20 Best Books on Birth

As a lover of all things related to birth, and a maker of a birth documentary myself, I have immersed myself in reading everything I can get my hands on about birth.

Here is an extensive list of books about birth. I put them in the order of my personal favorites, so this list, of course, is subjective. (And, no, I’m not even going to mention What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I don’t think anybody should read that book.)

1. The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
This is the go-to book that I like to recommend to every soon-to-be parent. It covers everything you need to know about the choices that you will face in giving birth clearly and concisely. As the saying goes, “If you don’t know your choices, you don’t have any.” This book will make you compare and contrast your various options on things such as inducing labor, electronic fetal monitoring, VBACs, pain medication, etc. It is unbiased and so very well done.

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2. Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care
by Jennifer Block
I took so many notes while reading this book. It is filled with so many great facts and statistics about various birth practices. I love the quote about this book on GoodReads: Block's research and experience reveal in vivid detail that while emergency obstetric care is essential, there is compelling evidence that we are overusing medical technology at the expense of maternal and infant health: Either women's bodies are failing, or the system is failing women. Exactly.

3. Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First by Marsden Wagner, MD
Oh, Marsden Wagner, how I love and miss thee. Wagner is a doctor who provides inside information on how broken our maternity system is here in the U.S. He is an unabashed supporter of homebirth midwifery.

4. Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
This was one of the first books I read about birth, so it holds a special place in my heart because it helped tune me into to the world of natural birth. After my second birth, I became a Bradley teacher for a little while. Even though I’m more of a Hypnobabies proponent now, in terms of childbirth education, I still like the information this book provides.

5. Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife by Peggy Vincent
A moving memoir that is more than just a collection of birth experiences by a homebirth midwife. Vincent captures the struggles homebirth midwives and birthing women face in the U.S. (legal, societal, and otherwise), while also filling our hearts with many heart-warming stories about birth and welcoming babies into the world.

6. Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born by Tina Cassidy
You may have noticed how I like books that deal with the politics and history behind how we end up birthing. Well, this book covers that extensively. It is a very well researched cultural history of how and why we are born the way we are. It’s fascinating.

7. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Pioneer midwife Ina May Gaskin writes about what she has learned about childbirth in her 30-plus years of experience. I’m a fan of Ina May, for the most part, in what she has done for homebirth, and I agree with most of what she says… but I can never wrap my head around why she does so many internal exams during labor. Get your fingers out of the ladies, Ina May!

8. Prenatal Parenting by Frederick Wirth
I liked how this book recognized the influence we have on our babies while they are in utero. It gives information and examples of what we can do to make pregancy a great experience for our unborn child.

9. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
This is a must read for anyone considering breastfeeding. It covers pretty much everything you’ll need to know.

10. Mind Over Labor: A Breakthrough Guide to Giving Birth by Carl Jones
This is another one of my favorites probably because it was one of the first books I read on natural birth. I’m not so sure if it would hold up if I were to read it for the first time today, now that I’ve experienced a Hypnobabies childbirth course. But I liked it because it offers a good mental imagery exercises to relax and prepare you for birth.

11. The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth by Dr. William Sears
A matter-of-fact book written matter-of-factly by Dr. Willian Sears. That’s what I love about Sears. He gets straight and to the point. This book is huge and it covers everything.

12. Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
While this book is good, you would be better off spending your time watching Lake and Epstein’s documentary The Business of Being Born.

13. Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Reed
This book is dated, but the information is still relevant. It’s interesting, because this is one of the first books written about trusting your body during birth, the fear-tension-pain cycle, and the importance of being comfortable and relaxed during birth. Many books have gone on to tell it better since, but this a classic not to be ignored.

14. HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method by Marie F. Mongan
This is another book that emphasizes the importances of birthing without fear. Mongan gives exercises and things to do to encourage our bodies and minds to relax during birth. This is a book that goes along with the HypnoBirthing childbirth education method. I’m more of a HypnoBabies childbirth education gal, but this is still a good read.

15. Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Kaplan Shanley
I have a soft spot for unassisted childbirth, having had two myself. Kaplan Shanley talks about her personal experience with having unassisted births, as well as what it means to the world at large.

16. Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin
This is a hippie-dippie read and introduces you to the world of Ina May.

17. Birthing from Within by Pam England
Another book that is also a childbirth education method. It uses art and self-discovery to prepare for birth.

18. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide by Penny Simkin
Everything you need to know, as told by Penny Simkin. She’s a good one.

19. Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth
by Robert A. Bradley
Do yourself a favor and read the other Bradley book I mentioned (#4) first. This one is kind of antiquated, but is good reading if you’re looking for something more.

20. The Baby Book by Dr. William Sears
Another giant sized book, this time with everything you need to know once the baby gets here.