit mistakes, the author, a midwife experienced in homebirth, teaches you about labor from her first hand experiences. Most mothers will feel much more confident in their ability to give birth after reading this book, however a handful of mothers find it difficult to read because of the non-standard terminology used (i.e. rushes instead of contractions).

For a Challenge

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Heci Goyer is a synopsis of the medical research on pregnancy and childbirth. Rather than saying "do what your doctor tells you and you'll be OK," The Thinking Woman's Guide challenges you to pay attention to what is happening to your body and to be a part of the decision making process. The author, an award winning medical writer specializing in birth issues, holds nothing back when exposing common misunderstandings and myths that can harm you during labor. With information about how to avoid unnecessary procedures, and advice about how to make the procedures better if you need them, most mothers will find this book indispensable as they prepare for childbirth. However, the text of the book is filled with research findings and mothers who get overwhelmed with too much information may prefer to start with the pros and cons of each chapter, reading the text if they want or need more information on a subject.

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