5 Books from 5 Genres to Read During Pregnancy
By: Anirban Kar
Tags: Pregnancy, Life, Books, Reading, Readinglist

5 Books from 5 Genres — To Accompany You During Your Pregnancy

I have selected this list of books to excite a range of sensations instead of a single note of emotion. Therefore, I prioritized a degree of variety and diversity in my recommendation to save you from a monotonous experience.

1. Poetry- The Essential Rumi

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Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet, scholastic, and Sufi mystic. His influence transcends sovereign borders and ethnic barriers alike. People from Iran, Pashtu’s & Tajiks ethnic group, Turkey, Greek, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent have cherished his spiritual legacy for the past seven centuries.

The Essential Rumi is a collection of Rumi’s most exquisite verses. An American poet Coleman Barks gives us Rumi’s startling visions and euphoric emissions with contemporary rhythm and import. The Essential Rumi is a rare piece of a volume that will stir your heart and cultivate your mind with passion.

Why read it:

This book strikes the right balance through its pleasing yet thrilling reading experience.

Speaking of the profound wisdom these verses offer, they stay relevant until this modern era.

If read and dissected with enthusiasm and sincerity, this book will not only turn into a better mother but a better individual altogether.

2. Indian Mythology — The Forest of Enchantments

It is a story as old as the hills and as new as a fresh dewdrop clinging to a tender shoot growing on those very hills. A story we know by heart. — Richa Bhattarai

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Published in 2019, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Forest of Enchantments is a brilliant retelling of the tragic love story of Ram-Sita. This piece of mythological fiction places Sita at the center. For a novel depicting certain aspects of one of the world’s greatest epics, The Forest of Enchantments is very humane and relatable at its core.

Though there are countless great works based on Ramayana, this novel has succeeded to earn its praise both from the readers and the critics.

Why read it:

This piece celebrates womanhood with a burning passion. It will surely lit up your soul and give you a different perspective on the mythic tale of Ramayana.

3. Self Help — Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy

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Cutting through the noisy crowd of popular self-help books related to pregnancy, I have managed to get a hold of the people who know what they are talking about.

Mayo Clinic has ranked no. 1 on US News & World Report’s 2020–2021 Best Hospitals Honor Roll.

Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy is the collective work of a unit of health care specialists who find it deeply gratifying at the birth of a healthy child by a healthy mother. Any parent-to-be scanning for precise and reliable information from a reputable source should pick this one without any second thought.

Why read it:

This book is easy-to-understand and on point.

Unlike other books dealing with the same topic, this book is unpretentious and thorough.

The month by month guide and insights you will find in this books are unparalleled in terms of authority, substantiality, and effectiveness.

Most mothers recommend this one over any other famed self help maternity book.

4. Non Fiction — Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames

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Human emotions are tricky. Feelings of envy, insecurity, helplessness, and grief are more complicated ones. However, the uncontrollable fire of boiling anger is the strongest and most devastating of all. If consumed by it, you can destroy lives within a matter of seconds.

Even if not acted upon, suppressed anger can eat you from inside, making you more vulnerable to stroke, high blood pressure, or heart attack.

With the signature simplicity, a Buddhist monk and Vietnam exile Thich Nhat Hanh addresses the issue and offers us his pieces of advice for reconstructing relationships, converging energy, and restoring those parts of ourselves that we often ignore.

Why read it:

The inherent and uncontrollable mood swings of maternity is an aspect that many fail to acknowledge.

This excellent piece of the book can guide you through the turmoils of the inner storm you can’t share with anyone.

5. Fiction — Wonder

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The book follows a 10-year-old August Pullman with a rare genetic condition causing him to be born with a facial deformity. Throughout the years, he has gone through 27 surgeries to rework his vocal cords and hearing ability. But he still looked unusual in comparison to others. Due to his condition (more so for his consciousness), he has been homeschooled so far. But now his mother is taking active initiations to enroll him in an actual middle school.

Surprisingly, the book gives us much more than the standard fish out of the water narrative. Of course, it deals with all the ins and outs of being a different looking child dealing with bullying. But at times, it shifts perspectives, and we experience the thoughts and emotions of other characters as well.

Why read it:

This book doesn’t shy away from showing the fallibility of parents despite their best efforts.

It points out how much we form our judgments looking only at the surface and refusing to look through the initials. And this book goes way beyond Auggie’s facial deformity to explore that.

And this book goes way beyond Auggie’s facial deformity to explore that. Wonder is an honest tale of the silent battles we engage in each moment of our lives and how it takes a mental toll on us. But it also shows how having a family where everyone learns from their mistakes and support each other in embarrassingly low points is a true blessing.

Read it yourself. You will find out.