The Natural Pregnancy Book, Third Edition: Your Complete Guide to a Safe, Organic Pregnancy and Childbirth with Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices

After reading some of the confusing, very poorly written reviews on here I felt compelled to set the record straight. I was originally referred to Dr. Romm's website by my midwife when I had questions about taking herbs while pregnant. I loved her way of thinking and straightforward explanations so much that I decided to explore her books. I am so happy I did. As a pregnant woman I have found this book to be the most empowering of any pregnancy book I have read (and I've read 6 recently!) However, I would also recommend Ina May's Guide to Childbirth which pairs well with this one for guidance specifically on natural labor/delivery/childbirth. For any woman truly looking for holistic information on pregnancy, this book is the best. It covers an overview of pregnancy progression, holistic management of common pregnancy symptoms, diet/nutrition and exercise, and overall information about mental health and well-being. She gives great herbal advice not typically offered in a doctor's office and stress reduction techniques. But what I enjoy most about Dr. Romm's delivery of the information is her uplifting and positive tone, making mama's feel in control and powerful during pregnancy. With the influx of mixed medical advice these days, this book is a breath of fresh air. I would also highly recommend for women receiving prenatal care from an OB as opposed to a midwife, as it provides alternate perspectives not typically discussed in an MD's office. It is a great supplemental resource for women reading more technical pregnancy resources out there, which are also useful. It does not go into detail on a cellular level as many of the other pregnancy books do but focuses on the whole woman and her baby. I will also be reading her postpartum book in a few months and cannot wait! Side notes: In regards to other Amazon reviews... for the love of God, ladies please do NOT take advice from the guy trying to sell a ketogenic diet during pregnancy. This is absolutely not recommended and dangerous advice and keeps appearing as the first review for this book. Any woman receiving prenatal care would recognize this, but I felt it had to be said for anyone shying away from this book due to this review. Carbohydrates from natural sources, as Dr. Romm has described, are essential for a healthy pregnancy. She also emphasizes the importance of protein. Everything reported on nutrition in this book aligns with my midwife's recommendations as well as other literature I've read in nearly every pregnancy book. Use your best judgement when it comes to specific food items in her lists and if you have questions refer to your health practitioner (which you should be doing anyway!) Obviously margarine is not going to be the best choice and she has this in a large list under "fat sources." You'd have to really nitpick to find it. What she emphasizes as crucial are the "essential fatty acids" which are listed separately. Emerging research has also pointed to all women taking folate as opposed to folic acid, however this book was updated last in 2014 so the information differs. Please make sure you talk to your provider about this, most midwives will recommend folate. I do believe her section on weight gain contains a typo, specifically on the recommendation for underweight women to gain 8-40 lbs with a 12.5-18 kg equivalency. If you do the math this should equate to 28-40 lbs instead, as is the general recommendation on US charts. But all pregnant women should receive prenatal care and have their weight monitored by their provider. I will also point out that reviewers outside of the US have differing views on what a healthy pregnancy looks like. The general US perspective on pregnancy reveals it to be much more of a medical condition rather than a natural biological process. I would definitely recommend reading the reviews from all over the world when searching for solid pregnancy literature and using a variety of sources. No one source will be perfect for everyone. Happy reading!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that has been looking for a more natural approach to their pregnancy. It has everything that I have been looking for in a pregnancy book: information on safe herbal remedies, poses and exercises, nutrition, etc. The writing is fluid and very easy to read and relate to. I have a few other books on pregnancy/prenatal care but this one is BY FAR my favorite!!

Dr Aviva Romm has such a calming, kind, knowledgeable presence. I truly believe every women should read her books and this book for pregnant woman is no different. I love how she speaks so gracefully straight to the heart and how she gives practical tips too. This book made me appreciate my body in a much deeper way and changed how I view other women.

The first book I send my doula clients too and the one I referenced the most during my own pregnancy!

So much information in this book took me quite a while to read. The only reason I give this 4 stars is some of the stuff was a little overboard for me. If you have any diseases that could affect you while pregnant she gives great advice. There is lots of information on what herbs to stay away from while pregnant. Overall good boo!

Ideal for every mom-to-be, as this book is very educating on what pregnancy and birth SHOULD be like, and provides helpful, holistic methods to common symptoms during pregnancy.

This book was recommended to me by an acupuncturist. I think it would be a good read for someone who is not very familiar with the natural living/natural pregnancy path. For me, having already had an interest in a holistic life style, herbal medicine, and alternative healing, I found a lot of information in this book to be redundant. Pros; Comprehensive look at natural pregnancy from a spiritual, emotional, and trimester by trimester viewpoint. If you are going to buy only one book on Cons: Somewhat redundant if you are familiar with natural pregnancy

Amazing! Aviva Romm does it again, and in language everyone can understand. I’m enrolled in Midwifery school and reference this book constantly. Very thorough.

This is a GREAT book by a great author, doctor, researcher. You can continue to find out great information through her website too. If you like this and are looking for a book with a mix of traditional wisdom (including nutritional, herbal, and more), recipes, and current science, check out Green Mama-to-Be: Creating a Happy, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Pregnancy .

I'm really impressed by the clear and very up-to-date information and reassuring style. If only more books were like this, affirming that pregnancy isn't a medical condition! Especially pleased to see that the latest information about vitamin D and its importance for both mother and baby is included.

Amazing book giving you all the knowledge you need during pregnancy! Very well explained and all in all just super useful and great! Also a great gift idea for mummies to be :)

Good read for a first time mum

Great book by Dr. Aviva. I used it all throughout my pregnancy - it was my reference! Also, the herbs & salves really helped me!