It’s really easy to get lost in the sea of all things pregnancy related, and there is no exception when it comes to books. There are a lot of different choices. I gravitate towards evidence based information that are also easy reads. I can’t sit and fight my way through a book. If it doesn’t engage me, I’m out. The books below I would really recommend to read before pregnancy, when you are planning or thinking of conceiving. You can tackle them during as well, but sometimes we can benefit by adopting healthy practices during our planning time too. I do subscribe to the fact that it is never to late to make healthy choices, learn about our body, or understand what to expect. Below are some of my favorites!
The Yoga Birth Method: I use this book as a reference. This is great if you did yoga before you were pregnant. It breaks down poses by trimester, and includes suggestions for modifications. Another benefit is that it does go into what happens to the body during the different phases of labor, and which poses can assist in the process of birthing your baby. I’m a big fan of explanation and benefit. Why am I doing something? This book is great for those that practice and want that movement throughout their labor and delivery.
Babies Are Not Pizzas: This book is written by Rebecca Dekker, who is a PhD, RN, and founder and CEO of Evidence Based Birth. In this book Rebecca will walk you through the very real realities of institutional care during childbirth. This is a look at what she experienced in her own births, and what birthing people can face. This is her story, but provides so much real information on understanding how and what you can do to advocate for yourself and your baby. All of which is based on facts.
Awakening Fertility: I am a HUGE fan of Heng Ou. She is also the author of another book listed below. I think two things are sometimes overlooked, fertility and postpartum. We put so much preparation into getting ready for baby, the pregnancy itself, that fertility and postpartum aren’t discussed nearly as much as they should be. She really says it best when she states, “All great voyager’s know that a venture’s success depends on deep preparation. Yet, when it comes to pregnancy, we often take the leap without first strengthening our sea legs. It’s not a stretch to say that many women today are highly stressed and minimally rested, overfed yet frequently also undernourished, and hyperconnected yet poorly supported.” This could not be more true. This gem is full of helpful information, not to mention savory recipes. Her six flavor chicken recipe is one of the best!
Real Food For Pregnancy: Pre natal nutrition can be a hard nut to crack, but Lily Nichols has done an amazing job! This book breaks everything down, and I mean everything. Much of the nutritional advice that has been out there up until recently has been outdated and didn’t pay much mind to ancestral diets. Honestly, look no further. This is a book that I recommend to all of my clients. Not only is it full of nutritional information, it is broken down by trimester, and even has some of Lily’s recipes to try for things like nausea based on science. This is by far the best book to have when it comes to pregnancy and nutrition. She also has one specifically for Gestational Diabetes.
The First Forty Days: This book is my go to for any birthing person. I think that in our culture we rush through the post partum time. It’s almost as if people are encouraged to hurry and get back to work, or get back to “normal’. This is your new normal, and while there will be hard days, you have to meet yourself where you are at. Heng Ou does an outstanding job of outlining why this postpartum time is so important, and her recipes promote health and healing in this season.
I think that we need to take time to prepare ourselves for this journey into pregnancy. The more knowledge that we have, the more power that we have. Understanding the process gives us peace of mind and power. In our culture we under estimate the fact that food can also have so many healthy medicinal properties that have such profound ramifications on our body, We no longer have to rely on the advice of just eat whatever you want, or you are eating for two. These are wonderful resources that will only serve you well as you move through this journey.