By Melissa Marin, Marketing Specialist at OverDrive (and expectant mom)

As the saying goes, children don’t come with instruction manuals. While this may be true, there are a plethora of pregnancy, parenting and child advice books on the market. As I get ready for impending motherhood, my library card has been getting a workout trying to prepare myself for this major life change. Considering that nearly 4 million babies are born in the United States each year, chances are you have some patrons looking for baby books in your digital collection, too! I’ve handpicked a few titles from my to-read list to share below. Make sure to check out the full Pregnancy/Motherhood Reads list in OverDrive Marketplace for a large selection of titles, covering fertility to child-rearing and everything in between.

Pregnancy week by week
What to Expect… is a classic in pregnancy circles and one of those books that some women swear by and others tell you to avoid like the plague. I found other books more helpful personally but WTEWYE is always near the top of reading lists for expecting moms and should definitely be in your collection.

Staying healthy & pregnancy fitness
While the extent of my exercise routine during pregnancy has been slow walking, stretching when I get leg cramps, and rolling around trying to find a comfortable sleeping position, prenatal yoga and other light workouts are popular ways to stay in shape while growing a human. There are a variety of eBooks and streaming video workout options available, in addition to numerous eating healthy during pregnancy guides.

Prepping for childbirth
The miracle of life is indeed a miracle but also a huge physical and mental undertaking. I’ve found it helpful to do research, take classes and read up on what I think will be best for me and my child. These books aren’t as detailed as a lamaze class, for example, but offer some different ways of thinking and strategies for childbirth for expectant moms and their companions.

Introducing your fur baby to your human baby
Here’s a big item on my baby to-do list – make sure that my dog Captain Boots is ready to meet her little brother! Thankfully, there are multiple books out there to help with the process.

One of these books has the magic trick to making a baby sleep through the night, right?
Right? :Fingers crossed:

Going back to work after baby
For moms like me who will be returning to the office after maternity leave, it’s nice to have some tips on how to navigate the balance between having a newborn and working full-time away from the home.

Title availability may vary by geographic location.