Pregnancy is an exiting, overwhelming, and downright emotional time! There are so many questions that most women have, and it really helps to do your research. In the age of the mommy internet, there are nearly infinite resources out there to teach us about what to expect when pregnant. In fact, there are so many resources that it can be hard to know where to start. You can go down the rabbit hole of Pinterest and Google, but sometimes the simplest place to start is just with a good book. There are a lot of great books about pregnancy out there. To get started, here is a list of 5 books that every pregnant woman needs to read.

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5 books about pregnancy that every expecting mom should read:

1. A book about all things pregnancy

A book like The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy will help you to know what to expect while you are pregnant. There are so many things that happen to your body, and it will help you to know what’s coming next. Every pregnant body is different, but this book does a great job of telling you about the things that could happen and why. The approach behind it is very casual, friendly, and practical. It feels almost like reading a really great blog post as opposed to some of the stuffy, boring, densely factual books out there.
Dude, You’re Gonna Be a Dad!: How to Get (Both of You) Through the Next 9 Months is what I would call the dad equivalent of “The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy.” My husband is not a book person, but he was so excited about having a baby that he bought a couple of books to learn more as soon as we found out. “Dude, You’re Gonna Be a Dad”  went into just enough detail about the development of our baby and my pregnant body. It’s a great book that helps men know how to be a great partner during mom’s pregnancy.

2. A book about childcare

It’s really easy to get caught up in the fun of pregnancy and forget to plan for what happens next – you’re going to have a baby to take care of! That thought can be extremely overwhelming, so it’ll help to read a book or two to help you prepare.

Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year seems to be a favorite among many parents. It covers everything from picking a pediatrician to dealing with baby sleep issues down the road. Over 600 pages of credible advice is sure to cover many of the questions that you will have as a new parent.

Here’s an option that’s a little sillier and more fun to read. Be Prepared is like an owner’s manual for new parents (I say parents because I definitely read and loved this book too!). It’s a great how-to guide for everything from diaper changing, to swaddling, to playing with baby. The bulleted lists and large images make it a fun, easy read. It’s a great overview for even the most clueless soon-to-be-parent.

Also in this category is a book about breastfeeding. How you feed your baby will play a huge part in how you parent your newborn. If you plan to breastfeed there are many resources out there to help you. This book was my favorite while I was pregnant with my daughter, and I highly recommend it. You can also check out this post here to find out some of the best ways to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy.

3. A book about fitness

Staying (or getting) fit while you are pregnant will not only make your pregnancy easier, but it will help with labor and postpartum recovery. The Everything Guide to Pregnancy Nutrition & Health: From Preconception to Post-delivery, All You Need to Know About Pregnancy Nutrition, Fitness, and Diet! was the first pregnancy book that I read. It really is an everything guide starting with preconception and ending postpartum. I would highly recommend this book for everyone! This book answers the questions of “What is safe to do during pregnancy?” and also includes some great exercises.

If you are not really interested in nutrition, you could call this book a 2-in-1 and skip the next category. The Everything Guide to Pregnancy Nutrition & Health  goes just enough into nutrition to give you a good base knowledge.

4. A book about nutrition

While you are not eating for two, you are eating to nourish the growth of both yourself and your unborn child. I read What to Eat When You’re Pregnant: A Week-by-Week Guide to Support Your Health and Your Baby’s Development It is great because it is very thorough, but that also means that it is dense. “What to Eat When You’re Pregnant” includes a week-by-week analysis of your pregnancy and how to support your growing baby. It will teach you the best super foods at each stage of your pregnancy and includes some great recipes.

5. A journal

This one may be a stretch because it’s not really going to give you too much information. Either way, a pregnancy journal is important to have. I think that we all tell ourselves that we will go back and look at old journals, but then don’t always do it. Maybe that’s true, but keeping a journal will help you to enjoy your pregnancy and bond with your baby. The Belly Book: A Nine-Month Journal for You and Your Growing Belly (Potter Style) is a cute, easy to fill in option. The writing prompts are written so that you are writing to your baby, so that makes it feel a little more conversational and fun.

If you are an avid journaler, Love Letters to My Baby: A Guided Journal for Expectant and New Mothers seems to go more in-depth and has some great reviews on Amazon. I haven’t seen this one myself, but it looks very sweet.

Experienced mamas – what were your favorite books for pregnancy?

As you are preparing for your new baby, head over here to check out other pregnancy related content on Mommy: Home Manager.