Doula Recommended Books for Pregnancy & Birth

I get asked a lot for book recommendations for before pregnancy and beyond. These are top of my list! All of these books are available in the nYn Lending Library or you can purchase them from Amazon by clicking on the pictures below. 

CONCEPTION

Knowing how to chart your cycle is crucial for getting pregnancy quickly. It's also possible to use your charts to determine potential problems. These first two books are amazing! Dr. Shettle's book is also very insightful and can be fun if you are trying for one sex or the other. I successfully used this method to have my girl!

PREGNANCY

I love this first book because it has lots of pictures. The second encompasses so much information and is also rather colorful. The 3rd book really should be required reading. 

BIRTH

If you want facts about pregnancy and stats about birth in America so you can make your own choices, this first book is for you. However, if you don't read any other book during pregnancy I would highly recommend The Birth Partner. It's basically a textbook for birth and has great suggestions for labor. Ina May's book is a combo of empowering birth stories and a crash course in childbirth. I love it! 

BREASTFEEDING

These books are basically the gold standard for breastfeeding and a must for every nursing mother. Another favorite resource is KellyMom.com!

BABY CARE

I wish someone had given me Elizabeth Pantley's book when I was pregnant. There's a lot of great information about infant sleep patterns that I wish I had known in advance. The vaccine book is very informative and there are some awesome techniques in this last book for soothing littles. 

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​Staci Bishop, CD, HCHD is a certified birth & postpartum doula serving families in and around Nashville, TN. She's passionate about all things birth and babies. Contact her today at nurturingYOUnaturally@gmail.com.