Over the course of pregnancy (and before) I have read a LOT of books. Some of them I loved and some were just okay. Here is a list of my favorites. These are the ones I’ve re-read time and time again. The ones I will be going back to when I need help.
Baby Bargains
The best at helping you figure out what baby stuff you really need. There is a TON of baby stuff out there. Stores want you to buy it all. But Baby Bargains helps you keep the budget under control by getting only what you need and by helping you find the good quality items so you don’t have to re-purchase the same thing in 3 months.
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
If I could have only one pregnancy book, this would be it. It has a week to week guide, an extensive look at testing, labor, newborns. Basically everything you need in one book. I also love the chapter on different pregnancy symptoms. You can look up a symptom you are having and it tells you if it’s normal, what you can do to help alleviate the symptom, and when to call the doctor. Each month also has a chart telling you what things you should call the doctor about and what things are totally normal- don’t worry. This helped keep my freaking out to a minimum.
Pregnancy To-Dos
My favorite pregnancy organizer. Helps you make lists and more lists. Keep track of Dr appointments, gifts received, day care interviews, pediatricians, registry lists, and more.
What’s Going on in There
My favorite book on baby’s brain development. It goes into great detail about all the ways the brain develops and what you can do to help it along the way. I love all the clinical case studies and examples. If you only wanted to read one book on development, this would be my recommendation.