The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth Paperback – Illustrated, April 25, 2017

I thought this was so interesting to read along with each section as my baby was growing inside of me

My first run-in with Mama Natural took place on Pinterest. We’ll call it an e-meeting of sorts. I’m always pinning useful information for later and Mama Natural has LOTS of it!Prior to reviewing this book, I completed the Mama Natural Birth Course as part of my Doula Certification work and it is also– AMAZINGFirst and foremost, I love rich color and an easy to read text— this book had all of that.Secondly, It has great illustrations— and not just the typical diagrams you wouldexpect to see in a pregnancy planning book. There are illustrations of the author and her spouse, example mothers, some of the diagrams you would expect, and even illustrations of sample meals that one might try to prepare to switch up their weekly routine. I would also like to highlight here that the images are drawn illustrations– not just photographs (though I’m not opposed to photos)– that gave it a really personal touch to me. If you read a good number of these books, you become accstomed to seeing certain photos and images and this was a nice change of pace.It includes a week-by-week guide to pregnancy and childbirth from a natural perspective. I shared a bit of my personal testimony of wanting to eliminate as many commercial medications and medical interventions as possible in one of my older posts. It is important to me that I seek out knowledge to prepare myself for a natural pregnancy and to support my friends and family who are currently having babies and who desire to do so naturally. KNOWLEDGE is POWER!Her week-by-week tips include some of the most practical and helpful information I’ve seen. It was like having all of the best Pinterst Pins in one place! There are recipes, affirmations, and useful tips — like how to use your existing wardrobe throughout pregnancy and when/how to decide if any items are worth adding to your collection.The book doesn’t stop at the week-by-week tips and advice for during pregnancy, it also includes labor and post partum and one part that I thought was very important was that pregnancy loss was included. As someone who is both a trained Social Worker and Doula, I understand that loss and post partum symptoms are often two big “elephants in the room.” Many are uncomfortable with discussing with them and if a mother experiences either (or both) she can be left feeling isolated and with no recourse. One of the greatest way to overcome the stigma is to talk about these issues— these births matter and mothers who experience post partum symptoms (baby blues, depression, etc.) are not alone and are STILL good mothers!I’ll stop there, before I get all the way up on my soapbox.Long story short, I really love this book.I purchased a Kindle copy for my personal use and will definitely be buying others to give away as gifts– it’s just THAT awesome!I highly recommend that you add it to your collection if you’re in the market for this type of book. It could also make a great gift for soon-to-be or future mothers in your life.

This book was an AMAZING read!! I would not have been able to fearlessly make it through so much of my pregnancy without reading it, and I would readily buy it for any family or friends who are expecting a baby. There is NO fearmongering or soap boxing with the information presented in this book. It is clearly written from a KNOW YOUR OPTIONS perspective so moms can make INFORMED DECISIONS. Does that mean you will like or agree with everything in this book? No, and you don't have to. The point is to be informed and make the best decisions for you and your pregnancy (with a live little human along for the ride in womb). In cases where you might think as a reader that the information is irrelevant or without proof, consider this: there is NO 100% proof for ANYTHING. Not even for scientific research studies. There are far too many variables in the human body and life to state that in any aspect. There will be information in here that states things such as "studies suggest that/studies have shown", and this is your cue to THINK CRITICALLY. These are the words used in medical and clinical trials and studies. What do they mean? That there is the possibility or an increase of a certain outcome, but there is either insufficient data to make a firm conclusion, not enough of a study pool to conclude it happens for everyone, or any other number of aberrations that can happen during trials and studies. For you, this means that you need to consider the information presented and make the best choice that you can. This book not only preps women with current information on potential risks and side effects of tests, interventions, ultrasounds, etc, but also of positive things in pregnancy like keeping up with sexy times, caring for yourself, exercises to do etc, what to expect for doctor visits and when, and how you might best prepare for labor and delivery (and what your options are). Thank you, Mama Natural, for this book that has been SO helpful in the decision making process throughout my pregnancy!!!

Out of allllll of the pregnancy/childbirth books I've purchased since getting pregnant, this one is my favorite. I had a handful at the very beginning and I bought this one at 21 weeks. I wish I would have had this since the beginning. I think if you want to buy only one book, you could get away with this book. It has so much info organized so well. I love the natural remedies, recipes, and just general physical and mental health well being tips integrated into appropriate sections of the book. Everything just makes sense. The author does not push natural over everything, at all. Book is very inclusive and also encouraging and uplifting. Has all the info you would get in any of the classic books and then some. I don't leave reviews haha but this is how much I appreciate this book and sincerely wish it was one of the first I had purchased.

This book is a great resource for new moms who want to do pregnancy in more of a natural way. I love gifting it to my expecting friends!

I bought this when I found out I was pregnant. Interesting things to learn about each week but really you can just download a free app for your phone and get similar information. Ended up giving the book to a friend due to losing my baby.

The media could not be loaded. This book is amazing! I totally recommend for all mom’s, especially first time moms. Such a great guide for a healthy, natural pregnancy! If you were crunchy, you will definitely love this book, but it’s a great for everyone!!