17 Great Books to Read for Doulas, Birth Workers, and Expecting Parents

I have been so inspired by the books I've read on my doula and parenthood journey. These books changed my perception about the experience of pregnancy, birth, motherhood, and birth support. I'm constantly learning more as new research is becoming available and new voices are being published. We don't live in communities the way we used to as humankind. Ages ago we would celebrate rights of passage and wisdom would be passed down in the form of the community. Now the collective wisdom and philosophical support in my life is in the form of books and my small circle of family and friends.

When I first started getting into birth work I joined a local doula collective and heard so many birth stories from other parents. The most heart wrenching of these was from parents who went into birth knowing nothing but trusting their doctor who oftentimes provided little information or resources. (disclaimer: This is not a blanket statement about all doctors. I do know many supportive and natural minded OBs) Empowered birth starts with information, and understanding the ins and outs of birth before my son was born gave me so much confidence in myself!

Here's a list of my favorite books I've collected as a mother and doula, that I recommend constantly to clients, friends, and family!

1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

This author changed my life and led me to birth work! Ina May was a trailblazer in the home birth revolution in the US and if you aren't familiar with her I am so excited for you! She was featured in The Business of Being Born and now lives in Sommertown, Tennessee were she runs a midwifery farm. Her wisdom is so valuable and she completely changed the way I look at birth.

2. Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin

This was the book that made me decide that birth work was for me. Ina May tells birth stories that exemplify the spiritual nature of birth and the relationship between the family members and baby. This is such a beautiful book that inspires the reader of the possibilities of birth when women are undisturbed and supported. If you only read one book on your journey to birth work or parenthood this would be my recommendation!

3. Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding

There are so many resources for breastfeeding and I will definitely write more about that in the future. I love Ina May's natural approach to breastfeeding. This narrative wasn't like reading an ikea manual and was so much more personal and supportive! As a birth worker supporting clients with breastfeeding can be so helpful. Even after being a postpartum doula I was shocked to find breastfeeding challenging at first but this guide was the perfect fit and exactly what I was looking for.

4. The Birth Partner

This is the staple book that comes up in every doula certification, and parenting class. This book is excellent for birth workers and anyone who's a support person. It spells out what to expect at every stage of birth, and ideas for how to offer physical and emotional support. This is a great guide if you're looking for a good play by play of birth!

5. Birthing from Within

This is such a great book to companion the journey of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Pregnancy and birth is such a portal of creation and because we don't live in communities the way we used to, there is so little guidance for how to navigate it. This book contains journal prompts, art projects and thought provoking stories that support the spiritual experience of pregnancy and birth!

6. Birth Without Fear: A Judgment Free Guide to Taking Change of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum

Our culture spins a narrative that birth is a medical emergency that requires serious medical intervention to save you and your baby. If you think of every movie or tv series depiction of birth it usually consists of a woman screaming in pain and begging for medication. However if parents understand birth, and go into it informed and without fear we can be empowered to take back the experience of birth. This book was crucial for me when I was pregnant with my son, and is so beneficial for parents and birth workers to help reverse the cultural narrative!

7. The Secret Life of Babies

This book is an amazing explanation of how babies develop in the womb and in the beginning of life. I had no idea how much my baby could be effected by my nervous system. This taught me to respect how sacred the time of pregnancy is. It also taught me how important it is to support those in pregnancy and childbirth because it has been scientifically proven to have a lasting impact on their babies.

8. Medicine Women, Curanderas, and Women Doctors

If you are looking for an incredible source of wisdom from medicine women across cultures, look no further! I have highlighted, annotated, and flagged pages throughout this book, and I return to it all constantly. The perspectives of these women inspired me to incorporate my spiritual beliefs into my daily life in a concrete and tangible way. This offers the reader a look at a very natural way of life, and traditions that have been lost to all but the few who live to maintain them.

9. Expecting Better: Why Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong and What You Really Need to Know

With so much mom shaming, unsolicited advice, and outdated information circulating social media and communities, having a guide of new research for all your pregnancy questions is so valuable! So much has changed in the field of medical science and research in the last 30-40 years and this book debunks so many pregnancy myths with actual data. It was especially useful whenever I was publicly reprimanded by a stranger for my choice of food or drink. It also can save you a few trips down research rabbit holes when questions about pregnancy come up.

10. Conceiving Healthy Babies: An Herbal Guide to Support Preconception, Pregnancy, and Lactation

If you're at all interested in herbs this is a must read! This book is an encyclopedic breakdown of every herb and how it has been scientifically proven to effect fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. I had been taking herbal tinctures for years before my pregnancy and then so many of my favorite herbs became off limits for reasons I didn't understand. It's so helpful to have a reference guide for which herbs are safe for each stage and why. This also helped me pick out herbs for my lactation tincture! If you want to incorporate herbal medicine to your fertility journey I cannot recommend this book enough!

Extras: These books aren't exactly about birth but they can easily come into play as a doula. A lot of being a good doula happens when you're not at a birth. When you are taking care of yourself, learning, having compassion for others, and growing as a person! I absolutely love these books and they have helped shape the way I work as a doula, wife, mother, and human.

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

This is such a lovely book! Praya Parker explains how to make spaces for people to gather, how design and architecture influence people, and the importance of people coming together. This not only can apply to a birth setting but it also applies to the home, a dinner party, a date and any time people gather. I was actually surprised at how many ways I've been able to apply what I've learned from this book into my life.

Women Who Run With Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

I'm sorry if this is overkill because this book is probably included in a million reading lists by now, but I couldn't exclude it from this list. Clarissa Pinkola Estes is incredible. She breaks down traditional folk tales and fairy tales from all over the world to explain profound truths about the human condition, relationships, creativity, and freedom. This book was so healing when my spirit was at its weakest, and every time I read it I gain more insight into myself and the world.

Non-Violent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships

This is a great book for anyone but especially anyone who works with vulnerable people. Especially in families it is so crucial to understand and have compassion for each other. This was required reading for my doula mentorship and I have used what I've learned in every relationship in my life. It takes bravery to open your heart to people even when you're dealing with someones anger or pain, but it will change your life I can promise you that!

Somatic Internal Family Systems Therapy: Awareness, Breath, Resonance, Movement, and Touch in Practice

My therapist worked with me using the internal family system years ago and it completely changed the way I see myself, and relate to others. Now I look at the parts of myself as just that- parts. My anxious self, my inner manager, my inner child- these are just a few of a million parts and no one part is my entire identity. Manifesting anything in my life has become so much more effective when I recognize the conflicting parts and actively negotiate between them until a resolution is found. I can also recognize when I experience conflict that the parts of someone I am conflicting with are not their identity. Combining this philosophy with a somatic practice is life changing and has made me the doula and person I am today!

Breath: The New Science of A Lost Art

Breath work is so amazing I cannot believe it isn't taught in school. The power of breath to regulate our nervous system, change our brain, and benefit our health is stunning! If you are interested in using breath work as a practice this is an excellent resource! I can't believe we focus on our diet, hydration, and sleep but we're not taught to look at how we're breathing and receiving oxygen which is crucial to every organ system in the body.

A Mind at Home with Itself: by Byron Katie

I'm aware this is a cult favorite by so many people but I had to include it here. The Work has helped me through so much challenging content in my life. It's a really simple but profound inquiry exercise. Anytime you have a thought you ask yourself: 1. Is it true? 2. Can you absolutely know that it is true? 3. How do you react when you believe that thought? 4. Who would you be without the thought?

I know how simple this sounds but don't underestimate the power of self inquiry especially when we tend to believe all the stories we tell ourselves. Once this becomes a habit it's like a deep refreshing breath anytime a challenging situation comes up. I am not exaggerating when I say that this way of life has kept my head above water even in the storm!

Crib Sheet

If you haven't guessed from this reading list, I am a naturally anxious person. You might not be able to notice from the surface but under a cool layer of ease lies a hyper analytical, instinctual animal that is constantly on alert. I don't fight this, it's just a part of me, and it does its job to keep me alive. Anyways my point is that I like to know what to expect, and it helps me to have a rough idea of what is coming. Crib sheet is such a great book for this reason! It takes the guess work out of parenting. Even with so many friends and family who started having children before me, I couldn't believe how much I didn't know when my son was born. This is another Emily Oster gem that really allows my anxious self to be a more relaxed parent!

There are so many other books about growth, parenting, spirituality, and marriage that I've read but I will make reading lists specifically for each in the future! If you have any books that have inspired you, please share them! I would love to hear about them!