Great getting-ready-to-push-a-human-out-of-my-privates books

I've been blessed to have such great, wonderful women around me to let me borrow great books to read during my pregnancy.  The minute I knew I was pregnant, Billy and I went out and bought the book that EVERY pregnant girl gets (either as a gift or she gets it herself).

This book, on a scale of 1-10 for helpfulness, was about a 3.  The questions in the book are ridiculous and everything seemed written as if we pregnant women weren't capable of understanding the intricacies and biochemical nuances of pregnancy.  For example, here is an excerpt: "I'm eager to eat well, but it's difficult to figure out what's in the products I buy.  I just can't make sense out of the labels."  This is followed by a watered-down explanation of good nutrition habits during pregnancy. 

The books that I have found super helpful are Sheila Kitzinger's The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth and Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn. 

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn is filled with fascinating information on everything from hormone releases during pregnancy to all the types of drugs that could be used as pain relief during labor (including any potential side effects to the mother and the fetus).  There are hundreds of pages worth of information in tabular format so that it is easy for you to reference.  The language is straightforward and not cutesy and gives you all the information you need to know in order to have a healthy pregnancy and a medicated/unmedicated birth. 

The last two books I would recommend is the latest edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and The Baby Book by Dr. William Sears.  The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding does focus, of course, on breastfeeding (the benefits of breastmilk, the bond between mother and child, different breastfeeding positions), but also gives you valuable information about infant behavior (from poopy diapers to subtle "hunger" cues).  They provide the science behind why breastfeeding is so important and why little babies should be fed human milk, but also provide guidance about feeding, bonding, etc for parents of babies who, for some reason or another, have to be fed formula.  The Baby Book is a great resource for parents who like the Attachment philosophy; it emphasizes breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and babywearing, as well as giving you valuable information on your new infant (like what to do with clogged tear ducts or how to tell if your baby has a food allergy or a bug (one of these is a red rashy ring around its anus :)). 

I hope this helps any of you who are pregnant or considering pregnancy buy really good books that will actually help and empower you with knowledge.