My goal is to empower you with preparation and confidence to welcome your little one into the world! So, I’ve worked hard to create this natural birth guide just for you. You’re about to be connected with over 180 powerful resources, created by birth professionals who are likewise passionate about helping you have an amazing pregnancy and birth. Oh yeah, you’ve got this. And we’re ALL here to help.
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Giving Birth Naturally: Learn about the most popular natural vaginal childbirth methods, including Hypnobirthing, The Bradley Method, and Lamaze. This natural birth guide website provides overviews of each.
Mother’s Advocate Blog: This article can help you know how to go about choosing the right childbirth education for you, what classes should cover, checking for certification, etc. It is written by a birth educator, but does not steer the reader toward any specific type of class, only providing information on how to choose one for yourself.
Kindred Bravely: This natural birth guide gives a good overview of four of the most popular types of childbirth classes and a brief overview of the philosophy and methods of each.
Kopa Birth: The author of this blog is me, Katie Griffin! I’m a Registered Nurse, Lamaze Certified Educator, and mom of 7. In addition to the blog, I offer online childbirth classes for natural hospital birth.
Want to learn more? Enroll in FREE Class #1 of the KOPA® PREPARED Essentials online childbirth course.
Lamaze International: The official Lamaze website is a great source to not only learn about Lamaze or find classes, but also a wealth of information about pregnancy and childbirth.
Read more: Lamaze Pros & Cons
The Bradley Method: The website for The Bradley Method contains information about the method, and also resources for expectant parents, birth stories, and more.
Read more: Bradley Method Pros and Cons
HypnoBirthing: On the official Hypnobirthing site, you can learn all about HypnoBirthing, find a childbirth educator, and read birth stories.
Read more: Hypnobirthing Pros & Cons
Birthing from Within: This is the official website for Birthing from Within, where you can learn about the method, find classes or workshops, read birth stories, and more.
Positive Birth Movement: Here you’ll find positive birth stories to inspire and empower you on your journey. In addition to the stories on the blog, there is a network of over 300 real-life groups should you decide to join an in-person network of women supporting each other through the process.
Natural Childbirth Stories: This website shares a collection of real natural birth experiences that will help you find courage and joy in the miracle of birth.
Au Naturale: A collection of birth stories featuring all different types of deliveries and situations. The format is unique in that each story also includes answers to the same ten questions, including what the hardest part of the experience, what was most helpful during labor, what you wish you’d known going into delivery, etc. It’s a great source of knowledge from a number of other moms.
Mama Natural: This collection of thousands of birth stories can be filtered to read about specific types or situations. You can read stories about a variety of circumstances or find a wealth of just those that match what you’re planning for your birth.
Birth Without Fear: Read birth stories from a variety of different moms in a variety of different circumstances. Stories include births at home, births in hospitals, medicated and unmedicated, C-sections, and deliveries with complications. Many stories also feature birth photos.
Heritage Births: Here you’ll find birth stories, and it’s also a general natural birth guide with advice on things like nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding, ways for dad to bond with baby, how childbirth classes are helpful, creating a birth plan, and more.
10 Things Yoga Mama: This is a great resource for diving in and learning how to nurture yourself through prenatal and postnatal yoga. In addition to yoga instruction, the site includes tips and thoughts to inspire a healthy pregnancy and positive birth.
Yoga Journal: Answers common questions about prenatal yoga safety, and ways to modify during pregnancy. Includes sample poses and sequences.
AWHONN: Written by a Registered Nurse, this blog post highlights 6 compelling benefits of practicing prenatal yoga.
Stretch and Glow: This site serves as a helpful introductory resource for beginners because it provides a variety of short, free prenatal yoga videos to try at home.
Prenatal Yoga Center: This site offers 3 longer yoga video classes, including alleviating back pain, helpful hip openers, and shoulder/chest opening.
Yoga with Adriene: This free, 34+ minute video introduces moms to 5 poses that are safe in every trimester. The poses are more calm and relaxing and less of a workout.
Birth Takes a Village: Written by a blogger/childbirth educator/doula, this post presents an honest and humorous view of what a doula really does during childbirth.
DONA: DONA is the first and largest doula certification organization. Learn what a doula actually is, and follow helpful links such as “How-to guide to hiring a doula.” Includes a database of DONA certified doulas.
Evidence Based Birth: Written by a research-focused PhD/APRN, this blog post presents the most current evidence on the value of Doulas in childbirth. Among other things, she describes what doulas do and do not do.
Baby Chick: This article addresses the common question, “What’s the Difference Between a Midwife and a Doula.”
Mother Earth Massage: Here you’ll find answers to many of the common questions women have about prenatal massage, including if you need a therapist certified in prenatal massage and how frequently you can get a prenatal massage. The article also addresses benefits of postnatal massage, such as hormone regulation and decreasing symptoms of postpartum depression.
National Center for Biotechnology Information: If you love to study research articles, don’t miss out on this one about the benefits of pregnancy and labor massage! Learn how women who receive massage therapy report decreased depression, anxiety, and pain.
Mama & Baby Love: A blog is devoted to teaching women the skills necessary to be emotionally healthy, happy, and successful mothers. This post highlights the main benefits of prenatal massage for both mom and baby.
Motherlove: Written as a guest post by a licensed massaged therapist, learn all about pregnancy and labor massage techniques that your partner can do for you in the comfort of your own home.
Home Pregnancy Massage: Partners, view a professional massage video to learn the easiest and safest way to help mom overcome back aches and pains during pregnancy.
ModernMom: For partners wanting to provide a massage for mom, here’s a YouTube video demonstrating basic prenatal massage techniques.
Home Sweet Homebirth: Written by a midwife, author, and speaker, this blog is a natural birth guide that contains information about home births, choosing a provider, healing from birth trauma, VBAC, doulas and midwives, postpartum care, and birth stories.
Midwives Alliance North America: This midwife alliance blog has compiled research articles about home birth.
Natural Pregnancy Midwife: Read about home birth on the blog of a midwife who is passionate about natural pregnancy, birth, and babies. She touches on reasons to choose a home birth, questions to ask a midwife, tips for safe labor, and links to additional resources.
Enjoy Birth: This pregnancy and natural birth guide has a helpful article on the financial comparison between home birth and hospital birth. It covers average cost, insurance coverage, payment plans, what happens if you have to be transferred, and how to finance home birth if you choose to have one.
Harvard Health Blog: This blog from Harvard Medical School has an article that covers the statistical differences between home and hospital birth, without bias or emotion attached.
Baby’s First Test: Here you’ll find a helpful article about how to get newborn screening that’s usually done in the hospital if your baby is born at home instead. This website belongs to a non-profit that provides educational and family support and services about newborn screening.
Cherish 365: The photography section of this positive, uplifting blog is full of easy-to-understand tips for taking beautiful photos and videos. There are tips for shooting in specific situations, as well as understanding camera equipment.
Love + Marriage and a Baby Carriage: Nestled in this blog about relationships, parenting, cooking, and more is a great post about doing your own birth photography. The author touches on equipment, tells how to set the aperture and ISO for these types of shots, gives suggestions of things to photograph, etc. This is a great stop to get the basics on simply shooting beautiful pictures of your special day.
Daily Mom: This popular parenting website has a gem of a section full of photography tutorials for those who want to learn how to use a DSLR camera. You can start with general tutorials and then move on to shooting specific circumstances and ages, including newborns and infants.
It’s Always Autumn: This is a great guide for taking your own photos of your newborn. It shows how to use things like natural light and proper angles to significantly improve the photos you take in those precious early days. Browse through her photography tips section to find more information on photographing your baby through different stages and situations.
Clickin Moms: Learn all about photographing your newborn. You’ll learn about where to take photos, lighting and posing, keeping baby happy and safe, capturing details, experimenting with angles and perspectives, and more. This is a very useful article on a popular photography site where you’ll find tips for every occasion.
Health & Parenting: Here you’ll find birth photography tips for amateurs. If you want to have a friend or family member capture your birth, here are some tips to get them started. The site also contains a number of apps you can use throughout pregnancy and into parenthood.
Birth Becomes Her: The blog section of this birth photography website is filled with birth stories told through breathtaking photos. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for photographing your own birth, or just want to see the stories of these strong mamas and precious new tiny ones, you’ll love this blog. The website also contains a photographer directory, and products for aspiring birth photographers.
International Association of Professional Birth Photographers: Find a birth photographer or videographer near you. IAPBP has over 1,200 members in 42 countries to help you find one that suits your needs. There are also galleries of gorgeous birth photos to inspire you and melt your heart.
Newborn Photography: This page allows you to search for a newborn photographer in your area. The website also has tips on how to choose a photographer, and galleries full of breathtaking photos of newborns.
Tommy’s: The mental wellbeing section of this well-respected charity contains a wealth of information about emotional health, treatment and support, specific mental health conditions, and more.
Postpartum Support International: PSI’s mission is support, education, advocacy, and research for people living with mental illness. This site is a tremendous resource for finding information, getting help, and finding support. The blog section of the website is frequently updated with timely articles about specific topics and current events.
Postpartum Progress: This website offers warm, positive, in-depth information, support, and hope for pregnant and new moms who experience PPD and all other mental illnesses related to pregnancy and childbirth. The site contains a wealth of information, personal stories, and a community of support.
Postpartum Wellness Center Boulder: Find articles on depression and anxiety in pregnancy, antidepressant use during pregnancy, postpartum depression and anxiety, and many specific topics related to postpartum depression and postpartum emotional health.
The Postpartum Stress Center: This postpartum pact is an excellent tool to prepare for the postpartum period. Before delivery, an expectant mom can help prepare herself and her support system for what to look for, listen for, what to do or say or not do or say.
Ivy’s PPD Blog: A well-written and informative blog about postpartum depression, ways it can manifest, treatments, stories, links to other resources, and more.
Ashland Women’s Health: Learn about prenatal depression and anxiety – what it is, the signs and manifestations, what treatment and resources are available, what you should do if you or someone you know has it.
Knocked-Up Fitness: A fitness blog from the creator of Core Athletica who also serves on the board of Fit Pregnancy. In addition to fitness articles, you’ll find articles about nutrition and other related topics, such as preparing for birth, mental health, and more.
Bellies Inc.: Pregnancy and postpartum videos on exercise, comfort, birth prep, aches & pains, and self-care.
Mama Aligned: A wealth of information about topics such as pelvic floor, alignment to create more space in the pelvis, preparing the body for VBAC, and more. Includes detailed pictures, videos, and descriptions of corrective stretches and exercises.
PRONatal Fitness: Fitness blog designed to make exercise safe and beneficial for expecting and new moms. Includes tips from trainers, nutrition articles, and articles on pregnancy-related pains such as nausea and constipation.
Fit Bottomed Mamas: This blog is written by two moms who aim to inspire and motivate women to be healthy and fit during pregnancy and after.
fitPREGNANCY: Get tips on fitness from before conception through losing weight after birth. This site offers a variety of helpful topics, including specific exercises for each trimester, exercises to relieve back pain, yoga to strengthen your body for birth, post-baby ab rehab, safe exercises for after a c-section, and much more.
Total Mommy Fitness: Written by a personal trainer and new mom, this blog is dedicated to fitness and nutrition for new moms. This particular post is an interesting read because it highlights the author’s struggle to come to terms with her own postpartum body.
Yoga Bellies: Yoga for pregnancy and beyond. Articles include easy postures to get started with yoga during pregnancy, yoga for back pain, and more.
Spoiled Yogi: A prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher with a passion for helping new mamas. Posts include yoga for each trimester, bonding with baby in prenatal yoga, yoga to prepare for labor, and more.
Birth Without Fear: The Cesarean section of this childbirth website is full of real stories of cesarean births. Real moms share their experiences, showing that cesarean birth can be a positive, and even healing experience.
International Cesarean Awareness Network: Here you’ll find information, resources, and stories from ICAN, a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by reducing preventable cesareans through education, supporting cesarean recovery, and advocating for vaginal birth after cesarean.
VBAC.com: This website provides evidence-based information, resources, and support for VBAC and cesarean prevention.
Wellness Mama: Learn more about gentle cesarean births from this doula. She covers skin to skin bonding, the microbiome that’s affected in cesarean deliveries, and birth plans.
Mother Rising: This article gives great advice on how to prepare for a successful VBAC.
Baby Love Birth Services: Read this beautiful letter written from a doula to any mom who has had an unexpected c-section. It is written with love and respect and admiration and is a balm to the heart of a mom whose birth didn’t go like she had hoped.
Red & Honey: A mom who experienced an unexpected cesarean and a successful VBAC shares advice on ways to increase your chances of a VBAC.
Amino: This website compiles reports of insurance claims to calculate the cesarean birth rate for doctors across the country. They offer a tool to show you doctors the general cesarean rates for doctors in your local area.
Spinning Babies: This website contains helpful articles and videos dedicated to improving fetal position (breech, transverse, posterior) and birth. Their tips and tools aim to reduce the chance of a cesarean.
Better Birth: The breech section of this birth website is full of resources and information about vaginal and cesarean breech births, as well as stories and videos about breech deliveries.
Birth Takes a Village: This birth doula has compiled resources about breech birth, including ways to try to get baby to turn, statements on the safety of breech birth, breech births at home and in the hospital, and more.
The Midwife, the Mother, and the Breech: This educational blog is written by a midwife and researcher who has developed a pathway of care for breech babies. The blog has links to research and publications, information for providers and mothers alike, and posts about the author’s travels as she trains/teaches and connects to others around the world.
Birth Without Fear: Learn about topics such as how to help baby turn, what your options are if baby remains breech, and read birth stories from mothers who have vaginally delivered breech babies.
Mom Smart Not Hard: This is an awesome resource to help you consider your options for where to give birth. The articles discusses hospitals vs. birth centers and what stats are important to consider. It also includes the author’s experience delivering in an in-hospital birth center with midwifery care.
Aha Parenting: This is a great start for comparing independent birth centers, birth centers in hospitals, home births, and hospital births. Learn the basics of each, and what questions to ask as you consider the options.
Twin Cities BC: Read about reasons why women choose birth center deliveries. This article is on the blog of a birth center but includes facts about birth centers and real statistics.
Our Bodies, Ourselves: Read the highlights of a recent study showing positive outcomes in birth center births, confirming this as a safe way for most moms to deliver. Our Bodies, Ourselves is a nonprofit organization that develops and promotes evidence-based information on girls’ and women’s reproductive health and sexuality.
Baby Center: This Baby Center article is a great place to start to familiarize yourself with birth centers. It touches on the differences between them and hospitals, what the benefits are of using one, who is a good candidate for delivery at one, how to choose one, and more.
Love Child: Here you’ll find a helpful article that covers things such as why to choose a birth center, how far in advance to schedule, how to know if you’re a good candidate, what constitutes low risk, whether birth centers can handle emergencies, and what happens if you change your mind.
The Healthy Home Economist: This article contains a list of 21 reasons you might want to choose to give birth in a birth center, with each reason expanded on and explained.
The Birth Hour: Read about one mom’s experiences delivering in both a birth center and at home, and what she sees as the pros and cons of each. This blog is packed with information about all things pregnancy, natural birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum.
American Association of Birth Centers: Rich resource for information about birth centers, as well as birth center research and data.
Midwife Thinking: A very informative blog written by a senior lecturer in midwifery, intended to stimulate thinking and share knowledge, evidence, and views on birth and midwifery. Posts include detailed information about the physiology of birth, history of birth practices and research, specific aspects of birth such as membrane rupture or induction of labor, and relationships between mothers and their midwives.
Citizens for Midwifery: This helpful set of frequently asked questions covers what a midwife is, the midwives model of care, different types of midwives, and more.
Growing Slower: If you’re thinking of hiring a midwife, this list will be a useful resource for interviewing and choosing the right professional for you.
Your Childbirth Guide: Learn about the differences between midwives and doctors, the models of care, types of midwives, and tips for choosing a midwife or doctor.
Mothers Naturally: A public education program from the Midwives Alliance of North America. Includes information about midwifery care and a brief video series about exploring birth options.
Midwives Alliance of North America: Promotes research about midwifery care and advocates for the use of midwives on both state and national levels.
North American Registry of Midwives: NARM provides national certification to Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). CPMs typically practice in out-of-hospital birth settings.
A Little Bit of All of It: Here you’ll find a treasure trove of babywearing information and resources. There are articles on safety and benefits, videos, overviews of dozens of types of carriers, and more.
The Hippie Housewife: Read babywearing posts on this natural mom’s blog. The most helpful entry gives links to blog posts across the web about benefits of babywearing, types of carriers, babywearing safety, how-to, and more.
Wrap Your Baby: This section of this babywearing website has a beginner’s guide on babywearing and different types of wraps and carriers.
Wrap You in Love: This site is all about babywearing. You’ll find numerous tutorials, videos, information and tips, and reviews.
Babywearing International: The mission of this non-profit is to promote babywearing and it’s benefits for both child and caregiver. Find your local Babywearing International Chapter to access an inexpensive lending-library of baby carriers.
Pelvic Floor Matters: The creator of this blog specializes is pelvic floor safe exercise programs for women of all ages and stages of life.
Julie Wiebe, PT: This fitness expert with experience in both sports medicine and women’s health has developed diaphragm/pelvic floor concepts that are used by rehab practitioners and fitness professionals. She aims to change the world one pelvic floor at a time.
Mama Sweat: This fitness blog post features an interview about pelvic floors with a biochemical scientist who applies her knowledge on the human body. She emphasizes that it’s not just about the ever-popular kegels, that you must strengthen other muscles to have proper pelvic floor strength.
By Brittany Noonan: This is a simple, straightforward overview of how to properly do pelvic floor exercises.
New Kids Center: When is the right time to announce a pregnancy? This article touches on how to decide when to tell, when to tell your other children, in what order to tell others, and when to tell at work.
I Heart Naptime: Many moms look forward to the announcement as one of the highlights of early pregnancy. Browse ideas and find inspiration in this collection of announcements.
Pregnant Chicken: Here you’ll find a wealth of cute, funny, or creative ways to announce your pregnancy.
All Things Lovely: This page contains another collection of announcements to get your creativity flowing.
Water Birth International: Learn about water birth from this organization that was created to ensure that waterbirth is an available option for all women and who strives to educate parents and professionals about the gentle birth model of maternity care. The blog contains personal stories as well as research and educational materials.
Mother Rising: On this holistic pregnancy blog, you’ll find a great page on water birth – the benefits, warnings, tips and tricks. This thorough article is packed with everything you need to know to understand the why and how of water birth.
Evidence Based Birth: This site is written by a nurse with a PhD who strives to provide people with a non-biased source of evidence-based information. This resource provides water birth information from a unique view, citing trials and studies and breaking down water birth’s effect on different aspects of labor and delivery.
American Pregnancy: This article from American Pregnancy covers the basics, including benefits of water birth, circumstances in which it isn’t a good choice, and how to prepare for a water birth.
Oh Baby Nutrition: Written by a holistic nutritionist with an interest in fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and babies, this blog contains information, advice, and recipes.
Wellness Mama: Advice from a natural-minded mom of six who has a passion for healthy living. There’s a wealth of advice in the blog, and also links to purchase her cookbook or customized meal plans.
Kath Eats Real Food: In this article, a registered dietitian who works primarily with prenatal patients gives advice on the basics for a healthy pregnancy.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: This is a great source for learning about nutrition for before, during, and after pregnancy.
Nutrition.gov: This USDA-sponsored website provides reliable information on nutrition, supplements, healthy eating, and physical activity, as well as information about programs like WIC that may help provide nutritious foods to expecting and breastfeeding moms.
Choice in Childbirth: A non-profit that conducts research and advocates for improved maternal health policies. Organizes local events to raise awareness.
Birthing The Future: Susanne Arms explores birth and the “primal period” of life — conception to the baby’s 1st birthday. She focuses on helping parents nurture a state of trust and full emotional growth for their babies-t0-be.
Mindful Motherhood: Offers inspiration, support, and resources on mindfulness practices for pregnancy and the early years of motherhood.
Birthing from Within: Childbirth education classes that prepare couples for birth as a Rite of Passage. Uses Birth Story telling, self-expression through birth art, and other methods to nurture “birth-in-awareness.”
Doula Sharing: Read about natural delivery in births of multiples. This resource covers things like what conditions favor a natural birth and how delivery and monitoring are different than in a singleton birth. There are also links to a number of other resources, including birth stories and studies.
The Birth Hour: Read birth stories of mamas who have delivered twins in a wide variety of circumstances and types of delivery.
Multiple Realities: On this mom blog, you can read the story of the story of the natural VBAC of twins. She calls it the most joyful, intense, painful, and triumphant experience of her life.
Natural Birth and Baby Care: Learn about the different types of prenatal testing, including how each test is done, what each is looking for, and why you may or may not want to allow each test. It’s a great, comprehensive beginner’s guide.
March of Dimes: This organization is known and trusted for their fight for the health of moms and babies. The website’s section on prenatal care and prenatal tests is a useful source for learning the basics.
American Pregnancy Association: This is a great source of information about what tests to expect, including detailed information about each test. The APA is a trusted non-profit health organization that supports education, research, and advocacy to promote reproductive and pregnancy wellness.
Mom Smart Not Hard: Learn how to get the most out of your prenatal visits, including an overview of the various routine prenatal tests and what to expect.
Immyounology: This author has a PhD in microbiology and immunology and loves explaining science in a way everyone can understand. She has written a comprehensive overview of cord blood, stem cells, collection, banking, and uses for cord blood.
Well Rounded Birth Prep: This article touches on cord blood banking, but mostly makes a case for delayed cord clamping so that the newborn receives all of the blood it should before the cord is clamped and cut. It provides another angle to consider.
ACOG – The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: This FAQ page about cord blood banking from a trusted source is a great place to learn the basics and begin research.
Giving Birth Naturally: This natural birth blog’s page on cord blood banking provides information without the bias of being affiliated with or compensated by any cord blood banking facility or company.
Harvard Health Blog: This article from Harvard Medical School makes a case for donating cord blood rather than saving for private use or discarding it.
Sidelines: This non-profit provides support for women experiencing high-risk pregnancies. Find resources, connect to others, or learn how to communicate with your providers, and more.
Tommy’s: Tommy’s is a large charity in the UK that funds research into miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth, and provides pregnancy information to parents. The complications section of this website provides information on a variety of pregnancy complications.
Mom Tricks: Find information and advice about pregnancy-related health problems from morning sickness and heartburn to dealing with prodromal labor, insomnia, and hot flashes.
Plus Size Birth: This blog promotes evidence-based information and positive resources to empower healthy decision making for plus size people who are either trying to conceive or currently pregnant. It also strives to normalize pregnancy in people of size.
Healthy Pregnancy: This section of Healthy Pregnancy has articles on a variety of pregnancy concerns and complications for either mom or baby. It includes articles on managing Crohn’s Disease during pregnancy, high blood glucose levels, epilepsy in pregnancy, preeclampsia, and more.
Home Sweet Homebirth: Learn about Group B strep testing, prevention, treatment, and deciding what is best for you and your baby.
Two Little Grasshoppers: A compilation of articles and information from a mom who experienced hyperemesis gravidarum. Learn more about this condition from someone who has been there.
Very Well Family: Written by a physician, this article is packed with information about pregnancy complications. It details things such as Rh factor, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, placenta previa, low or high amniotic fluid levels, and more.
Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood: This charity’s mission is to provide deaf and disabled people and their families and service providers with information and shared experience on all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting.
Healthtalk.org: Here you’ll find videos of women sharing their own stories about being pregnant with a disability.
Sexuality and Disability: This page answers questions about giving birth with a disability. You’ll also want to look around the website where you’ll find sections on getting pregnant, during pregnancy, caring for your baby, and many other topics that may be of value to a person with a disability.
Natural Papa: This website focuses on natural parenting and fatherhood, also touching on topics like green and simple living, homeschooling, and natural foods.
The Dad Network: This site has a blog with a number of contributors writing about fatherhood, and also a community to connect to if you’d like. The blog can be filtered into topics, and new dads will find the Expecting and New Dads sections especially helpful.
How to Daddoo: This relatable dad who calls himself more of an awkward man-child than fatherhood expert blogs about life as a new father. He blogs about his little victories and epic fails, and aims to let fathers know that they’re doing a good job.
Daddy, Are You Okay?: This blog is for fathers who are suffering with postnatal depression. Articles tell about this condition, and also touch on topics like finding balance, sex after baby, and general tips and advice for new dads.
Mr. Dad: Written by a man who has spent years dedicated to helping men become the fathers they want to be, this website is full of tools and support for dads. The Advice section breaks down into age categories; the Expectant Fathers and First Year Dads sections will be especially helpful for expecting or new dads.
Giving Birth with Confidence: This Lamaze blog has a section for partners where dads can find a wealth of information about pregnancy, birth, and supporting their partners through this time.
Easy Baby Life: This popular website’s section for new dads is full of tips to help make the transition easier. There are articles on dad’s role during childbirth, bonding with baby, and basic care tips.
NerdWallet: This finance website and blog has a great guide to maternity and paternity leave. It covers what parental leave is mandated by law, what may be offered by your employer, and how to prioritize your options for the best family and budget outcome.
FairyGodBoss: This site about improving the workplace and lives of women has a wealth of articles on family leave, including basic “101” maternity and paternity overviews, information on some specific states, history of leave laws, and more.
MomsRising: This group, focused on making important gains for women and families, has compiled a number of resources about paid family leave. You can learn about the current state of family leave in the U.S. and even find ways to get involved in making changes.
PALS – Pregnancy After Loss Support: A community of support and resources for women experiencing the conflicting emotions of grief mixed with joy during a pregnancy after loss.
Empty Arms: This organization aims to provide grieving parents with resources and validation as they navigate life after a loss. The blog contains helpful healing tools like writing prompts, talking to kids about loss, and beautiful personal stories.
Hopexchange.com: A blog full of resources, stories, and posts about loss, grief, and many related topics.
Pregnant Chicken: In this section of the popular Pregnant Chicken blog, you’ll find real stories of loss, grief, and hope from moms who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth.
Make, Do & Push: This lovely blog about pregnancy and parenting contains a section on miscarriage. The author’s lovely, honest writing style chronicles her loss.
Still Standing: Stories about life after child loss and infertility. Resources for books, keepsakes, support pages, memorials, and more.
KellyMom: KellyMom has been a popular breastfeeding and parenting resource for more than twenty years, and was developed to provide evidence-based information on these topics. A wide variety of topics are included to help support breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or pumping throughout many ages and stages. The author is a certified lactation consultant and mother.
Easy Baby Life: This popular parenting website has a really useful section on breastfeeding, with articles covering specific stages, difficulties, nutrition, breastfeeding in public, and more.
The Breastfeeding Mother: This breastfeeding blog contains information about many topics, including special circumstances and challenges such as lip and tongue ties, increasing milk production, breastfeeding an adopted baby, relactating, supplementing, and more.
Lactation Link: This blog, written by an RN, childbirth educator, and certified lactation coach, contains posts about a number of breastfeeding topics as well as other pregnancy and birth-related topics. The goal of Lactation Link is to empower women with education and options and support them in reaching their goals, whatever they may be.
Milk Matters: This group of IBCLC certified lactation consultants are passionate about helping mothers succeed in breastfeeding. Their blog contains topic-specific posts as well as personal stories.
Nature to Nurture: Find information on feeding, baby care, introducing solids, breastfeeding through specific issues, pumping, latch, weaning and more. Written by a team of certified lactation consultants.
San Diego Breastfeeding Center: The blog of a breastfeeding center that was created to provide information and assistance to help moms reach and surpass their own personal breastfeeding goals. The blog includes breastfeeding information, articles on solid foods written by a dietitian, personal stories of breastfeeding journeys, contest and giveaways, and opportunities to give to related causes.
Breastfeeding Made Simple: This site contains information about breastfeeding, and a valuable section on challenges to breastfeeding: birth trauma or difficult birth, abuse survivors, depression, and many other specific challenges.
Uplifting Families: Nestled in this uplifting blog with resources for all stages of parenting is a helpful section on pumping. There are articles on assembling and using a number of different breast pumps, as well as one on how to express milk by hand.
Fearless Formula Feeder: A supportive, no shame resource for moms who formula feed. Find information from the basics of how to mix formula, to how much and how often to feed, types of formula and bottles, and recognizing allergies and intolerances.
Baby Foode: When you’re ready to introduce solids, visit this blog full of organic baby food recipes to inspire adventurous eating. There are many great recipes for different stages and beautiful photos, and you can even buy cookbooks that feature recipes from the blog.
MedlinePlus: The National Library of Medicine has compiled these trusted resources for newborn care.
Hush Hush Little Baby: This blog is full of information about newborn care, newborn development, bonding with baby, and postpartum mother care. You’ll find clearly written articles on every facet of caring for your new baby.
Birth Takes a Village: Learn about caring for your newborn from a birth doula and informed choice activist.
Baby Science: This blog is written by an emergency room pediatrician and mom. She uses fact-based science paired with an easy writing style to help parents understand their babies and kids. The newborn section has some great advice on caring for and understanding your newborn.
The Fussy Baby Site: This site is a helpful resource for parents of fuss, colicky, or high-needs babies. It combines advice from a range of experts including doctors, lactation experts, nurses, moms, and psychologists.
Mom Tricks: The babies section of this mom and baby site has great information on how to care for your newborn. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, recent articles include caring for baby when sick, feeding, caring for umbilical cord stump, and a month by month guide to playing with baby
All About Cloth Diapers: This site is a great source to learn all about cloth diapering. Find out how to buy and care for them, recommendations and reviews, and all manner of cloth diapering topics.
View Along the Way: Here you’ll find a comprehensive beginner’s guide to cloth diapering. This mom shares the benefits and costs, her family’s wash system, how to use the most popular styles, how many you need, and even cloth baby wipes.
Everything Birth Blog: Learn about cloth diapering on this blog dedicated to midwifery, attachment parenting, cloth diapers, and more.
Not So Perfect Parent Blog: Here you’ll find a variety of articles about cloth diapering. Articles include topics like how to wash them, different styles, cost, cloth diapering myths.
Alpha Mom: This is an easy overview of cloth diapering, presented in a way that is simple and doesn’t make it seem overwhelming. It covers how they work, how often to change them, how to wash them, and how many you need to get started.
March of Dimes: March of Dimes is a wealth of trusted information on health conditions and challenges. On this page, you can learn about dozens of conditions that may be detected before birth or present at birth.
Down Syndrome Pregnancy: This is an excellent resource for moms who are expecting a baby with Down Syndrome. Articles share stories from parents about their experiences with issues ranging from breastfeeding to preparing siblings to dealing with comments. Down Syndrome Pregnancy is a program of the National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Resources at the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute.
Lettercase: This site provides a library of resources that provide accurate, balanced, and up-to-date information for new and expectant parents learning about a diagnosis of Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, or Jacobsen syndrome. There are books for sale on the site, but digital books are free to all.
Fetal Health Foundation: The FFH is a non-profit charity that provides medical information on fetal syndromes, support to families dealing with these syndromes, advocacy and awareness, and research grants funding new treatments. On this site, you’ll find information, the ability to connect to other parents, and connection to medical specialists.
Birth Defect Research for Children: This non-profit organization provides parents with information and support services for children with birth defects.
Fatherly: This article on Fatherly, a digital media brand for dads, contains advice for pregnant couples who’ve learned that their baby will have special needs.
Be Not Afraid: BNA is a non-profit whose mission is to provide comprehensive, practical, and peer-based support to parents experiencing a prenatal diagnosis and carrying to term. You can find support or resources, read stories from other parents, and more.
Breastfeeding-problems.com: This blog has articles about feeding a baby who has special needs, and includes articles on more than a dozen different special needs or complications.
Perinatal Hospice: For parents who have received the devastating news that their child’s life will be brief, that the baby is expected to die before or shortly after birth, this is an invaluable resource.
Kopa Birth’s online childbirth classes allow you to prepare for a natural childbirth from the comfort of your own home, 24/7. Enroll today in our free online childbirth class to learn more about preparing for a natural hospital birth.
My goal is to empower you with preparation and confidence to welcome your little one into the world! So, I’ve worked hard to create this natural birth guide just for
