Mamihood Series: Pregnancy, Labor, Breastfeeding, & Cuarentena
By Li Yun Alvarado
By Li Yun Alvarado
Ah pregnancy. So much to learn for such a short period of time in my life. Seriously though -- there is SO MUCH transformation during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum that it was freaking difficult to wrap my head around it, especially the first time around.
Besides downloading ALL THE APPS (and promptly ignoring them for baby #2 lol), the following books were invaluable during pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding, and cuarentena (postpartum period).
P.S. If you're nursing or thinking about nursing, click here to check out my Breastfeeding Blog Series.
P.P.S. For more books in the Mamihood Series, click here to check out my full Bookshop.
Disclosure: This list contains affiliate links; if you buy something featured, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work in this way!
40ish Weeks: A Pregnancy Journal (Pregnancy Books, Pregnancy Gifts, First Time Mom Journals, Motherhood Books)
Kate Pocrass
$16.95 $15.76I got the 40ish Weeks pregnancy journal for both pregnancies. More than a baby-book, this journal acknowledges that Mamas are going through some ish and that they might want to document it. It's full of fun prompts, but they are offered in a way that you don’t feel like you have to actually respond to all of them. It's really easy to dip in and out and fill out as much or as little as you want. It's a great keepsake of your pregnancy. And one day your kiddo *might* be into it too.
Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond
Nancy Bardacke
$19.99 $18.59I read a few different labor related books, but if I had to pick one to recommend it would be Mindful Birthing. It was the right mix demystifying some of the science and giving practical advice on how to prepare for labor and delivery. This is the one I re-skimmed before heading back to L&D the second time around.
Nursing Mother's Companion 8th Edition: The Breastfeeding Book Mothers Trust, from Pregnancy Through Weaning
Kathleen Huggins
$24.99 $23.24This book was my life saver the first time around. I can't say enough good things about this book. Clear information and easy to access troubleshooting guides that were easy to digest during those early sleep-deprived weeks. I go into more detail about how we used this book in my Breastfeeding Blog series (linked above).
Mama's Milk / Mamá Me Alimenta
Michael Elsohn Ross and Ashley Wolff
$7.99 $7.43One of my favorite bilingual board books. It's all about the sweet feeding relationship between babies and Mamas of all species. Breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and solids are all represented in the illustrations that portray humans, though most of the book focuses on animal babies and mamas.
The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality
Kimberly Ann Johnson
$19.95 $18.55The Fourth Trimester wasn’t around for baby #1, but if you've read my Breastfeeding Blog Series, then you know how serious I am about honoring one's cuarentena, or postpartum period / fourth trimester. I love that this book goes into detail on the importance of that time and how to best honor it and in that way best care for not only baby, but also Mama!
The Fourth Trimester Cards: Daily Support, Inspiration, and Wisdom for New Mothers
Kimberly Ann Johnson
$18.95 $17.62If the Fourth Trimester book feels like too much of a commitment, The Fourth Trimester Cards let you dip in and out of helpful postpartum practices in the following areas: Nourishment, Body, Mind, Relationship, and Inspiration.
Li Yun Alvarado is the author of the poetry chapbook Words or Water. Her work has appeared in VIDA Review; The Acentos Review; and Aster(ix) among others. Through her writing, advocacy, and teaching, she strives to amplify Puerto Rican and other underrepresented voices while supporting aspiring and emerging writers -- especially women writers of color. She is an alumna of Acentos, VONA, and AROHO. Li Yun is Mami to two rambunctious MexiRican comelibritos. She grew up in NY, lives in CA, and takes frequent trips to Salinas, PR to visit la familia.