Recommended Books, Videos, and Websites for Pregnancy, Childbirth, Infant Feeding, and Postpartum.

Knowledge is power and APPLIED knowledge is powerful!

Gaining knowledge and then applying it to help make the best decisions for you and your family is KEY to being an active participant in the care you receive during pregnancy, labor, birth, and beyond.

Do you like to read and learn new things?! If so, then this list is for you. And even if not, then maybe consider choosing just 1 or 2 of the recommendations below to get started and then see what sparks the most interest and joy and go from there.

The books and videos below are recommendations for additional information on pregnancy and how the body grows and changes as it nourishes and grows a tiny human and to help prepare you and your partner for childbirth, breastfeeding, and beyond.

Pregnancy and Childbirth:

1.) Giving Birth With Confidence (Official Lamaze Guide, 3rd Edition)

2.) Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

3.) Childbirth Without Fear: The Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth by Grantly Dick-Read

4.) Birthing From Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation by Pam England

5.) Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally by Janet Balaskas

6.) The Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, and All other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin

7.) Pregnancy, Childbirth, and The Newborn (5th Edition)

8.) The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland

9.) Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered by Rebecca Dekker

10.) Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for Physiologic Approach by Henci Goer

11.) The Birth Book by William Sears and Martha Sears

12.) The Healthy Pregnancy Book: Month-to-Month, Everything You Need to Know by Wiliam Sears

13.) Mindful BIrthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond by Nancy Bardacke

14.) Transformed by Birth by Britta Bushnell

15.) Shared Decision Making: Bring Birth Back Into the Hands of Mothers by Dr. Brad Bootstaylor

Nutrition:

1.) Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition by Lily Nichols

Breastfeeding:

1.) The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Completely Revised and Updated 8th Edition)

2.) Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing

3.) Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding by Jack Newman

Post-Partum:

1.) The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality by Kimberly Ann Johnson

2.) The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou

Home Birth:

1.) Why Not Home? Documentary by Jessica More

2.) The Essential Homebirth Guide: For Families Planning or Considering Birthing at Home by Jane E. Drichta

Newborn:

1.) The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two by William Sears

Video:

1.) Business of Being Born by Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake Documentary

2.) Microbirth (Documentary)

1.) Why Not Home? Documentary by Jessica More

Websites:

1.) Lamaze International

2.) Evidence Based Birth

3.) Giving Birth With Confidence

4.) Cochrane Library

5.) Childbirth Connection

6.) American College of Nurse-Midwives

7.) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

8.) Google Scholar

9.) Connecting The Dots by Lamaze

10.) The Miles Circuit

11.) Ontario Midwives

12.) Spinning Babies

VBAC Specific Websties;

1.) Power To Push

2.) VBAC Facts

3.) VBAC Link

4.) ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network)

5.) Evidence Based Birth

6.) Ontario Midwives