What To Read When You’re Expecting
Culture
We’ve scoured the shelves to bring you the most essential pregnancy and postpartum books out there. From learning how to be a mindful mother, understanding infancy and taking care of yourself after birth, these are the only books you’ll need to feel fully prepared for the new motherhood adventure.
Mamaste: Discover a More Authentic, Balanced, and Joyful Motherhood from Within by Lori Bregman
Espousing a mindful approach to motherhood, celebrity doula Lori Bregman presents five different mother archetypes and foundational tips for building self-awareness.
Mein persönlicher Mutterpass: Das Schwangerschaftsbuch mit absolutem Mama-Fokus by Malin Elmlid. In German.
A great preparation guide for teaching you how to listen to your gut and trust your instincts.
Guter Hoffnung - Hebammenwissen für Mama und Baby: Naturheilkunde und ganzheitliche Begleitung by Kareen Dannhauer. In German.
A midwife addresses the questions she heard the most over the course of her career. Honest, tender and full of practical advice…every problem has a solution!
Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood - and Trusting Yourself and Your Body by Erica Chidi Cohen
A comprehensive pregnancy companion that covers the beginning of pregnancy to the first weeks of baby’s life. Also includes mindfulness tips and nourishing recipes for each month of pregnancy.
Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year by Scott W. Cohen
Written by pediatrician Dr. Scott Cohen during his first year as a new parent, this parenting guide discusses the three basic functions of a baby (see title) as well as other aspects of development, in a very non-prescriptive way.
First Forty Days, The: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou
Based on the Chinese concept of zuo yuezi, a set period of “confinement,” in which a woman remains at home focusing on healing and bonding with her baby. The book includes 60 nourishing recipes to help with postpartum healing.
The Postnatal Depletion Cure: A Complete Guide to Rebuilding Your Health and Reclaiming Your Energy for Mothers of Newborns, Toddlers and Young Children by Dr Oscar Serrallach
This is the comprehensive guide to health for every mother - new, or years out - who has ever felt tired, rundown, or just not like herself.'- Gwyneth Paltrow
The Happiest Baby on the Block; Fully Revised and Updated Second Edition: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer by Karp M.D., Harvey
Dr. Harvey presents an innovative and thoughtful way of looking at early infancy and dealing with the twin evils of baby sleep and incessant crying. He goes into great detail about The 5 “S's”: swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking, that ultimately induce calm.