Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies

Book Reviews

A listing of the TTC, pregnancy and childbirth books I recommend.

TTC Books

Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Toni Weschler
THE book for fertility charting. I learned so much from this book, and it was so useful to have as a guide. Buy it.

The Conception Chronicles: The Uncensored Truth About Sex, Love & Marriage When You’re Trying To Conceive
Patty Doyle Debano, Courtney Edgerton Menzel, Shelly Dicken Sutphen
A humorous, honest look at the whole TTC process. The first half of the book is old news to me, but the chapters on infertility proceedures were informative – and more than just clinically, it also looks at how they’ll make you feel, how to deal with the pain and frustration. A good read for anyone at or past the “why is this taking so long?” stage.

Pregnancy Books

The Unofficial Guide to Having a Baby
Ann Douglas, John R. Sussman
Some overlapping info with “The Mother of All Pregnancy Books.” Packed full with information. Features a week-by-week pregnancy guide. Has some good tables and info on infertility options. It’s a handy reference guide.

The Mother of All Pregnancy Books
Ann Douglas
Overlapping info with “The Unofficial Guide to Having a Baby,” but extremely good. Answers tons of questions about fertility, infertility and pregnancy. Very helpful.

Childbirth

The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth With Confidence
Judith Lothian, Charlotte DeVries
4 stars. It does have an obvious agenda in promoting normal childbirth – intervention-free, medication-free. Although, given the stats and research to back it up, I think it’s justified. But to me what I like about it is that so far a particular method hasn’t been stressed or even brought up to be honest. It talks about choosing your care provider, choosing where you’re going to give birth, but most of all it’s talking about how empowering childbirth can be. I really enjoyed this book.

Birthing From Within
Pam England and Rob Horowitz
Don’t bother with this one if you are not planning a natural birth, but if you are this one is a really great pump-me-up positive book.

Gentle Birth Choices: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions about Birthing Centers, Birth Attendants, Water Birth, Home Birth, Hospital Birth
Barbara Harper

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth
Henci Goer
If you know you are going to need interventions for a medical condition, your doctor is suggesting interventions that you aren’t sure about, or you want to prepare yourself for all possibilities, this is a great book for rundowns on possible side-effects and what to expect.

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
Ina May Gaskin
What really can be said about Ina May, she is THE woman in natural childbirth. Lots of natural childbirth stories and a look at medical childbirth and why it’s not necessarily best for mom or baby, backed up with her many many years of research and experience.