PREGNANCY BOOKS I LOVED

Pregnancy, birth, and mothering is so highly personal. I've said this a hundred times and will continue to echo it, but what works for someone may not work at all for someone else, and that's ok. I want to say this with anything baby related that I recommend, because I firmly believe that there are a hundred ways to mother and no "one size fits all" for any baby or family. 

That said, sharing some pregnancy books here that I loved and that were recommended to me, with the disclaimer that these may not fit your philosophy at all.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn. I picked this one up in my third trimester, but it has lots of information on pregnancy that I skipped over. The birth and newborn information is awesome, very in depth, and it reads like a textbook in terms of the amount of information, which I wanted. I would even go so far as to say I got more out of this book than our birth class. Loved this one.

Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth and Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Breastfeeding. Written by a well known midwife, this has lots of great information on natural childbirth. Definitely more suited if you're into "granola/crunchy" birthing, but I learned a lot of helpful information from both of these about birth and breastfeeding, even though I don't plan an unmedicated birth.

Mindful Birthing. Good for learning some relaxing/focusing/breathing techniques. My personality tends to lean more to a more stressed out state, so this is kind of a foreign concept for me, but it was good to learn some practical ways to remain calm and decrease sensations of pain.

Expecting Better. I liked that the main concept behind this one is to question the idea that the "This is how it's always done" mentality doesn't necessarily mean it's the best way. I agreed with some things and not with others, but appreciated questioning the status quo, and the encouragement to do your own research to find what works best for you and your family.

The Birth Partner. This book was recommended to my husband, who read it and liked it, and I skimmed it. Seems like a great resource for whoever is attending your birth, and a great way for your partner to feel involved in the birth.

And Baby Makes Three. Good for prepping your marriage for the changes a baby will bring.

There are tons of books on pregnancy and birth out there. I hope this helps as a starting point!