Warm, inclusive, trauma-informed recommendations from the heart of a perinatal mental health therapist & fellow parent.
Hey there, friend 💛
If you’re expecting a baby, just brought a tiny human into the world, or you’re somewhere in the blurry, coffee-fueled haze of new parenthood—first of all, welcome. I see you. Truly. The early days of parenting can be magical and messy. Beautiful and BRUTALLLL. And one of the most common things clients ask me as a perinatal and maternal mental health therapist (and fellow book-loving parent!) is:
“Do you have any recommendations for books for pregnancy and postpartum?”
I get this question all the time. I think because books are a great way to ease some anxiety and create predictability while anticipating a little one or even just to fill the time with an audiobook during early days at home with a newborn. So I figured it was time to finally put together a list that lives outside my head (and therapy office) for all of you amazing, tired, curious, and overwhelmed humans navigating this life-altering transition.
If you’re new here—hi, I’m Kirsti Reese, a licensed therapist specializing in perinatal mental health, birth trauma, and parenting support. I read A LOT of books, anywhere between 50–100 books a year (yep, I’m that person) and I read critically, especially when it comes to books on parenting, mental health, and child development that I may want to recommend to others. I don’t recommend books I haven’t read myself, and I admittedly haven’t read everything out there. If you have a book that you love that’s not on my list, please share it with us!
This list is my love letter to you: the new parent, the pregnant person, the anxious dad, the healing mama, the nonbinary birthing parent, the queer family figuring it out without a blueprint, the cycle-breaker trying to do it differently. These are the books I return to again and again, for myself, for my clients, for the people that love new parents, and for the deep, collective work of parenting with intention and compassion.
And if you love a good therapist-recommended book list, don’t miss our other favorites lists. Whether you’re strengthening your relationship, preparing for a baby, or navigating the parenting years, we’ve got your next great read covered.
📚 The Best Books for Pregnancy, Birth & New Parenthood
***TOP REC FOR PREGNANCY***
💛 Nurture by Erica Chidi
This book is my #1 recommendation for pregnancy and preparing for birth. Erica Chidi (a doula, educator, and co-founder of LOOM) offers an inclusive, body-positive, and non-judgmental guide through every trimester—and postpartum too. It’s gentle, affirming, and full of both science and heart. This is my go to recommendation to replace “What to Expect…” for people interested in that style of book, but hoping to avoid the problematic and out-dated parts.
Why I love it: It offers concrete strategies and still covers the information you want to know, especially as a first time parent. Also representation matters! This book is inclusive of all birth choices, bodies, identities, and family structures. It centers you, the birthing person—not just the baby. It also includes birth prep, postpartum care, movement strategies, and some emotional health support, which many books gloss over.
Great for: People who what to know what to expect in each stage of pregnancy and delivery, those seeking unbiased or judgement free tone, pregnant folks, first-time parents, doulas, queer and BIPOC parents, anyone wanting a holistic guide to pregnancy and birth
***TOP REC FOR LABOR & DELIVERY***
🤰 Birth Vibes by Jen Hamilton (Updated – August 2026)
This is my new absolute favorite pregnancy book recommendation! Not only did I love this book, but it honestly made me want to start a second career as a labor and delivery nurse. This funny, empowering, and refreshingly down-to-earth guide helps expectant parents prepare for birth without the fear, pressure, or overwhelm that often comes with pregnancy and birth advice. Drawing from her experience as a labor and delivery nurse, Jen Hamilton walks readers through what to expect during a hospital birth, how to navigate common interventions, and how to advocate for themselves while building a collaborative relationship with their care team.
Why I love it: Jen has a gift for making birth education feel approachable, engaging, and even fun. She covers important information about communicating with providers, understanding your options, and knowing what to expect, all without the fear-mongering that can make pregnancy feel more stressful than it needs to be. You walk away feeling informed, empowered, and excited rather than anxious.
Great for: first-time parents planning a hospital birth, anyone feeling nervous about labor and delivery, readers who want practical, realistic birth education, parents hoping to better understand how to advocate for themselves with providers, and those looking for a balanced, encouraging guide to birth and the early postpartum period.
***PREGNANCY RUNNER UP***
📚 Bumpin’ by Leslie Schrock
A fresh, relatable, modern guide to pregnancy and early parenting. With real talk, evidence-based info, and a great sense of humor, this one’s like a super-smart friend who’s also done all the research. This one includes a lot of helpful information as well, but has a bit more personal experience included. This read has a bit of a more socially conscious flavor and while it works to maintain a judgement-free tone throughout, it does acknowledge some issues with the medical system that lends a slightly more negative-than-center tone at times. I really appreciate that it covers conception and TTC as well.
Why I love it: It covers everything from conception to postpartum, with updated, inclusive language and a light tone that doesn’t minimize the hard stuff. A great alternative to the dated and fear-heavy tone of “What to Expect.”
Great for: modern and inclusive pregnancy support, birth partners, anyone who wants solid info without fear tactics, anyone who already read “Nurture” and wants another recommendation
***TOP REC FOR MENTAL HEALTH***
🧠 What No One Tells You by Dr. Alexandra Sacks & Dr. Catherine Birndorf
This is a book that covers the mental health stuff – including cognitive and communication strategies that many books miss or skip over. An essential guide to understanding mental health during pregnancy and postpartum. This book explains the very real shifts in mood, identity, and emotional wellbeing many new parents experience—and how to cope.
Why I love it: It offers actual mental health information and strategies for support. It helps new parents name what they’re feeling—and realize they’re not alone. From pregnancy anxiety to postpartum depression to identity loss, this book is a compassionate companion through it all.
Great for: Mental health support, anyone pregnant or postpartum, understanding matrescence, emotional regulation, anxiety or depression after birth
Honorable Mentions for Best Perinatal Books
These books are still wonderful resources and absolutely worth considering, but they come with a few more caveats. They may be a better fit for certain readers, seasons of life, or specific interests rather than being the “must-read for everyone” recommendations. Some are also simply less essential if you’re short on time and trying to narrow down your reading list. That said, these are great options to explore when you’re wanting more perspectives, deeper dives, or additional support during the perinatal season.
🧠 Mommy Brain by Dr. Jodi Pawluski (Updated – May 2026)
This is a science-backed, deeply validating exploration of the maternal brain and “mom brain,” written by one of the leading researchers in perinatal neuroscience. Dr. Pawluski brings emerging research on neuroplasticity, matrescence, and postpartum brain changes into an accessible, grounded framework that helps normalize what so many mothers experience.
Why I love it: It’s one of the most evidence-based, affirming books available on motherhood and brain changes—helping mothers understand that forgetfulness, mental load, and emotional shifts are not dysfunction, but adaptation. It blends research with real-world relevance in a way that makes the science feel human.
Great for: science-minded readers, clinicians, therapists, curious parents, and anyone wanting a deeper understanding of mom brain, maternal brain changes, and perinatal neurobiology (note: more academic tone, and currently no audiobook available).
📊 Expecting Better by Emily Oster
This is one of the most popular evidence-based pregnancy books that is often included on people’s lists. Oster is an economist who digs into the statistical data behind common pregnancy advice—what’s backed by research and what’s not. I want to be really clear – this is not a perfect book. There are times that Emily’s opinions and biases show up and can be felt in her writing. There are also times were her interpretation of “what the data means” feels too subjective and over-stretched.
That being said, I still found it does a better job than any other pregnancy book I’ve come across at offering statistical information and data from research on controversial pregnancy topics in a way that is intended to promote empowering people to make their own choices based on what makes sense for them. It’s not perfect, but I think a critical thinker can sort through what’s helpful in this book and disregard what is not in a way that leaves an overall effect of feeling empowering, reducing anxiety, and debunking unhelpful myths and misunderstandings.
*Therapist Note: This book works best when paired with more emotionally attuned and inclusive resources like Nurture by Erica Chidi or Like a Mother by Angela Garbes. It fills an important niche for cognitive and evidence-seeking clients, but shouldn’t be the only book on your shelf or your client’s nightstand. It is not fully inclusive in languaging or framing, gives lip service to individual choice without always acknowledging systemic barriers and limitations, and lacks a trauma-informed lens for those of whom that is an important part of supporting their perinatal needs.
Why I love it: It helps cut through fear-based rules and gives you the info you need to make confident, informed decisions during pregnancy. While imperfect, it does ultimately promote autonomy and choice—whether you’re questioning sushi, coffee, or epidurals.
Great for: Analytical thinkers, Type-A pregnant folks, people overwhelmed by conflicting advice, evidence-based decision-making
📘 Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts by Karen Kleiman
Let me be clear: if you’re having a hard time postpartum and you only read one book during that time, make it this one. It’s a lifeline for any new parent who’s felt overwhelmed, anxious, tearful, or downright scared. And it’s normal. Also it’s short and an easy read!
Why I love it: This book normalizes the intrusive thoughts and intense feelings so many of us face—and no one talks about. It’s visually engaging, filled with short reflections, cartoons, affirmations, and mental health tools. It’s also inclusive and trauma-informed.
Great for: Postpartum mental health, intrusive thoughts, perinatal anxiety, parents who feel like they’re silently struggling
🌈 Like a Mother by Angela Garbes
Part memoir, part investigative journalism, this book dives into the science and politics of pregnancy with humor, honesty, and fierceness. This book approaches its subject through a social justice lens and occasionally critiques the medical establishment—not by discouraging hospital births, but by highlighting systemic shortcomings in healthcare. It maintains a non-judgmental tone toward birthing people and strongly supports individual choice and autonomy throughout.
Why I love it: Garbes unpacks everything from fetal development to miscarriage, maternal mortality, and why American healthcare is failing birthing people—especially Black and Brown folks. It’s smart, intersectional, and deeply human.
Great for: Pregnant folks who want to understand their bodies and the system, social justice-minded parents, informed consent, feminist birth perspectives
💪 Birth Without Fear by January Harshe
This empowering, inclusive guide to self-advocacy during birth planning and preparation is all about your choices, your body, your voice. Harshe offers a unapologetic take on preparing for labor and birth—without shame, fear, or rigid expectations. The book emphasizes trusting yourself and supports birthing people in feeling empowered and able to advocate for their needs. It’s a feel-good, affirming read rather than a data-driven resource. While the title may suggest otherwise, it doesn’t offer concrete strategies for managing anxiety or reducing fear. Instead, it leans into a clearly stated bias: a critique of the medical system’s shortcomings and a strong belief in the intuition and inner knowledge of the birthing person.
Why I love it: It centers autonomy and emotional wellbeing during labor. Whether you’re planning a home birth or a hospital induction, this book affirms you are the expert of your body. It’s trauma-informed, supportive, and practical.
Great for: Anyone recovering from a past negative birth experience, birthing people who want to feel empowered, inclusive birth prep, trauma-informed prenatal care
**Maybe skip this one if you are feeling a bit nervous or mistrustful about the medical system. It doesn’t land quite the same way if that is a tenderness you’re living with.
A Few More Honorable Mentions…
- The Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin – This comprehensive guide is a vital resource for anyone supporting a birthing person. It provides practical tips, emotional support strategies, and evidence-based information for partners and doulas. (Penny Simkins is a wealth of knowledge and her books are always a valuable resource. I don’t list more of them because, like this book, they tend to be long and detailed and most of us mere-mortals who get a little overwhelmed. If you get this book, don’t hesitate to pick and choose which sections to read based on your needs!)
Note: Be sure to get the more updated versions of Penny Simkin’s books. In some of the early editions she is a little more rigid about centering home births or births without medical interventions, but she no longer carries that value. - It’s Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (but Were Never Told) by Karen Tang – A no-nonsense, evidence-based guide that breaks down reproductive health issues and dispels common myths. Perfect for anyone navigating concerns about their body post-birth or during their reproductive journey.
- This Isn’t What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression by Karen Kleiman – A compassionate, insightful guide for those navigating postpartum depression. This book offers real-life advice and powerful strategies for reclaiming mental wellness after childbirth. (Occasionally a bit too clinical and offering too many of other people’s examples to not feel a little overwhelming at times, it still has some great information).
- When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women by Penny Simkin & Phyllis Klaus – A sensitive and important resource for survivors of sexual abuse, exploring the complex ways early trauma can impact pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum experiences.
- The Pelvic Floor Bible by Mary O’Dwyer – A must-read for anyone preparing for or recovering from birth. It covers everything you need to know about pelvic floor health during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. (Pelvic floor health matters! This is my favorite soapbox. Learn more in our pelvic floor blog here)
- Yoga for Pelvic Floor and Postpartum Health by Karin Gosselin – A beautifully informative book that combines yoga practices with pelvic floor recovery techniques to support healing and wellness during the postpartum period. (My Perinatal Yoga Teacher self can’t help but include this rec!)
- Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by John Medina – This engaging and research-packed book explores what science actually says about what impacts babies during pregnancy and how young children learn, develop, and thrive. Covering everything from emotional intelligence to sleep and discipline, it’s one of the more data-driven resources available for new parents.
Note: This book isn’t perfect—it’s not always written with care in mind or in the most inclusive language, and the author’s voice can come across as a bit rigid or unattuned . Still, it’s included here because many people are looking for evidence-based, accessible insights on early development from professional with the training to critically interpret the research, and Medina delivers on that front. As always, take what serves you and leave the rest.
These additions round out a well-rounded set of resources, ensuring that parents—especially those who may be navigating trauma, pelvic health, or postpartum mental health—feel supported and equipped for whatever their journey brings.
🚫 Books I Do Not Recommend for Parents (and Why)
As much as I love books, it’s equally important to talk about the ones I don’t recommend—because not all books are created equal, and sometimes, the wrong book can do more harm than good. When it comes to pregnancy, birth, and parenting, there are a few classics that might sound like good reads at first, but they are NEVER on my recommendation list. Here’s why:
❌ What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
While this book has been around for decades and has certainly helped a lot of parents navigate the pregnancy journey, it will never be on my list. In fact, I outright suggest new parents avoid reading it. It has too much information about every single, hypothetical things that could possibly go wrong during a pregnancy. It creates even more fear and uncertainty during an incredibly vulnerable time. It has a lot of fear-based language and often takes a very medicalized approach to pregnancy that can be alienating and anxiety-inducing. The book frequently assumes a one-size-fits-all approach to pregnancy, ignoring the diversity of experiences, especially for those who are BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, or have non-traditional family structures.
Exceptions: It is a good-enough encyclopedia-like resource for therapists and birth workers who want to learn more about all the varied experiences possible during pregnancy and birth but would not be directly affected by the fear-based and anxiety-inducing language. If you do choose to read it, please keep in mind it can foster unnecessary fear and anxiety by presenting pregnancy as something that is inherently dangerous or fraught with potential disasters. Instead of empowering people to trust their body and themselves, it leans into worst-case scenarios that can leave parents feeling more stressed than informed. It’s also been criticized for its lack of inclusivity and outdated medical advice.
❌ The Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine
While this book offers some humor and candidness, and I certainly laughed at several parts, it often relies too heavily on outdated stereotypes and dismissive language that may not resonate with today’s diverse parenting community. I avoid recommending any books unless I feel confident that they will be empowering and supportive to my clients and I simply cannot say that with confidence about this book ever. It takes a very light-hearted, often sarcastic approach to pregnancy that can trivialize the real emotional and physical challenges expectant parents face.
Exceptions: If you enjoy sarcastic (and sometimes dismissive) humor and you’re feeling very cynical and over-it with this whole experience (certainly a valid experience too!). If you do choose to read it, please keep in mind although it can be funny, it can lean too far into casual, sometimes shaming humor that may alienate or minimize the serious, and sometimes overwhelming, nature of pregnancy and childbirth. It’s also written from a very cis-heteronormative, affluent perspective, which leaves out a lot of people’s experiences.
Why You Should Choose Carefully
In the world of parenting and perinatal mental health, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of books, blogs, and podcasts offering advice. But just because a book has sold millions of copies doesn’t mean it’s the right resource for you personally .
When choosing books, I encourage you to look for evidence-based, inclusive, and compassionate resources. Make sure they reflect your values and acknowledge the diversity of experiences in pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. A good parenting book should empower you—not shame you, overwhelm you, or leave you feeling more confused.
Remember, you are the expert on your own life and your own family. The best resources will give you the tools and knowledge to make decisions that feel right for you and your family—without fear-mongering or pushing an agenda that doesn’t fit with your own needs.
Real Talk: Books Are Great—But Personalized Support Is Better
Here’s the truth, friend: you can read every great book out there, and still feel unsure. Still feel anxious. Still feel like you’re losing yourself in the process of becoming a parent.
And that’s okay.
This is where therapy comes in. Whether you’re (re)defining your parent identity postpartum, dealing with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), recovering from birth trauma, or navigating parenthood after your own difficult childhood—you do not have to do this alone.
In our work as a maternal mental health therapist, we support:
- Pregnant & postpartum folks facing anxiety, depression, or birth trauma
- Parents navigating identity shifts, resentment, and overwhelm
- Cycle-breakers doing the brave, hard work of parenting differently
- Families without a clear map — including queer, trans, nonbinary, adoptive, solo, blended, chosen, and any nontraditional family structures navigating parenting without a template
Our practice is trauma-informed, inclusive, and warm. And you deserve support that actually helps.
Thinking About Therapy?
If you’re in the thick of pregnancy, birth, or new parenthood and want a space to unpack it all—reach out.
✨ You don’t have to wait until you’re falling apart.
✨ You don’t need a diagnosis to deserve support.
✨ You are not alone. Not now. Not ever.
Let’s talk.
👉 Click here to schedule or send us a message.
➡️ [Learn more about our therapy services for Pregnancy and Postpartum Support here.]
If this resonated with you, feel free to share it with a fellow parent, client, or community group who could use it. And if you’re ready to go deeper, all of us here at Thrive Therapy Houston would be honored to walk alongside you.
Warmly,
Kirsti Reese, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S, PMH-C, SEP, LCDC, CCTP
EMDR Certified & EMDR Approved Consultant
Perinatal Therapist & Prenatal Yoga Teacher
Maternal Mental Health Specialist | Mom of 2 | Avid Bookworm | Champion of Emotional Growth | Supporter of New Parents | Advocate for Emotionally Healthy Families
Frequently Asked Questions
Parenting can be overwhelming, and sorting through endless advice feels impossible. As both a therapist , formerly pregnant person, and a parent, I’ve read more books than I can count—so I’ve curated the very best to help you navigate the ups and downs with confidence, compassion, and a bit less stress. Let’s dive into some FAQs to support you on this journey.
