Top 5 Pregnancy Must-Reads

I should start this out by saying that I am not a reader. Sure, I enjoy reading from time to time, but overall, I really wouldn't consider myself to be a bookworm at all.

I should also mention I am not a researcher. I don't care about the facts or tiny little details. Sometimes, for me, ignorance is bliss. Beau, on the other hand, needs to know every single little detail about any and everything. He's so inquisitive and such an analyzer and I'm thankful for that because, well, if it weren't for him, everything in my life would be an impulse decision and something tells me that's not the best way to live. 

Enter: pregnancy. Ah this little miracle that happens and you get all excited and wrapped up in a whirl of pink and blue when all of a sudden you think to yourself "Shit! I don't know anything about this!" but at the same time, you know deep down you probably shouldn't rely on Google for all your pregnancy questions either. 

If there's one thing I DO know, it's that you should never rely on Google (or the internet, in general) for any health concern matters. One time I Googled something about these little bumps Oakley was getting on her chin and by the time it was all said and done I was convinced she had a terminal illness and only had days to live. Turns out it was acne and it cleared up on its own...

Anyway, back to my point here. Perhaps pregnancy has changed me. Maybe it's just because I am happy to admit I literally know nothing about anything when it comes to sustaining a baby in my belly but over the past 7 months, I have come to learn that I thoroughly enjoy reading and researching all things pregnancy and baby-related. Though some things I'd rather not know about, like bloody shows, mucus plugs and needles the length of my forearm, the truth is, I need to know about them so I'm not surprised when any of these events inevitably occur over the next 12 weeks. 

After the first couple of weeks went by and the whole "Oh my gosh I'm pregnant?!" sensation went away, I started to realize I needed to learn stuff. All the stuff. I needed to know about as much as possible and I knew I needed to find books because I knew people were going to give me all kinds of advice and I wanted the facts. Cold, hard facts. So where did I turn? Well the holy grail of all things...Pinterest. What did I learn? Not much.

So thanks to all the other lovely mommas-to-be that I know in real life and on Instagram, I was able to figure out which books I felt were the most important for me to read. If you are newly pregnant, or plan on being pregnant in the next year or so, I hope you find this helpful!

Baby 411: I've heard about this book for a while now and finally picked up a copy. It's almost like a baby manual, if you will, that helps you in just about every category: picking a pediatrician, first aid, nutrition, sleep safety, etc. This would be a good book to keep around at all time to refer to as certain issues arise. (Also see: you don't have to sit down and read the entire book in one sitting...you can kind of read as you go. My kinda book!) ;)

The Happiest Baby on the Block: I am loving this book. Though I'm only about halfway done, I love how the author helps you understand the reason for colicky babies and how you can soothe them from crying all day, every day. He really drives home the point that human babies are just born too early, and that we should actually carry them for another 3 months ("The 4th Trimester", as he calls it) so that they can continue to develop but because we are physically (and mentally) unable to, he explains all the different techniques to make your baby think and feel that they are still in the womb for another 3 months so that you (and baby) can survive that 4th trimester, outside of your belly.

Belly Laughs: LOVE LOVE LOVE. I read this book while we were on our babymoon and I literally finished it within hours. I adore how Jenny McCarthy is so lighthearted throughout the entire book, yet so open and honest. She discusses topics that you would swear should be illegal, but she makes it so humorous and reminds you that woman have been giving birth for centuries and you can do it, too! Though I read this one halfway through my second trimester and loved it, it really is a great read for anyone newly pregnant and/or still in their first trimester.

What To Expect When You're Expecting: My sister-in-law is letting me borrow this book and it has been incredibly informative. I enjoy it because, like I said before, I'm not a reader and because it's broken down by trimesters and months, I just read the chapters as they apply to me, rather than reading the entire book all at once. It helps you understand what's going on with baby, how he/she is developing, what's going on with your body (internally and externally) and what you can expect (duh) throughout the entire pregnancy journey.

The Vaccine Book: This is a new one for me and though I'm only into the first few chapters, I am loving how informative Dr. Sears is and that it's based on neutral grounds. Working in natural healthcare, and going to a mainstream medical doctor, I 100% understand how controversial vaccines can be so I'm not here to say I'm not vaccinating my child. I am simply reading this book to understand what all these vaccines are, why they're going to be given to my baby and the risks that come with or without receiving them so that when the time comes, Beau and I can make an educated decision as to what's best for us and our baby girl.

Next on my list to find is some sort of breastfeeding book. Besides pushing an 8 pound human being out of my hoo-ha, breastfeeding is second on my list of "Things I am absolutely terrified of". Any recommendations, ladies?!

Do you know of any other pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding and/or baby-raising books I should read?! I am completely open to reading more and more about all this so that I can be as informed as possible!!