As of writing this post, I am currently eight months pregnant. That still feels weird to write...like, my daughter will be here soon and I've been doing the research...but things still just haven't settled in like I thought they would. Maybe it doesn't feel really real until you're in the hospital and it's go-time.

The irony is that even though it still doesn't feel quite like it's happening (albeit my growing belly), I'm still that stereotypical Type A, Virgo librarian who must know everything that I possibly can before the official title of "Mom" is bestowed upon me.

Luckily, I work in the perfect place for free and informational resources on just this subject, and I wanted to use this blog post to share some of my favorite library resources! Hopefully, this will help other parents-to-be as they prepare for the biggest responsibility of all: parenthood.

The Classic

This book is called "America's pregnancy bible" for a reason. It is the perfect overview of every little thing that can and will happen before, during, and after pregnancy. Although the sheer size of this book can be a little intimidating, don't let it fool you. This book is very approachable in that it doesn't go into too many of the nitty, gritty details. It keeps everything surface-level and is written in a digestible format. As someone who went into this book only knowing the bare minimum about pregnancy, it left me feeling more confident and secure in how to take care of myself, my baby, and how to make so many of the decisions that are coming up in terms of birth plans, breastfeeding, and more.

A Visual Guide

I am a sucker for a good infographic, and this book is full of them.

There are so many different concepts to understand when it comes to conception, the different stages of pregnancy, labor, and so much more. When you're reading your sixth pregnancy book, it can be hard to understand what exactly eight centimeters dilated really looks like or how big a twelve-week old baby really is (regardless if it's being compared to a fruit).

This book doesn't take too long to get through and really opened my mind and helped bring concepts I'd read about to life with graphs, vibrant colors, and visualizations. This book was definitely one of my favorites I've read.

Ready for the Big Day

Now, I know I can plan every little thing for this day, and it can all go through the tubes. The one thing we do know about childbirth is that we don't know how exactly it will go. Anything can happen...but that doesn't mean it's not a good idea to have a plan and understand what all can happen that day.

This book was a great guide as it was succinct and provided so many lists! To-do lists make me feel so much more organized and prepared, taking all of these big thoughts and ideas and breaking them down into a simple grouping of things I can accomplish/buy/organize.

I highly recommend this guide as it helped me put things into perspective while also knowing what and what not to focus on as I prepare to have this baby.

Ultimately...

All the books and resources in all the world cannot fully prepare us for what is on the other side of pregnancy, but it is nice to have the knowledge of things to expect and how to handle such a huge transition.

These texts have really helped me feel better about becoming a mom, and they are only a little of the collection our library offers on the topic.

Honorable Mentions