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Many of the following books are widely available at libraries and used bookstores. For your convenience, so that you can easily read reviews and see book previews, I have linked each book to amazon.com. However, is easy to find most of these resources at local libraries and bookstores.
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn
The Complete Guide
by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley, and Ann Keppler This is a good book for the medical basics. It is a “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” kind of book, but more medically comprehensive with more approaches to birth.
Birthing From Within An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation
by Pam England, CNM and Rob Horowitz, MDThis book helps prepare you for the physically and emotionally taxing elements of birth. It is less about medical preparation, and more about mental and spiritual preparation. This is Emily’s personal favorite birth book!
The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions
by Penny SimpkinThis book is especially helpful for dads who want to know how they can be more “hands on” with labor support.
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
by Ina May GaskinWritten by Ina May Gaskin, a nationally beloved midwife in the United States.
The Nursing Mother’s Companion
by Kathleen HugginsAn easy-to-follow guide with nice illustrations. This book covers many types of challenges with breastfeeding, and has logical solutions for common concerns.
The Breastfeeding Book
by William Sears, MD and Martha Sears, RN“Everything you need to know about nursing your child from birth through weaning.”
The Baby Book
by William Sears, MD and Martha Sears, RN“Everything you need to know about your baby from birth to age two.”
The Petit Appetit Cookbook Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler
by Lisa BarnesThis book has healthy, easy-to-follow ideas for making baby food. Plus it’s so darned cute!
Super Baby Food
by Ruth YaronGood recipes and age-appropriate time guidelines for feeding your baby homemade food.
Mothering Magazine
This is one of my favorite off-the-beaten-path approaches to pregnancy and parenting. Both paper and online subscriptions are available.
The Business of Being Born
Director: Abby EpsteinExecutive Producer: Ricki Lake
This documentary is an overview of how the "snowball effect" of interventions in birth can unfold. In addition to having a lot of good information, there are several beautiful birth videos, which is helpful for new parents (especially dads) to see what birth can look like.
Note: this movie is available to watch on "instant play" through Netflix!
What’s Inside?
by Jeanne AshbeThis is a great book for young children who are preparing to be siblings. It helps explain the rather abstract concept, “what’s inside mommy’s tummy?”
Note: this movie is available to watch on "instant play" through Netflix!
What Baby Needs
by William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN, and Christie Watts KellyIllustrations by Renee Andriani
This book helps prepare new siblings for what to expect after the baby is born. It is good preview for what it really means to have a new baby in the family!
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
(From MayoClinic.com)Perineal Massage for Labor
(From Birthing Naturally)Labor Pain: An In Depth Pregnancy Topic
(From The Childbirth Connection)Waterbirth FAQ’s
(From Waterbirth International)Why Does the National Cesarean Rate Keep Going Up?
(From The Childbirth Connection)The Twelve Childhood Vaccines
(From Ask Dr. Sears)Vaccine Debate
(From Mothering Magazine)The Case Against Circumcision
(From Mothering Magazine)What Type of Cloth Diaper Should I Use?
(By Baby Cotton Bottoms)Milk Dreams
(A Fantastic Blog about Urban Parenting)
Blooma
Blooma offers Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Classes, Education, and Wellness Services.3919 44th Street
Edina, MN 55424
952.848.1111
Peapods
Peapods offers natural toys and baby care products, including a wide range of slings and cloth diapering supplies.251 Snelling Ave S
St. Paul, MN 55105
651.695.5559
Once Upon a Child
You could outfit your entire nursery with top-of-the-line “gently used” baby stuff from this place. Everything is clean and in working order and extremely well priced.Click here to view all Minnesota locations
Trillium Midwifery Care
Trillium provides compassionate, experienced midwifery care in the Twin Cities. They are a wonderful choice of care for any families interested in a home birth.
Child & Family Chiropractic Center
Felicia Conner, DC provides chiropractic care for the entire family. She specializes in pregnancy and pediatric care (including infants).
Bodywork for the Childbearing Year
Prenatal massage by Kelsey Lumpkin, Massage Therapist and Yoga Instructor
Enlightened Mama Classes
Enlightened Mama offers birth doula services, Lamaze childbirth education, natural parenting education, and breastfeeding counseling.
The Childbirth Collective
The Childbirth Collective is a fantastic Twin Cities resource that offers networking for all types of pregnancy and labor services, as well as birth education and parenting education.
La Leche League of Minnesota and the Dakotas
La Leche League is internationally recognized as the best source of support and resources for breastfeeding.
Cord Blood Registry
CBR can bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood, and the banked cells can be used to treat many diseases. This website offers a lot of information about the benefits of cord blood banking as well as the logistics of the service.