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From old classics to new favourites, a new mum tells us what got her through her nine months of pregnancy.
These are strange and interesting times to be pregnant! In 2020, COVID-19 has completely altered life as we know it (and we still don’t know where it’s headed). Whether you’re a first-time mother or not, these surreal times might have fuelled additional anxiety and uncertainty. Fear not, we’ve got you covered! There are plenty of great pregnancy books that can prepare you for the life-changing adventures of parenthood to come. Here is our selection of top ten reads before for the arrival of your little one, covering everything from pregnancy to birth, motherhood and parenting.
Read more: Top Tips To Make It Through The Final Stretch Of Pregnancy
What To Expect When You’re Expecting By Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
This best seller is touted as a pregnancy bible and rightfully so. The latest 5th edition in print offers current information for today’s lifestyles from whether spin classes are safe to the suitability of your Paleo diet before conception. The information is comprehensive with chapters detailing what to look out for month by month, with sound advice along with an updated “For Fathers and Partners” sidebar relevant to each point in the pregnancy journey with medical advice and the wide options available.
Available on Book Depository
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy: From Doctors Who Are Parents, Too!
This heavy-duty pregnancy book is based on medical knowledge with accurate and reliable information. Written by medical professionals, the comprehensive guide includes practical advice on how to make informed decisions when selecting a healthcare provider, prenatal testing options, birthing methods, etc. It also explains any discomforts or potential complications that one may experience throughout pregnancy and how to deal with them. All in all, this 500-page book will provide you with all the knowledge and reassurance that you will need, making it a must-have on your reading list!
Available on Book Depository
Read more: Natural Remedies For Use During Pregnancy: Midwife Advice
Hong Kong Maternity & Baby Book By Healthy Matters
This in-depth Hong Kong guide gives you the low down on public and private medical care from pre-pregnancy to the baby’s first year, including paediatrician recommendations, traditional Chinese medicines as well as the important administrative details that include insurance, maternity leave and creating a will. The book includes a directory listing of the city’s medical providers as well as costs, prenatal tests, and complementary medicine during your pregnancy. It’s everything you need to know about having a baby in Hong Kong condensed in 180 pages!
Available on Baby Central
Expecting Better By Emily Oster
This book is a wonderfully well-researched resource that empowers mothers. Oster is an award-winning economist and professor and challenges all the myths and recommendations pregnant women are given, backed by solid data. You get hard facts in an easily digestible format. What we have here is “What to Expect meets Freakonomics” and its content is very reassuring and empowering, explaining the (lack of) effects of caffeine and the occasional glass of wine, no shame in eating fresh and safe sushi, to the trendy commerce of private cord banking—there’s only 1 in 20,000 chance of using the cord blood you banked for your child’s sibling.
Available on Book Depository
Read more: All You Need To Know About Cord Blood Banking In Hong Kong
The Baby Bump: 100s of Secrets to Surviving Those 9 Long Months
So, perhaps a baby book chocked full of scientific terminology or data isn’t for you. In that case, you may find this bright and colourful book which covers all the basics much more appealing and digestible. With advice from both experts and real mums, The Baby Bump is a great choice if you’re looking for a fun read that is equally informative. Each chapter in the book covers one month of your pregnancy and includes a to-do list, what to expect, and thoughts you may be having plus additional guides that may be useful. It also includes some functional tables which can be used to record the baby’s activity after birth such as his or her sleeping and feeding pattern – very helpful for overwhelmed and sleep-deprived new parents!
Available on Amazon
Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be
Diet plays a big part in growing a tiny human over 40 weeks. Many women deal with nausea, food cravings and aversion, it can be challenging to meet the demands of your everchanging appetite and dietary needs. Eating for Pregnancy includes 150 recipes full of nutritious ingredients tailored to pregnant women, with an expanded section for vegetarians and vegans. The recipes will help you prepare fresh and easy-to-cook meals that everyone will enjoy. Each recipe comes with a clear nutritional breakdown, highlighting the beneficial elements for you and your baby. As a bonus, there is a section on postpartum care and advice on breastfeeding and exercises for recovery (with illustrations).
Available on Book Depository
Read more: Staying Healthy During Pregnancy: Nutrition Dos And Don’ts
Cribsheet By Emily Oster
Following Oster’s first pregnancy book Expecting Better, Cribsheet is an NYT bestseller and NPR Book of the year. Here, the author breaks down all the challenges of early parenthood from an economist’s perspective diving into the research and presenting the data in a layman format. It can help parents make their own decisions on breastfeeding, sleep training and daycare. Best of all, it dispels any guilt and judgement based on whatever suits you best because it’s backed by facts. The book doesn’t provide answers but gives you all the tools and references to make decisions that work best for you and your family.
Available on Book Depository
The Happiest Baby On The Block By Dr Harvey Karp
Bringing a newborn home from the hospital is unchartered waters for most parents. Dr Karp’s method of soothing unconsolable babies has been tried and tested over the years by many parents and has proven to work without fail. Dr Karp’s 5 “S”s method has also been covered in antenatal classes in Hong Kong. The book is an easy read, simple and informative with many case studies of different issues, along with testimonials on how all problems have been solved.
Available on Book Depository
Read more: Raising Resilient Hong Kong Kids By Teaching Them Happiness
The Whole-Brain Child By Daniel J Siegel
This NYT bestseller by neuropsychiatrist breaks down for us twelve key strategies for healthy brain development which in turn helps regulate emotions, leading to calmer, happier children. The book explores the science of how a child’s brain is wired and how to manage “big feelings” and the outbursts to raise happy, connected children.
Available on Book Depository
The Conscious Parent By Shefali Tsabary
This book is a little more serious and reminds parents to check themselves, holding a mirror up to their “inner child” and emotional baggage, inevitably projecting them onto their offspring. It offers invaluable advice on how to co-regulate emotions and grow together with their children. The book offers practical hands-on advice and examples on being conscious of our behaviours and connecting more meaningfully with our children in unbiased ways.
Available on Book Depository
Read more: Birth To Teen Years: Parenting Books To Help Through The Tough Times
