Top Five Must Read Pregnancy Books

After I found out I was pregnant my husband remarked one afternoon that we should go to the library to get some pregnancy books. I just laughed and pointed to my bookshelf. "Honey," I said "I have them all right there." While working with prenatal massage and doula clients over the past five or six years I feel as if I have read every book I could get my hands on about fertility, pregnancy, birth, doulas, and postpartum care. There are countless books to help women prepare for childbirth, connect with their babies, and take care of their bodies during pregnancy. Below is a list of a few of my favorites that I felt were worth re-reading and my top five go to recommendations to my prenatal massage and doula clients.

Top Five Must Read Pregnancy Books:

1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin (Really any of her books, Spiritual Midwifery, Birth Matters, or Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding)
Highlights: Other women's Birth Stories, Women's Empowerment, Getting a feeling of the deep trust in women's bodies and women's wisdom to birth naturally.
2. The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dad's, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions, by Penny Simkin
Highlights: Wonderful break down of the various roles of a laboring women's support team, great list of comfort measures, and a general understanding of how labor works.
3. Birthing From Within, by Pam England
Hightlights: Hands down the best childbirth preparation book, creative ways to unleash and overcome fears of childbirth and prepare for birth.
4. Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful, by Gurmukh
Highlights: Helps you to tap into the spiritual aspect of pregnancy, yoga poses and meditations to bring you back into your body and connect with your baby.
5. Wise Women Herbal for the Childbearing Year, by Susan Weed
Hightlights: A go to manual for finding natural ways to ease and eliminate pregnancy symptoms.