Susan the Librarian

Pregnancy and Childbirth Prep

Posted on April 2, 2016

My apologies for the unannounced hiatus from blogging. I was overly optimistic about my ability to continue reading extensively for pleasure as my pregnancy drew to a close and last minute baby preparations took over my life. But now I’m back to reading and this post hopefully marks the return of regular book reviews. I’ll kick things off with some quick evaluations of a few popular pregnancy guides.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
Probably the most well-known pregnancy prep book on the market today, What to Expect covers pregnancy week by week, discussing symptoms, common issues, and things to think about: decisions that will need to be made about the birth and also decisions about what will happen in your early days of parenting. The writing style is informal and somewhat trendy with many light-hearted references to the “baby bump” and other common social aspects of the modern American pregnacy, such as designing a nursery. There is also an online community associated with the book, where expectant mothers can connect with other expecting mothers. This book will resonate with many pregnant women, but not all will relate to the writing style and some of priorities the book presents as universal. The book’s main weakness is its organization. Many useful tidbits of information and are interspersed throughout the week by week discussion, which can make them difficult to locate again.

The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Although a new edition of this book has not been released in several years, the information included in it is still relevant and valuable. This book is well organized, including a section on pregnancy week by week, but also including chapters devoted specifically to different issues surrounding pregnancy so that if you are experiencing symptoms or thinking about issues at a different time than is typical, you can easily locate the information that you need. One of the more useful sections is an index of pains and other potentially alarming symptoms with an assessment of whether it is normal or worth an immediate call to your healthcare provider. The focus of the book is on physical and mental health, so while you will find broader topics such as choosing a childcare provider, you will not find as much of a variety as you find in What to Expect. The writing style is less playful, but still accessible and easy to read. I personally found this resource the most helpful.

Birthing From Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz
The focus of this book is on mental and logistical preparations for childbirth with a heavy emphasis on natural, non-medicated birth. It includes strategies for overcoming or facing fears, strategies for natural pain management with suggestions for how to practice before labor, and a few pregnancy tips such as a nutrition guide. Not all of the stories, techniques, and beliefs presented in this book will resonate with all readers, but I highly recommend it if you have a lot of birth-related fears or if you are planning on a medication-free birth. There are chapters with practical strategies you may find very useful.