Essential pregnancy, birth and parenting books

You’re pregnant with your first baby and you have no idea what to expect — so you run to the nearest bookstore and stock up on pregnancy, birth and parenting books. But which books should you get? We’ve compiled a list of must-have books for every pregnant mom… and dad!

Check out these books to see which one best fits your style — and eases your worries and concerns. There’s nothing better than having a really good pregnancy book by your side when the OB’s office is closed and your been-there-done-that friends are all asleep.

• What to Expect When You’re Expecting, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel

• The Pregnancy Book, by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N.

• The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Sheila Kitzinger

• Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy

Don’t let pregnancy books turn you into a Nervous Nelly. Make sure you buy a few comedic pregnancy books, too! Even if you aren’t laughing about some of the “interesting: things that are happening during your pregnancy, you will be in a few years.

• Belly Laughs, by Jenny McCarthy

• The Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy, by Vicki Iovine

• What To Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding, by Thomas Hill

• Dude, You’re Gonna Be a Dad, by John Pfeiffer

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Educate yourself about birth, the options you have and perhaps, the ones you didn’t realize you had. By learning about all of your options, you can better decide which is best for you and your family.

• The Birth Book, by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N.

• The Big Book of Birth, by Erica Lyon

• Your Best Birth, by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein

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Unfortunately, babies don’t arrive with their own unique user manual so, it’s up to us parents to figure it out on our own — with the help of our doctors, family, friends and informative books.

• The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp

• What to Expect the First Year, by Heidi Murkoff

• Heading Home with your Newborn, by Laura Jana, M.D. and Jennifer Shu, M.D.

• The Baby Book, by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N.

• Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to your Baby’s First Year, by Scott Cohen, M.D.

• The No-Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley

• On Becoming Baby Wise, by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam

• The Vaccine Book, by Robert Sears, M.D.

• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by Diane Wiessinger, Diana West and Teresa Pitman

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