Book Recommendations for Expecting Paren'ts
The first step to growing a reader is well, to grow a human! So in honour of babies in wombs everywhere, below are my top picks for pregancy related books. Many expecting paren'ts have questions about what sorts of books they themselves should read in order to prepare for childbirth and paren'thood. The short selection below is a great place to start.
The Birth Partner: a complete guide to childbirth for dads, doulas, and other labor companions by Penny Simkin
This is my favourite pregnancy book filled with easy to understand descriptions, practical advice to get you through labour, and a dose of much needed reassurance from a credible source. Unlike many of its contemporaries, this book speaks directly to the birth partner (a husband, partner, family member, or friend) instead of to the woman giving birth. For this reason, it's a breath of fresh air, reminding birthing woman everywhere that they do not have to go through the birthing process alone.
The survival guide for rookie moms: things you need to know that no one ever tells you by Erica Wells and Lorraine Regel
Wells and Regel do a great good job of imparting authoritative information in a fun and easy-to-digest manner, which is more reminiscent of an article found in a fashion magazine or a blog than of a tried-tested-and-true pregancy text. It's no wonder that these two are also behind a popular mommy blog: survival4moms.com. The organization of the book is quite unique, charting the changes to befall both baby and mom through a narrative structure that's tied to an anatomical map. If you're looking for Canadian content this book sure is a winner- it provides a much needed Canadian perspective and context, one which is often missing from more well known American focused publications.
Birthing From Within: an extra-ordinary guide to childbirth preparation by Pam England
If overly medicalized environments aren't your thing, this is definitely the pregnancy book for you. More of an art-therapy how-to than a clinical step-by-step kind of a read, this book stresses the importance of visualization in labour. Even if alternative approaches to childbirth aren't necessarily what you are looking for, the book's art-focused prespective can add to your understanding of the birthing process and how best to prepare yourself for the unexpected.
Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin
Even if you're not expecting to be under the care of a midwife, this book is still a great read. The birth stories and photo essays inside are very inspiring and can help the overly practical (and paranoid) paren't-to-be to slow down and remember that birth really is a miracle to be celebrated and not an act to be checked off of a check list. Originally published in 1976, this publication is cherised by midwifery students everywhere in part because it helped to introduce an entire generation of women to the possibilities of midwifery care. Beyond its pregancy-related content, the book's descriptions of commune life in Tennessee is an interesting read in and of itself.
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