My Favorite Books on Natural Childbirth, Pregnancy + Fertility
Are you hoping for a natural childbirth? Or maybe you are looking for more information on pregnancy and childbirth in general so that you can make the best informed decision for what is right for you and your family.
This post dives into all of my favorite books on pregnancy and childbirth (and even a few on pre-conception fertility as well)!
I am currently coming up on the third trimester of my second pregnancy and am shocked at how quick it is going this second time around! Once I was out of my first trimester, it has literally flown by and I know it is not going to slow down any time soon..
With my first pregnancy, I prepared for an unmedicated, intervention-free hospital birth. After researching and reading and learning, I truly felt like that was the best option for me and my family. The birth of my first daughter ended up exceeding all of the goals and hopes I had for my delivery and truly was the most empowering day of my life. I feel so excited and have so much more confidence in myself and my body going into labor this second time.
That is my goal any time I talk about pregnancy and delivery- that you would feel empowered and strong in what you are capable of as a mother.
I feel like our society doesn't often set women up for success in this area. Home births used to be common place and daughters watched their mothers give birth. They had more intimate knowledge of the birth process and what a normal birth could look like. A new mother would also oftentimes have the majority of her family nearby to help her through the postpartum phase.
A little background on me…
I am a board-certified registered nurse with over 10 years working in health care- the majority of that time was spent in the emergency room. So I have a huge amount of respect for medical providers, especially in light of an emergency. But, i am also a certified integrative health coach which means I love taking a natural approach to health and wellness and viewing it all from a holistic lens.
Unfortunately, i feel like the two camps are often at odds with one another. When actually, I think that they can complement one another incredibly well if done so intentionally! This is how I felt when trying to plan for and prepare for an natural hospital birth.. I felt like all of the information on natural birth was geared towards home births, and all the information of hospital births talked about “inevitable interventions” and poor experiences.
Don’t get me wrong, I know many women have had traumatic and scary birth experiences and I will never minimize those. But, I also believe there is a lot we can do to set ourselves up for the birth we want! Especially when we look into other countries with better mother and infant outcomes, and the contrast of seemingly unnecessary medical interventions that happen in North America- and the subsequent complications that can happen. On that note-
After researching and talking with my husband and learning and asking questions, I knew the type of birth that I wanted to prepare for and hoped to have. That was the right decision for me. And as much as I advocate for bio-individuality around here, birth is no different! You may have different goals, experiences, and priorities and my goal is always to encourage women to make the decision that is right for them and their child- and no one can make that decision but you.
This post is mostly geared towards expectant mothers wanting to have an intervention-free birth, but I think many of these books (especially the ones on pregnancy and nutrition) are filled with great advice for any pregnant women!
With that said, let’s dive in to some great books on natural childbirth and pregnancy!
Nutrition and Pregnancy Books (and Pre-Conception reads too!)
I have always loved reading! I used to be the kid under the covers with a flashlight at night to be able to read a few more pages, and now my husband will be floored when I finish a book in a night or two.
With that, I feel like books can be so hard to recommend because everyone has their own preferences and opinions. These were all books that I generally really loved. I also don’t think there was a single book on this list that I agreed with everything on. Take the good stuff, leave what you don’t agree with, and be on your way! ✌🏻
Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Prenatal Nutrition by Lily Nichols
I read this book during my first pregnancy and have revisited it several times this pregnancy as well! Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator who writes this book in an easy to comprehend way while still basing her recommendations on data and science.
She has a whole foods approach and highlights the different nutrients that are specific to pregnancy and fetal development. While the book is titled “for pregnancy”, I also think that this is a great read for anyone trying to conceive or optimize their fertility.
It Starts With the Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds of IVF by Rebecca Fett
This book is like a pre-pre pregnancy book! I would recommend it early to anyone that has diagnosed or suspected fertility issues. It makes a strong case for the actual NUTRIENTS your body needs to have healthy eggs, which in turn allows you to have a healthy pregnancy.. which in turn, helps you to have a strong milk supply. It really does most often come down to nutrients and making sure your body has enough of them.
My only complaint with this book is that it is really supplement heavy. I think supplements can be great when used intentionally and strategically, but you must always first have a foundation of whole, nutrient-dense foods. Supplements wont fix the problem without a solid foundation of nourishment!Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
This is a book I believe every person should read, especially before trying to conceive. It give you so much information on menstrual cycles and common fertility struggles that women face. It also empowers you to effectively prevent pregnancy through fertility awareness charting, and with that same knowledge of fertility, you can more easily become pregnant. I remember reading this in my early 20s and being shocked that I had made it that far in my life as a woman without this knowledge of my body and physiology.
Books on Natural Childbirth
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
I’ll be totally honest- when I first read this book I thought it was a little “woo woo”. But then as I was in labor with my daughter I vividly remember thinking back to many of the stories and techniques that are taught about in this book! That in itself is a huge sign for me that this book has valuable information to glean from it and it is something that I will be rereading in preparation for my second delivery.
A little background on Ina May- she is a leading midwife who started a midwifery community called “The Farm” and has delivered hundreds of babies naturally and without intervention. She gives expectant mother’s insight on the connection between the mind and body during birth, ways to physiologically and spiritually prepare for labor, and tips for maximizing your chances of having an unmedicated birth. I really enjoyed the birth stories that are shared throughout this book because it helped me to mentally normalize what a gentle birth could look like, and how so many women have naturally coped with labor pain.
(She also has written the Guide to Breastfeeding which I thought was helpful in establishing a strong breastfeeding relationship)
The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin
As the title suggests, this is written more as a guide to the support person you have for labor. My first child was born during covid-times when visitor policies were pretty strict and at the time, I was allowed only him as a support person. Originally I had been wanting to hire a doula or midwife to help support us through the birthing process, but it turned out having him as my sole support person was perfect. Now, going into my second delivery, I have so much peace of mind knowing how well he supports me through the process of birth.
Having read this book, there were a lot of things that resonated with me that I passed on to him (since he is not much of a reader haha!) I felt it gave us both good ideas to talk about and have as tools come delivery for ways in which he could support me best. Turns out that nothing I thought I would have wanted was actually what I needed during that time... buuut it gave me confidence going into the birthing experience having had those conversations and creating a birth plan of sorts with him. Your support team is such an important part of the birthing room, so definitely make sure you have the people you may want and need. You may also benefit from looking into the role of a doula or midwife, as they are a professional natural birth advocate. They can help with childbirth education, preparation, and act as a source of unbiased information and advocacy throughout the whole process.Childbirth Without Fear: The Principles and Practices of Natural Childbirth by Grantly Dick-Read
This book was really interesting and insightful. It really dove into the psychology of fear and emotions around childbirth preparation and the pain of labor, and unveiling some of those beliefs in order to have more positive birth experiences. I believe that, at least for myself, much of my apprehension surrounding birth was due to the preconceived notions I had about it in my head.. from movies that wanted to dramatize the event, or family and friends that wanted to sensationalize an important and emotional time in their life (no fault to them, it's just how humans are). Once I realized that those stories did not have to be MY story and that I could have a peaceful, empowering birth experience, much of my fears dissipated.
It does seem like a bit of a dense read and at times it is harder to get through and stay engaged, but I feel like overall it is worth adding to the list of natural childbirth books!
BreastFeeding + Postpartum Books
1. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
I learned so much from this book! It was a great book to read before giving birth to give myself a foundation of knowledge on breastfeeding, and having a holistic approach to naturally setting myself up for a strong milk supply. I love that it included really practical advice through normal breastfeeding experiences, as well as with the common struggles women face. When we struggled with a poor latch, I was able to use this book as a reference. When we dealt with thrush, and clogged ducts, and painful let downs, it was also a great resource!
La leche league in general is an amazing website to search when looking for more breastfeeding information. They also host support groups around the country so definitely look into that if you feel it’d be helpful!
2. Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding
I owe a lot of my breastfeeding success to concepts I learned from this book. Unfortunately, many women do not have this education going into their breastfeeding journey and it creates poor milk supply right from the start. She shares the best ways to support your breastfeeding relationship even from before delivery, and practical information should issues arise!
3. The First Forty Days
If there was one book I could recommend to every new mama- it’s this one. It was just what I needed going into my second postpartum experience. It is literally like a warm hug from the author while she gently tells you to drop everyone else’s expectation and care for yourself wholly. To eat well and rest often. It was the reminder I needed and I feel like most women do. Not only is it packed with encouragement, but amazing recipes as well. It was my go to for postpartum meal prep and a guide to eating those first 40 days.
I attribute a large portion of how well I felt to the guidance gained from this beautiful book. I originally borrowed it from my local library, but purchased my own copy because it is that good. It would also make a great addition to a baby registry or baby shower gift!
I hope that these books and resources help to empower you in whichever method of childbirth you are pursuing and that you may go into your birth feeling educated and supported in whatever that experience may look like. I also encourage you to speak with your care provider and ensure they are aligned with the vision you have for your best birth experience. And if they are not, you have full permission to work with someone else! I feel so strongly that all pregnant woman should feel equipped to have the kind of birth they believe to be best for themself and their baby.
Kaelyn
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