Preparing For Parenthood!
A well-prepared foundation is the catalyst that propels you towards an empowered childbirth and postpartum journey!
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When pregnant, it's essential to obtain trustworthy information to make informed decisions about your health and your baby's well-being. It is natural to have questions during this remarkable process.
We believe that being well-informed is essential for making the best choices for yourself and your baby's well-being. Therefore, we carefully curated a collection of recommended books, apps, and websites that are trusted sources of knowledge. These resources cover a wide range of topics, including prenatal care, nutrition, exercise, and emotional well-being. We also encourage you to explore our Empowered Birthing Blog and take advantage of the wealth of information it offers. |
Featuring this month | July 2025Few events in life match the drama of giving birth. Happy parents show off photos of the milestone, beaming as they cradle their newborn right after delivery, but ... there is more to it as explained by Stanford Medicine in their recent Insights article, After the joy of birth, new moms face ‘the wilderness’ Clearly Stanford Medicine has a passion for mothers and newborns.
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Enjoy exploring the childbirth and newborn care resources below!
Books
Below you find a collection of our favorite pregnancy, birth and newborn care books.
One of the books we in particular recommend is "Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn" by Penny
One of the books we in particular recommend is "Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn" by Penny
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Simkin (founder of DONA International - the world's first doula certifying organization). This book is different from others because it doesn't focus on what can go wrong. Instead, it explains the normal and healthy processes, their variations, and how to monitor them.
Her other excellent book is "The Birth Partner"- a must-read for partners who want to be truly supportive during childbirth. |
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As she explains in this YouTube video, there are also opportunities to involve your children who are expecting a sibling. She has more interesting videos on YouTube that you may want to check out.
We added links to these pregnancy, birth, and newborn care books on Amazon for your convenience. Hover over them if you want to purchase some.
"Welcome to Fatherhood" is a book that takes the interesting father's perspective. It discusses the difficulties that modern expectant fathers encounter when they try to support their pregnant partners. In addition, it also makes sure there is some fun along the way :-)
Apps
If your due date is approaching or you recently had a baby, it can be challenging to remember everything. And that's perfectly fine.
The good news is that there are many pregnancy, birth, and baby apps for new parents. These apps can assist in recording and tracking important milestones, such as remembering which side you last fed on. Below, you will find some of the apps we highly recommend.
The good news is that there are many pregnancy, birth, and baby apps for new parents. These apps can assist in recording and tracking important milestones, such as remembering which side you last fed on. Below, you will find some of the apps we highly recommend.
From left to right:
Expectful, GentleBirth, Contraction Timer, The Wonder Weeks, Baby Connect, Huckleberry, Guva, and Headspace. You can find more information about these apps by hovering over their logos.
Expectful, GentleBirth, Contraction Timer, The Wonder Weeks, Baby Connect, Huckleberry, Guva, and Headspace. You can find more information about these apps by hovering over their logos.
The app Expectful provides a holistic approach from fertility up through the baby's first year. GentleBirth focuses on birth preparation, and people use Contraction Timer to track their contractions during childbirth.
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Apps like Wonder Weeks, Baby Connect, and Huckleberry help you record and monitor your baby's activities, development, and milestones. While Guva is a white noise app designed to help babies sleep, Headspace is a meditation and sleep app that helps you relax and get the rest you need.
Would you like to learn more about various apps? There are interesting YouTube videos that explain more about the available options. Like this video in which Mama NP explains five interesting apps she used, including Huckleberry, Wonder Weeks, and Guva. |
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Websites
You may also wish to explore some of the websites below that can make a difference in your pregnancy journey!
If you want to get your facts right, the Evidence Based Birth website (Home - Evidence Based Birth®) is a good starting point. Its purpose is to provide information to pregnant couples and birth professionals about the most current and effective care methods.
The information on this website also touches on the Doula support. For example, did you know that women with continuous labor support have a 25% lower chance of a cesarean? And for those who have a qualified Doula, the chance is even lower at 39%. Doulas love to make a difference!
If you want to get your facts right, the Evidence Based Birth website (Home - Evidence Based Birth®) is a good starting point. Its purpose is to provide information to pregnant couples and birth professionals about the most current and effective care methods.
The information on this website also touches on the Doula support. For example, did you know that women with continuous labor support have a 25% lower chance of a cesarean? And for those who have a qualified Doula, the chance is even lower at 39%. Doulas love to make a difference!
Recommended Websites
All about pregnancy-related health topics:
All Source Pregnancy – Home • All Source Pregnancy
Empowering both you and your baby for easier childbirth with a program of daily activities, balancing techniques, and smarter birth positions:
Spinning Babies - Comfort in Pregnancy and Easier Birth
All about breastfeeding and parenting:
KellyMom.com Breastfeeding and Parenting
Another great (international) resource on breastfeeding:
Homepage - La Leche League International (llli.org)
Chiropractor with Webster technique - for healthier pregnancies and births:
ICPA - Establishing and Advancing the Chiropractic Family Lifestyle (icpa4kids.com)
Therapists working with women through all the transitions in their lives,
including motherhood and parenting:
perennialwellnessllc.com
First aid for pregnant women:
Online ACLS Certification & Recertification | PMT (pacificmedicalacls.com)
Guided groups helping dads get the most out of fatherhood so they can give their best to their families:
www.thefatherhoodcircle.com
All Source Pregnancy – Home • All Source Pregnancy
Empowering both you and your baby for easier childbirth with a program of daily activities, balancing techniques, and smarter birth positions:
Spinning Babies - Comfort in Pregnancy and Easier Birth
All about breastfeeding and parenting:
KellyMom.com Breastfeeding and Parenting
Another great (international) resource on breastfeeding:
Homepage - La Leche League International (llli.org)
Chiropractor with Webster technique - for healthier pregnancies and births:
ICPA - Establishing and Advancing the Chiropractic Family Lifestyle (icpa4kids.com)
Therapists working with women through all the transitions in their lives,
including motherhood and parenting:
perennialwellnessllc.com
First aid for pregnant women:
Online ACLS Certification & Recertification | PMT (pacificmedicalacls.com)
Guided groups helping dads get the most out of fatherhood so they can give their best to their families:
www.thefatherhoodcircle.com