“The New Pregnancy Bible” is the fourth edition of this complete guide to pregnancy and early parenthood edited by Joanne Stone, MD and Keith A. Eddleman, MD. First published in 2003, this comprehensive guide for expectant parents offers the information and explanation needed for pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It is full of helpful illustrations and color photographs, including those that help parents see how their baby is developing. There are chapters dedicated to nutrition, exercise, maintaining general good health, essentials of prenatal care, and managing emotions. It also explains childbirth choices, getting ready for the birth, and the labor and delivery experience. Also included is an extensive glossary of pregnancy and neo-natal terms to help you better understand what is going on with your body. While this book will not replace the knowledge and care you get from your healthcare practitioner, it will give you answers to questions you may not have thought to ask, as well as giving you options to discuss with your doctor.

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“Pilates for Pregnancy: the Ultimate Exercise Guide to See You through Pregnancy and Beyond” is by Lynne Robinson with Kate Fernyhough, M.C.S.P. Lynne Robinson has designed workouts to help the body manage pregnancy, labor, and the birth itself. As your pregnancy progresses, your exercise needs change, so this book is divided into chapters on Preparing for Pregnancy, Early Pregnancy, Later Pregnancy and After the Birth. Following this program will help improve your posture, allowing the baby to grow and prevent additional strain on your joints. These exercises will also help train and strengthen muscles, foster circulation, increase relaxation skills and breathing skills, so that your baby will get all the vital nutrients and room for healthy growth. Step-by-step guides to the exercises, along with color photographs of positions and the ability to design your own workouts makes this book easy to use. While the latest medical advice recommends exercise during pregnancy, please check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen.

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“Dad’s Guide to Babycare” is a how-to for new fathers by Colin Cooper. Today, fathers are more involved in taking care of their children than in generations past. Many are now stay-at-home dads who do most of the child rearing while the mother works full time. This specially created guide will help dads participate safely and successfully in the care and development of their babies and toddlers. Included are step-by-step care routines for changing, bathing, dressing, feeding and dealing with emergencies. There is practical advice on meeting the emotional needs of children while fostering in them independence and a sense of security. Also included are likely points of tension between couples and suggestions for resolving difficult situations.

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“Pregnancy: Week by Week” by Dr. Jane MacDougall provides a week by week guide for women who are pregnant, or who want to get pregnant. This small book offers tips on planning for a baby including ways to increases a woman’s chances for conception as well as nutrition tips for a healthy pregnancy. Each week of the pregnancy is explained and illustrated to help women and their partners know what to expect. Dr. MacDougall provides information on how to cope with the hormonal changes during pregnancy as well as an explanation of common complications and the different types of deliveries. Also included is a chart for making your own birth plan.

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“Post Pregnancy Shape Up” is by Chrissie Gallagher-Mundy. This pictorial guide for post-pregnancy fitness is divided into three parts. The first section explains what happens to a woman’s body after having her baby and how nutrition will affect health and how a new mother feels. It also offers easy beginner exercises to help new mothers ease back into a more strenuous exercise routine. The second part of this book is the shape up program itself. The author explains how to configure a new mother’s workout. Warm-ups and core exercises precede a series of 10 main exercises with variations to maximize each individual’s work-out plan; this is followed by cool-down exercises. The final section offers a workout diary and exercise cards that may be copied for personal use.

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“Baby Steps: Having the Child I Always Wanted (Just Not as I Expected)” is a very personal memoir by actress Elisabeth Rohm. Elisabeth always knew that she wanted to be a mom and she thought she had plenty of time for all the necessary steps: find the right partner, fall in love, get married, and have kids. First, though, she became focused on her blossoming acting career. When she won a role on the popular and long-running Law & Order, everything looked bright. A chance meeting on a charity trip to Cambodia set her on a journey to motherhood that any woman can relate to. In this book, Elisabeth breaks the silence about IVF (in vitro fertilization) and her struggles with infertility. But this is more than a story about her difficult journey to becoming a mother by any means necessary; it is also the story of the steps it takes for us to become who we are. Elisabeth shares her deeply personal story with humor and intelligence and, of course, love.

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Evangeline Cessna is a history librarian at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library.