Best Pregnancy Books: The 30 BEST Maternity Books of All Time

Looking for the best pregnancy books and maternity books of all time?

You’re in the right place!

Here’s what you’ll find on this page…

You’re Not Alone!

Pregnancy is one of those things you don’t often need to know about until the first time you need to know about it. And then one day, you’re expecting a baby (or trying to get there), and it becomes the most fascinating topic in the world.

The good news? I know how that feels! Which is exactly why I created this list of the 30 best pregnancy books of all time. (Tip: You don’t have to read all 30!)

Whether you’ve just started your pregnancy, or you’re 30 weeks through; whether it’s the first time you’re pregnant or the tenth; whether you’re an expectant mom or dad – you’ll find tons of must-read books on pregnancy, maternity and childbirth on this ultimate list.

Bonus Tip: If you enjoy this list of maternity books, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy these lists of the best books on babies and the best books on parenting.

The 30 BEST Pregnancy Books of All Time

Why these top pregnancy books and not others? The best pregnancy books below are the top picks from my master database, ranked by a combination of Goodreads rating, the number of Goodreads reviews and first publication date. The goal is to balance what’s most loved, what’s most popular and what’s proven timelessly relevant advice.

Think something’s missing? Email me and I’ll add it to the next round of updates. I honestly love hearing from you so please, do get in touch!

Books 1-10: The Top 10 Best Pregnancy Books of All Time

Here are the 10 best pregnancy books from my database…

1. Spiritual Midwifery – Ina May Gaskin

Published 1975 // 482 pages // Rated 4.4 over 5,500 reviews on Goodreads

2. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth – Ina May Gaskin

Published 2003 // 348 pages // Rated 4.4 over 18,100 reviews on Goodreads

3. The Birth Partner – Penny Simkin

Published 1989 // 337 pages // Rated 4.3 over 5,200 reviews on Goodreads

4. Expecting Better – Emily Oster

Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong – and What You Really Need to Know

Published 2013 // 336 pages // Rated 4.3 over 12,200 reviews on Goodreads

5. Pregnancy, Childbirth And The Newborn – Penny Simkin

Published 1984 // 512 pages // Rated 4.2 over 2,200 reviews on Goodreads

6. What to Expect When You’re Expecting – Heidi Murkoff

Published 1969 // 597 pages // Rated 3.8 over 46,100 reviews on Goodreads

7. Active Birth – Janet Balaskas

The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally

Published 1983 // 272 pages // Rated 4.1 over 1,500 reviews on Goodreads

8. Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy – Myra J. Wick

Published 2004 // 614 pages // Rated 4.1 over 4,800 reviews on Goodreads

9. The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth – Henci Goer

Published 1999 // 384 pages // Rated 4.1 over 3,100 reviews on Goodreads

10. Pushed – Jennifer Block

The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care

Published 2007 // 316 pages // Rated 4.2 over 2,600 reviews on Goodreads

Books 11-30: 20 Good Pregnancy Books to Read Next

Here are the next 20 best pregnancy books from my database…

More Book Recommendations

Enjoyed this list of the best pregnancy books of all time?

You’ll also like TAoL‘s other book recommendations…

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Arthur Worsley
I founded TAoL to discover and share the best wisdom on how to live long and prosper. Before that I studied Psychology, Philosophy & Physiology at Oxford and consulted at McKinsey. Still curious? Learn more or take my FREE productivity quiz.