My Favorite Pregnancy Books
I've always been a little bit of a book worm so during my first pregnancy with our little girl, I tried to read up on every pregnancy book I could get my hands on. I was so consumed with everything about my pregnancy and learning as much as I could about this new venture I was about to step into called motherhood. With all those books I found some favorites along the way and now that I am pregnant with our second child, I have picked up a few more that I didn't read the first time and I have been loving them. Even though it's hard to find the time to read as a busy mom of one, it's great to hear someone else's perspective and advice who is going through the same thing as you and to help you figure out what in world is going on inside your body with all these incredible changes. I am so grateful everyday that I get to be a mom to our little girl and for the blessing to do it all over again with our son on the way - even with all the uncomfortable moments and crazy sleepless nights, I wouldn't change it for anything. Being a mom is messy and tiring, but the best and most rewarding job ever. Leave a comment below if you have any other favorite pregnancy or parenting books that you don't see here and I'd love to hear from you!
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1 | GREAT WITH CHILD - I really liked this book because it's a fun read that's not feeding you new information you need to learn the entire time. It's made up of letters that a mom with a little girl wrote to her younger friend who is pregnant for the first time. Sometimes the letters are funny and made up of little things in her life as a mom, but sometimes they are heartfelt with good advice to take in. It's a good break from the other pregnancy books.
2 | HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK - this is a great book for after you have your baby to learn how to sooth and calm your baby in the best way. The techniques really did work for me and I didn't even have a colicky baby so it's definitely something everyone can learn from.
3 | SECRETS OF THE BABY WHISPERER - one of my best friends gave me this book after I had our little girl and I loved reading it! I really think it was a huge reason that our little girl is such a good sleeper and slept through the night so early on. I think every new parent is desperate for sleep again so I would highly recommend this one.
4 | BABY WISE - this is the other book that is proven to help babies sleep through the night, but I never used the "crying out method" because I didn't need to. I think it's so important to listen to your babies needs and get to know their personality first. What I did like from this though was the importance of being on a schedule and how much it will make your life easier for both you and your baby. You can plan your day so much easier when you have set eating and nap schedules and everyone in the house is so much happier.
5 | WAITING FOR BIRDY - this book is the story of a mom with a toddler who is expecting her second baby so I can really relate to her right now. I think it's always refreshing to hear someone share the real life ups and downs of parenthood and let you know that you're not the only one out there worrying about all the little things it takes to raise a family and kids in this crazy world.
6 | WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING - I think this book is kind of like a right of passage into pregnancy because it's pretty much a standard to get this one. I loved having weekly updates to my first pregnancy to see what stage the baby was at and what changes were going on in my body and basically everything you should be doing to prepare along the way. There is a few things that I don't think you need to take word for word, but overall is a great reference to have.
7 | BRINGING UP BEBE - I love this book so much because I really relate to what the author shares as the french approach to parenting. The author is so relatable and writes in such an intriguing way that makes it fun to read. I think that all of the advice and things you will take away from this book are fabulous, definitely worth the read.
8 | HEADING HOME WITH NEWBORN - I got this book originally because there are so many books out there that talk about being pregnant and what to do before the baby comes, but what about after the baby gets here?! That's when you really need the most help. It covers a bunch of different topics from breastfeeding to the little things daily that your baby needs. It has more of a medical view point, but it's good to have in the collection for reference.
9 | BREASTFEEDING MADE SIMPLE - no one really warns you about how hard breastfeeding is going to be and I guess it's because everyone mom and baby are so different that you won't really know until you are experiencing it. I read some of this book before I had my first baby, but you really need to read it after you have your baby because without the baby there - you can't practice anything it's teaching. It's so important to find some help with breastfeeding if that's what route you choose to go because you will probably need some help and advice at some point and when I got home away from all the lactation specialists at the hospital, this book had some great things to read.
10 | GIRLFRIENDS GUIDE TO PREGNANCY - this book is hilarious and I thought it was a fresh change from reading What to Expect or checking my baby app everyday. The author is very open and candid and describes the hilarious and uncomfortable moments of pregnancy that you would only probably talk about with your girlfriends.
11 | BEBE DAY BY DAY - since I loved Bringing Up Bebe so much, I knew that I would also love this one by the same author but with advice on raising your kids when they are past the baby stage. I love the values that she learns from observing the french parents and how well behaved their children are. I think any of the advice you can take away from this book is great.
12 | BELLY LAUGHS - this is another funny read that will have you laughing out loud throughout the whole book. Jenny talks about everything you are thinking during pregnancy and childbirth and puts things right out in the open that no one else likes to talk about. It's honest and refreshing.
