Throughout pregnancy parents often spend a majority of their time learning about pregnancy and what to expect during childbirth. Because of that, the time and energy needed to learn about what comes after birth is misplaced, leaving parents feeling unsure about the transition ahead. After reading these best pregnancy books to read in the third trimester you will feel more prepared for everything that comes after birth – like healing the postpartum body, caring for an infant, breastfeeding, what vaccines your baby needs and of course, how to get your baby to sleep.
In my search to find a good book about how to care for the mother after the birth I found an amazing book written by an amazing woman. Her name is Robin Lim and she is a woman who has poured her life out to help women through various organizations. For example, she cares for women as a midwife in Bali, serving the underprivileged women by literally saving their lives and babies. A few years ago she was CNN’s Hero of the Year.
Robin Lim wrote a book called After the Baby’s Birth: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women which discusses what no other book discusses in this much detail: how to take care of yourself the first six weeks after your baby is born. If you’ve ever tried to find a book on this subject, you know how hard it can be… the information is mysteriously lacking! I think that is very telling… many books are about pregnancy, childbirth, the baby… everything but the new mom.
In this book you will find information on nutrition, body image, expectations, exercise, infant feeding, sexuality, sleep and emotional vulnerability. This guide is refreshing in that it helps you to understand how a new mom needs special care in those first few weeks, but also tells you exactly how to do it. My favorite part are the unique recipes. Love this book!
Another amazing resource for navigating the unknowns of postpartum is Natural Health After Birth: The Complete Guide to Postpartum Wellness. This book would be a great baby shower gift along with some Earth Mama Angel Baby Mama Bottom Balm!
If you’re looking to create a postpartum plan whether you’re a first time mom or have already had a baby, you will find this book to be extremely helpful and validating. Postpartum is a time of healing and transition, not a time to “do it all” and be supermom.
I read Mother Shock during the first year of my second child’s life and it deeply resonated with me. It was so refreshing to hear from someone who absolutely loved their child but was struggling with their new role, new identity as a mother.
This book is a compilation of short pieces written throughout her child’s first year or two. She compares the transformation of becoming a mother to that of someone dealing with culture shock. Mother shock, get it?
Each stage of culture shock – the honeymoon stage, the frustration stage, adjustment and then acceptance all have their place in the transformation of becoming a mother.
Did you know that newborns have erratic breathing patterns? Or that in the first few days they may choke, gag and stop breathing (for a few seconds) because they’re working mucus out of their lungs? Yeah, I sure didn’t know that.
After experiencing these behaviors my husband and I whipped out our copy of The Baby Book and we were immediately relieved to find out our baby was in fact normal and not dying. Every new parent is worried about babies dying!
Hopefully by The Baby Book, and keeping it around as a handy reference you will be relieved that your baby is normal and not dying.
For a more complete list of the best breastfeeding books click here.
Going back to work? Want to maintain your breastfeeding relationship with your little one? Working and Breastfeeding Made Simple is a must read.
Working and Breastfeeding Made Simple explains exactly how breastmilk is made which will give you the information you need to make the most while you are away from your baby.
Another great thing about this book is that it will help you go back to work when YOU go back to work. Because a five week old baby has different breastfeeding needs and challenges, if you go back to work at that time you will have unique needs and challenges too. This book addresses the mom at each stage of postpartum she finds herself going back to work. Truly helpful!
There is so much misinformation on the internet and in our social circles about vaccines. It’s really difficult to know where to look for real, unbiased information and answers.
One reason I love The Vaccine Book is that it thoroughly explains each disease and the vaccine so you can really see the bigger picture.
This book might be tough, however, because the author really tries to get you to make your own decision with the information presented. He’s not going to tell you what to choose! Be prepared to use your brain, parents!
Does the “cry it out method” make you feel uneasy and anxious? Would you like to get some sleep postpartum? If you answered yes to both, you will love The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Newborns.
After reading this book you will have a better understanding on sleep, your child’s sleep needs and how to help your child be happier by getting more sleep.
By implementing the information presented you’re bound to get more sleep too. Sleep is great!
I am a huge fan of The Happiest Baby on the Block. So much so that I show the DVD in my childbirth classes. I love how prepared (and less intimidated) the information makes parents feel going into birth.
This book will give you the tools to “troubleshoot” a crying or fussy baby. You will learn why our babies need our help to soothe themselves and exactly, step-by-step how to soothe them.
If you’re wanting to take a break from reading, the DVD is an excellent next best thing. In my childbirth class we watch the 5S’s portion during the last class of every session!
For a more complete list of the best pregnancy books for dads click here.
Be Prepared is actually a really good book. By the cover you might think that the contents may be comical and somewhat helpful… but let me tell you what. If every father-to-be read this book I think they would be amazing dads, ridiculously helpful and would experience less of a learning curve when their babies are born.
Be Prepared is broken down in sections by baby’s age and takes you through a father’s journey of parenthood in the first year. This book holds up to its name and gives dads practical information on how to handle (and have great success in!) many different scenarios like taking your baby on an airplane, babyproofing your home, spending a night in a motel, and driving in a car with a crying baby.
As a seasoned mother I absolutely learned a thing or two from this book.
Here is a list of the best first trimester books.
Here is a list of the best second trimester books.
Make sure to check out the ABCs of the Third Trimester. It’s hilarious!