Hellobee

I had the best of intentions of reading many books during my pregnancy, but in the end only got through three books. In the era of there being an app for everything, I barely cracked any of the weekly books that were given to me. I did however want to read a few books on childbirth and pregnancy overall. The three books I read/listened definitely go on my recommend list!

A Holistic Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth: Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives by Deepak Chopra, David Simon and Vicki Abrams

I found a copy of this book at a thrift store, and I’m so glad I purchased it! I started reading this book in early pregnancy, and found it really helped me connect to my baby in the first trimester and ease my anxiety over the unknown.

This book focuses on the spiritual side of pregnancy and the deep connection you share with your child. Each chapter has exercises to complete based on the topic. One of my favourite activities that I got from the book was a focused breathing exercise which was very useful when I found myself letting fear and anxiety creep in.

The breathing exercise is about bringing your awareness inward, and as you inhale, visualizing the love, nourishment and oxygen you’re bringing in and encircling your baby, womb, placenta and amniotic sac. As you exhale, you release the air and energy back into the universe. I found myself doing this focused breathing in the bathtub in the evenings. Before I felt kicks or was showing, I loved imagining the little soul growing inside of me and the powerful connection we already had.

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

I am sure for anyone that has read this book, it’s not a surprise to see this make my list. I definitely got the most out of this book, and am glad I left it until the end of my pregnancy.

The first half of the book is filled with positive birth stories that leave you feeling empowered and capable. The second part of the book reviews the essentials of birth from Ina May’s perspective with a great deal of research to support each chapter.

I find that I have very little fear regarding childbirth entering into the end of my pregnancy, and I attribute that largely to this book. The chapters I got the most from (aside from the birth stories) were on the power of your mind and body connection and sphincter law.

If you have any fears associated with birth, regardless of your intended birth plan I highly recommend reading this book to ease your worries.

Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying, and Pleasurable Birth Experience by Elizabeth Davis 

I listened to this book on my Audible app and really enjoyed it. While the title alludes to being about making birth an orgasmic experience, it wasn’t the sole focus of the book. I really enjoyed the empowered perspective and the author’s personal journey as a midwife and mother.

I listened to the majority of this book on a work trip (I had a six hour drive) and found a lot of what was said was later further validated when I read Ina May’s book.

One of the things I took away from this book is rather humorous. Having had her children in a time when episiotomies were standard, the author was searching for a doctor who would promise her he would not perform one during her birth. The way she convinced him? By asking if his skin has any issue stretching for an erection. Up until this point I was terrified of tearing, and while I’m still nervous about it, this visual has surprisingly  helped.

I also enjoyed her story about her last birth, which was extremely difficult for her. She was experiencing very intense back labour and ended up getting a low dose epidural. She shared her story of how it made her a more empathic midwife, gaining a deeper understanding of the range of births women experience. Her range of experiences really resonated with me in allowing me to let go and trust that the birth I’m meant to have will happen and unfold as it does. All I can do is go in with an open mind.

Now that I’m in the final any-day-now-probably-still-another-month-left stage of pregnancy, I’m trying to take it easy, but may flip through a few of my favourite birth stories from Ina May’s book again, and continue to listen to the birth stories on the podcast The Birth Hour during my work day.

What were your favourite reads during pregnancy?