Information overload: it comes from all directions when you enter a new phase of life and want to start gathering facts and opinions about whatever it is you’re experiencing. 

As a nutrition coach, I see it all the time with clients who come to me exhausted from Google searches and scouring social media for the quick fix or magic answer to whatever health goal they have.

As a newly pregnant mama, I found myself massively overwhelmed as I tried to learn more about “what to expect when we’re expecting.”

What is “normal” during pregnancy, what happens at each OBGYN appointment, what questions should I ask my doctor each month, how the hell am I supposed to get a 7+ child out of my body, what is the ideal sleeping temp for a newborn, do I need a newborn car seat or can I go right to a convertible one?

And the list keeps going.

I found myself Googling “best blogs for pregnancy” and “best blogs for moms” wishing I could find one person to connect with and get advice from… and I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for. So, in typical Life Outside The Shop fashion, I decided to start writing the kinds of posts and—hopefully one day creating the kind of community—I wish I could find.

How to Find Credible Resources for Pregnancy

Before digging into my favorite pregnancy resources, we gotta quickly chat about credibility.

In some cases (like nutrition, fitness, and medical advice), credibility really matters. These are areas of health that need to be taken seriously—especially during pregnancy—and making sure you’re vetting the resources you find in these areas is extremely important.

If you’re seeking medical, nutritional, or fitness advice for pregnancy, make sure your resources cite credible sources.

(For example, in Real Food for Pregnancy, Lily Nichols cites over 930 studies that inform her research-based nutrition recommendations for pregnancy. She also states right on her website that the book is approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and provides all of her credentials in a clear, easy-to-find way.)

From there, remember that your body and pregnancy are unique and you should always consult your OBGYN before making any changes in these areas (and, run from any resource that doesn’t remind you of that!).

As you read books and blog posts, listen to podcasts, take courses, and consider online (or in-person) opinions, ensure that the resources you find are open about who is writing or speaking, their credentials, and any other experience they have in their area.

Keep in mind that someone doesn’t have to be an absolute pro to give great and trusted advice—especially for lower-hanging fruit topics (ex: how to pick paint colors for your nursery). But, for the meatier or more “controversial” topics, make sure authors clearly state their education and experience. And, if a resource is promising a one-size-fits-all answer, or doesn’t clearly state who is writing a piece and why they have the experience and education to do so, it’s probably not an ideal resource.

My Top 7 Favorite Pregnancy Resources

I love learning in many mediums—podcasts, books, courses, and blog posts have all been go-to’s for me during this pregnancy.

Note: these are resources I truly love and want to share. I am not receiving a kickback for any of them:)

1. Real Food For Pregnancy by Lily Nichols

I consider this the Pregnancy Nutrition Bible! Whether you’re pregnant or want to be one day, this is the way to eat (especially in the few months leading up to pregnancy). She provides nutrition recommendations based on hundreds of studies, helps you navigate old pregnancy nutrition myths (ex: what is actually safe to eat during pregnancy), gives prenatal supplement recommendations, and more!

Grab it from her website or on Amazon.

P.S. You could also download it on Audible but for a book like this, I preferred to have something in my hands to mark up, throw sticky notes in, and refer back to quickly.

2. Elevate Your Birth with Dr. Marcy Crouch

As I get closer to my due date, the idea of labor and pushing a screaming child out of my body gets more and more nerve-wracking. About a month ago, I asked myself why. What is the scariest thing about it? And, I realized that the thing making me the most nervous was that I felt uninformed.

Now, I love my OBGYN and I know they’ll walk me through what to expect once I hit a certain pregnancy milestone. But, I wanted more information NOW—what are the stages of birth really like? What kinds of questions should I ask my OBGYN when we do start talking about a birth plan?

Enter: the Elevate Your Birth Course

Dr. Marcy Crouch of The Down There Doc is a pelvic floor physical therapist with goals to “fill the gaps in our current medical system that leave women feeling isolated, dismissed, overwhelmed, and underprepared for childbirth and recovery.”

Elevate Your Birth is one of her signature courses and includes info like:

• How to prep your pelvic floor for birth and reduce the risk of significant trauma
• The stages of labor and things to expect at each stage (with a certified midwife guest)
• Different birthing positions (and which are available to you if you decide to get an epidural)
• Questions to ask your OBGYN as you build your birth plan

And a lot more! You also get access to her online community to connect with other mamas, ask questions and listen to/participate in live Q&As.

Her blog and Instagram are also great resources and she has some freebies on her website if you’d prefer to start there before dropping money on a course.

3. TheEveryMom.com

The EveryMom is an offshoot of The EveryGirl—one of my favorite blogs through my 20s. The EveryMom is specific to pregnancy and motherhood and is full of fun articles and resources.

They cover it all from baby name inspiration and the best pregnancy jeans brands to expert-backed content about CDC recommendations and feeding littles, they really have it all.

Read The EveryMom here.

4. No Mama Left Behind: The Podcast

Dr. Marcy Crouch (from The Down There Doc) is joined by her friend Alyson, a Pregnancy and Wellness coach as they deep dive into all things mom.

The podcast doesn’t include potty training tips or typical “how to” parenting topics. Instead, Marcy and Alyson focus on what it really means to be a mom and the things women deal with mentally and physically as they raise littles.

Something I’ve learned while coaching nutrition is that we’re all more alike than we realize and struggle with similar things. I’m guessing that motherhood is really similar in that we all have unique experiences, but there are many situations and struggles we think we are alone in feeling or have to navigate solo. Listening to their podcast is like sitting down with close mom friends, talking about taboo topics, and feeling less, well, alone.

I listen on Spotify but you can grab it on Apple (or anywhere you listen to podcasts) as well.

5. Evidence-Based Birth

This is a newer rec from a friend who is also pregnant but I’ve already used it quite a bit and know I will continue to reference it moving into my third trimester.

This collection of evidence-based articles tackles an array of more technical pregnancy and birthing topics like medication use, the gestational diabetes test, birthing positions, fetal monitoring, and more. It is a great resource to utilize if you have questions about specific protocols and recommendations.

As always, make sure to chat with your OBGYN about what you read, if it applies to you, and how to put what you learn into practice.

Check it out here.

6. The MINT Prjct

Shifting gears a little bit, the Mint Prjct is an awesome resource for training during pregnancy. Cara, Jess, and Betsy have varying degrees in the areas of fitness and nutrition from Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Certifications to Master’s Degrees and Precision Nutrition Certs.

They have a blog, podcast, Instagram, and trimester-specific training programs—all of which are full of awesome, evidence-based info and recommendations.

7. Trusted Mom Friends

Last but definitely not least, leaning on a few friends I love and trust who have their own young kiddos has been a game changer. From help with my registry (more on that to come!) to questions to ask doctors and potential daycares, it is so nice to connect with people I love and trust who have been where I am and can provide specific direction and support.

Lean on your people, feel free to reach out and connect with me, and keep trusting your body, mama!

What resources have you been loving? I’d love to hear—shoot me an email!