Top Five Books to Read When Expecting

I read A LOT of books during my pregnancy like, a crazy lot of books and websites too. I think research was probably a way for me to deal with the uneasiness often associated with becoming a first time parent. Books helped me relax and educate myself. All this reading helped with the worry (okay, fear) of childbirth . Honestly, with the help of these five books I grew confidence and felt more equipped to manage what was ahead for me.

I found myself enjoying books that were informative while being slightly more um...relaxed. I really disliked What to Expect When You Are Expecting because it is so full of gloomy information and “worse case scenarios.” Yes, it is important to know all the nitty gritty but this classic seemed to focus more on the bad things that could happen during pregnancy. I wanted to inform myself so I wasn’t terrified and I found this book’s tone to be intense.

To start, I highly recommend Your Pregnancy Week by Week written by Curtis and Schuler. I love the layout of this book because you do not need to read it cover to cover. You can simply pick it up and turn to the pages regarding whatever week you like. This book is so full of information and they touch on everything but it also works as a timeline to help mothers-to-be prepare without being overwhelmed. I reread this book several times and it was a great way to quickly reassure myself that whatever I was experiencing was totally normal while keeping me informed on all types of issues. Also, at the end of every week there were exercising tips and illustrations of what the baby looked like. Very cool!

Baby’s First Year by Jones, Jones and Crocetti is a fantastic book to read cover to cover and also use as a reference. To start, the book’s short chapters are organized by days. Starting with the last days of pregnancy, it describes what to expect and how to prepare for the little one’s arrival. This book then picks up by discussing each individual day after the baby arrives. This book may be large but it covers everything from the baby’s development, to nutrition, to first aid...everything! It eventually switches into a weekly/monthly format but is always informative and easy to read. It is so helpful to read about milestones and ways to care for your little one throughout the first year. I continue to use this book as reference on a weekly basis. 

The Expectant Father by Brott and Ash. Pat and I both read this book and liked it. This no fuss, relaxed book is catered to fathers as a way to understand what their wives are experiencing as well as to inform them on what to expect as the dad to be. Sometimes we forget how stressful a pregnancy can be for a father and this book was a terrific way for my husband to identify and understand what he was going through. I am so glad I read it too because it was less “textbook” while being super informative. It also gave me a perspective that is absent from many “mommy” books and I appreciated understanding what my husband was going through as well.

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Karp. If you don’t read this book then at least go to your local library and borrow the DVD. This quick read is a fantastic way to prepare yourself for the crying and fussiness that occur with a newborn. Karp’s philosophies on caring for a newborn are really amazing and his techniques for calming a crying baby make so much sense. I have seen his technique in action and I must say his five steps work!

Dad is Fat by Gaffigan. Whether or not you like his comedy routine, Jim Gaffigan is the father of five (yes five!) children and has seen it all. Comprised of short essays this book touches on a variety of parenting topics and literally made me laugh out loud! You may not agree with everything he writes but it is refreshing to see the humor in parenting and his genuine honesty is refreshing. Parenting can be messy but his ability to find the comedy amidst the chaos is terrific.

So, there you have it. It was difficult to pick the top five but hopefully this helps a few mamas to be. There is a lot of information out there and it can be very overwhelming. I wish you all the best of luck. Now that Henson is here, do you have any baby books you love? I will take any and all recommendations. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate