BEST Books to Prepare for Birth (hint: birth is 80% mental and 20% physical)

If you're pregnant or planning to be, you have most likely started researching ways to prepare. Give yourself a pat on the back, this is an essential part of your motherhood journey! Looking up the top-rated hospitals to birth in, planning a baby shower, and doing 3 hours of research on car seats are some of the typical ways we prepare. However, nothing will serve you better than taking time to learn and understand the basics of birth. I'll mention my top 4 BEST BOOKS to prepare for birth with confidence.

If you're interested in snagging my Birth Myth Busting Guide click HERE to have it sent to your inbox. This free guide is packed with info that so many pregnant mothers need to hear. There is a lot of outdated, FALSE info floating around. Don't let these lies shape your experience.

Pregnancy is a great time to practice intentional self-care like designating time each day to yourself. One of my favorite ways of doing this is by taking an Epsom salt bath and reading my birth books. I love using this bathtub tray to hold my books and drink while I'm in the tub! I've had mine for 5 years now and it's as good as new. I do earn a small affiliate commission if you purchase through my link.

• There are better resources to gain knowledge outside of Google & your friends

I think if we did a poll, about 80-90% of parents spend more money on decorating the nursery than they do on birth education resources...yet one of the biggest struggles women have while pregnant is their fear surrounding labor and birth. I believe the fundamental reason women fear birth is because they do not know what to expect and they have been culturally conditioned to relate birth to agony and drama. Most friends and family who share their birth stories tend to highlight the dramatic or scary parts, while unknowingly seeding doubt and fear in other women listening. Taking on the responsibility to gain knowledge and wisdom from trusted women who understand the beauty, power, and transformative nature of birth will radically shift your confidence. My list of the best books to prepare for birth are written by some of the most iconic and knowledgeable women in the birth world.

Women who perceive birth as a normal, non-emergent event tend to have much smoother and more manageable labors because fear is not dictating their minds- confidence, peace, and knowing are present even through the intensity.

• Using books as a slow & soft way to inform yourself

If you were trapped alone on an island and had not done any research or spoken to any other women about birth, you would still give birth to your baby. You don't have to be an expert on birth to give birth. That's not what I'm getting at here. However, there is abundant value in taking the time to pour into yourself while you are pregnant. I promise, that preparing in some way (podcasts, books, a course) will build your confidence and open many more doors for you. The books listed below are a slow and soft way to begin tapping into your deeper self and exploring what truly aligns with you. Sometimes learning countercultural wisdom is just what we need to get off the hamster wheel and pave our own path. These books took me from being hesitant and clueless to joyfully confident prior to my second birth.

Giving birth is not just about getting a baby out of your body. It's a transformative event that sets the tone for your motherhood and it is important. You are important!

BEST BOOKS (if you purchase through my link I do earn a small commission)

1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - buy yours here

2. Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage - buy yours here

3. Birth Without Fear - Buy yours here

4. Portal: The Art of Choosing Orgasmic, Pain-Free, Blissful Birth - Buy yours here

   
   
   
   

Grab my Birth Myth Busting Guide click HERE to have it sent to your inbox.

With love,

Elaina