As a mom to be, specially if it’s your first time, you’ll want to know everything about being pregnant, the baby, and what happens during labor. The thing is, there are so many pregnancy books out there that finding the right ones for you might take you longer than 9 months, luckily, after reading over 50 pregnancy related books, I made a list of the only books you need to read.
For me, easy to read, straight to the point works best, so this list for the only books you need to read during pregnancy is exactly that and has a little bit of everything without being overwhelming (because during pregnancy we have enough of that), hopefully it will also give you some answers. This list of must read books for moms to be, will give you a holistic view of pregnancy and might even spike your interest on a specific subject.
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What to expect when you’re expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.
This is probably the most popular pregnancy book out there, it’s packed with information about, well, everything related to pregnancy. It’s divided in 5 parts: basic information about pregnancy, month 1 to month 9, postpartum, staying healthy, and complicated pregnancy. It mostly descibes what’s happening to you and your baby and focuses on answering most of the questions we usually have when we’re pregnant.
My personal suggestion is to read the first part and then go back each month or everytime you need some information about a specific month and/or subject, reading it all, in my opinion, will give you too much information that you will, probably, forget in a few months, so take it easy, you have 9 months to read it.
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The 9 Whole Months by Jenniffer Lang, MD.
This was my favorite book during pregnancy, it has all the information you need about what foods to eat for a healthier pregnancy and baby. It has 3 parts: eating during pregnancy basics to grow a healthy baby, pregnancy week by week including the exact nutrients you need during that week and why, and simple recipes for each state of the pregnancy.
This was my go to book every week to prepare my weekly menus and to know what was happening to me, recipes are not fancy but they are easy and delicious, also convinient if you’re not feeling great.
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The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, MD.
Written by a pediatrician, child development expert and dad, this book has the best tips for calming a baby. The book has 2 parts but encompasses four concepts: The fourth trimester, the calming reflex, the 5’s (they work like a charm!), and the cuddle cure. Such great tips and real information in this book.
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The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep by Harvey Karp, MD.
The only book you need to read to know everything about baby sleep, trust me, you need this book! It has a great introduction and 4 parts: 0-3 months, 3-12 months, 1-5 years, and naps and special situations. Again, my advice is to read the introduction and first part, and leave the rest of the book for when baby is about to reach that age.
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Any book that is not pregnancy related
This is super important to do if you actually enjoy reading, because it will help you relax and take your mind off of all the things you’re experiencing right now. I suggest you take a long shower or bath, and prepare yourself a cup of your favorite tea and enjoy your book, trust me, after the baby comes, you will not have the time to enjoy a book like this.
I think it’s normal to want to know everything about how your pregnancy will be, about babies, and about giving birth when you’re a mom to be, but to be honest with you, you will not find any information on how your own pregnancy is going to be, how your baby is going to turn out, and how it will go for you during labor, because every pregnancy is different. Reading all the books and having too much information can lead to overwhelming feelings, doubts, and fears, and that’s definitly not good for you or your baby, so don’t be tempted to buy 50 or more books like I did. The thruth is, enjoying this time is way more important than reading about it.
