The Best Pregnancy Books for Expecting Moms
While bringing new life into this world is a heartwarming experience, every step of the process is full of questions and unique circumstances that may not always follow our carefully curated birth plan. For instance, what bodily changes can women expect not only during each stage of pregnancy, but also postpartum? Also, many first first-time moms and dads want to follow their baby's development each trimester of pregnancy and through their baby's first year of life Or, parents might have a new experience for their second or third pregnancy, such as having twins or aiming for natural childbirth.
One of the best ways to get answers to your questions and concerns is through pregnancy books. Reading about real parents and experts who have gone through your very same experience is comforting and informative.
However, since not every woman will have the same pregnancy and postpartum questions, it's essential to find the right books for you. To narrow it down, we've rounded up the top pregnancy books of 2022.
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Our Top 8 Pregnancy Books for Expecting Moms
Best Overall Pregnancy Book: Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Best Selling Pregnancy Book: Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know
Best Book to Read After Just Giving Birth: Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood
Best Pregnancy Book for Twins: What to Do When You're Having Two
Best Pregnancy Book When Trying to Conceive: It Starts with the Egg
Best Pregnancy Book for Birthing Partners to Read: The Birth Partner
Best Pregnancy Book for First-Time Dads: We're Pregnant! The First Time Dad's Pregnancy Handbook
Best Pregnancy Book for a Natural Birth: Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
What to Consider When Choosing a Pregnancy Book
Consider Your Needs and Situation
When choosing a pregnancy book, the first thing to do is to figure out your needs and evaluate your situation. For instance, why are you searching for a book? Are you a first-time mom, soon-to-be-dad, or trying to conceive? Or, maybe you want to know what to expect after you give birth? Even the best-selling pregnancy book available isn't going to help you if it isn't tailored to your needs and situation.
Consider the Source
Pregnancy and caring for a new baby is a big responsibility, and you should be cautious about who you're taking advice from. So, before buying a pregnancy book, be sure to consider the source. Is the author just a parent telling their funny stories that shouldn't be taken too seriously, or is the book written by an obstetrician with decades of experience?
Consider Your Learning Style
Do you learn best with facts and numbers, or do you prefer birth stories? Choosing a pregnancy book that caters to your learning style is essential. Also, some books include frightening statistics that may be helpful to some people. However, if you enjoy a lighthearted format, be sure to stay away from authors who get straight to the point.
How We Chose Our Favorites
We consulted with parents and experts to narrow down the very best pregnancy books. We also tapped into these experts' advice to find out which brands were readily available on Amazon.
Best Overall Pregnancy Book
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
With expert advice from obstetricians and gynecologists at the Mayo Clinic, this bestselling book offers everything you need, whether you're first-time parents or just need a refresher. It includes a week-by-week guide calendar where moms-to-be can follow along until the baby's arrival.
Here's What Reviewers Have to Say:
“This book was exactly what I needed for my first pregnancy. It actually made me excited and stress free. I learned so much about pregnancy from this book. It wasn’t scary like some books make you nervous about pregnancy-this was very comforting yet extremely knowledgeable. I highly suggest this book even for second pregnancies because there’s a lot to learn.”
Best Selling Pregnancy Book
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know
This bestseller is the ultimate guide for expecting mothers who want to know why those unexplained pregnancy rules exist, including if pregnant women can eat sushi or cheese. Emily Oster wrote this book for every pregnant woman “who wants to enjoy a healthy and relaxed pregnancy.”
Here's What Reviewers Have to Say:
“I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. It is chock full of charts and data. The author questions conventional recommendations and reviews the actual research. Much of it is fascinating, and the writing style is entertaining.”
Best Book to Read After Giving Birth
Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood
While this book includes valuable information for pregnancy, it's one of the best books that address what happens after giving birth, including lactation and what to expect postpartum. As a doula, the author provides expert advice on real issues and gives you the tools to have a positive birth.
Here's What Reviewers Have to Say:
“I had pages bookmarked for newborn care and breastfeeding that my husband and I referred back to several times in the early days. The glossary in the back makes it very easy to find what you're looking for. The images are so beautiful and very helpful, and who doesn't love a good chart?!...I'm now expecting my second and am looking forward to revisiting this book.”
Best Pregnancy Book for Twins
What to Do When You're Having Two
Even if you’ve given birth several times, having twins is a different experience, and this author is a mom of twins who shares her birth stories and everything else new parents need to know. Plus, it covers the first year postpartum.
Here’s What Reviewers Have To Say:
“This was so helpful! I have referenced this book many times so far in my twins lives and it’s really helped me to have realistic expectations. Thank you Nat!”
Best Pregnancy Book For Trying to Conceive
Those trying to conceive will find valuable information in this book, which includes a comprehensive guide on improving egg quality in three months. It’s tailored to those with fertility issues or recurring miscarriages.
Here’s What Reviewers Have To Say:
“My husband (36) and I (33) tried for over a year. We tracked our cycles with tempdrop, clearblue monitor and mucus checks. I was very regular and had all the signs do fertility. No success. I was feeling very defeated. Had my blood run. Everything seemed ok! I decided to get this book because I heard it could help our chances. It was an easy read and had a lot of great research behind it. I started implementing the lifestyle changes in the book in March. I’m currently 9 weeks pregnant and think this book’s advice definitely help contribute to this baby!”
Best Pregnancy Books for Birthing Partners to Read
Whether you’re a friend, relative or doula, this book includes everything you need to care for a new mother from the last few weeks of pregnancy through early postpartum. It addresses non-drug techniques and epidurals, c-sections, and potential complications.
Here’s What Reviewers Have To Say:
“Fantastic resource for expectant moms, dads, doulas, anyone involved in the labor/delivery and postpartum process! It came highly recommended and did not fall short.”
Best Pregnancy Book for First-Time Dads
We're Pregnant! The First Time Dad's Pregnancy Handbook
For dads-to-be or birth partners, this book is a must-read. It features a month-by-month milestone tracker, questions to ask the doctor, and even goes beyond the due date and into the fourth trimester.
Here’s What Reviewers Have To Say:
“As a first time father I didn't know what to expect during our pregnancy. This book gave step by step tips and guidance to make sure my wife and daughter got everything they needed. The accuracy throughout was absolutely insane! He said my wife would be sore on one week and she was. The next week she was supposed to be super happy and she was. Its just incredible. Every first time father needs to read this book. It even tells you how big your little chicken nugget is getting, week by week!”
Best Pregnancy Book for a Natural Birth
This book by midwife Ina May Gaskin is a must-read for all pregnant women who want more information about natural childbirth. It’s full of inspiring birth stories and invaluable advice.
Here’s What Reviewers Have To Say:
“I absolutely LOVED this book. It helped me understand all things pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. I felt soooo confident having a home birth after this book!!”
Your bond with your baby begins long before you enter the delivery room. We want to support you and your growing baby every step of the way. Visit our Pregnancy Tracker for a detailed look at how your baby is growing, and find timely guidance for every week and trimester of your pregnancy.
