Recommended Books to Read During Pregnancy & Early Motherhood
I’m often asked which books helped me to prepare mentally and emotionally for childbirth, the postpartum period, and early motherhood. Here are a few of my favourites:
Expecting Better by Emily Oster
My go-to ‘bible’ for pregnancy. An easily digestible and approachable book based on the examination of real data, old wives tales, and commonly given advice. Oster examines things like caffeine intake and eating sushi during pregnancy, co-sleeping and “spoiling” your baby, all in a non-judgmental way.
Cribsheet by Emily Oster
The opposite of scare-tactics or ‘you must parent in this particular way 100% of the time’ advice. The follow up to ‘Expecting Better’, this book examines topics like circumcision, potty training and when to conceive your next child.
Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
An absolute must-read for EVERY woman in a relationship; especially useful before a baby arrives to reinforce your relationship and examine your routines.
The Postnatal Depletion Cure by Dr. Oscar Serrallach
Get the scoop on what physical and emotional changes you can expect after baby and well into your motherhood years.
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr. Sarah Buckley
Inspired me to seek and achieve an undisturbed birthing experience. Gave me the confidence to advocate for myself.
Mindful Hypnobirthing by Sophie Fletcher
This was my husband’s go-to for child-birth prep. I used it to create a calm and confident mindset for childbirth.
The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann Johnson
I read this a few weeks after our daughter was born, but I wish I would have read it in the 3rd trimester as I would have prepared for those early days a little differently. This eye-opening book shows us the benefit of preparing for those early days of motherhood as a woman – not just as a mother, and focusing on our own well-being and experience and not just the well-being of our babies.
The Doula’s Guide to Empowering Your Birth by Lindsey Bliss
Helped me understand birth preferences and how to advocate for myself in all medical appointments during pregnancy and afterwards.
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Check out my blog posts for practical information on how you can prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for motherhood. Read about some of my own personal experiences of transitioning to motherhood, see posts where I’ll respond to some of the most commonly asked questions, and find links to relevant content aimed at giving you the insights you want and need to feel seen and heard.
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