How to Grow a Baby: A Science-Based Guide to Nurturing New Life from Pregnancy to Childbirth and Beyond

“Knowing some of the why behind the sensations in my body and my baby’s behavior helped me foster tolerance, respect, and patience,” writes nurse Hammer in her encouraging debut. With the perspective that “information acts as a gateway to change and self-advocacy,” Hammer offers tips on pregnancy, dividing her counsel into three parts. There’s “getting ready to grow your baby,” in which she explains reproductive hormones and how to cultivate a healthy microbiome (move often, avoid starchy fried foods and sugar). In “conception, growing your baby, and birth,” she covers whole food nutrition (suggesting folate-rich foods) and how to avoid toxins (urging readers to swap vinegar for other typical cleaning product). “Growing your baby on the outside,” meanwhile, covers the physiology and social dynamics of breastfeeding, plus mental and emotional changes postpartum. Hammer’s frequent descriptions of her own pregnancy can feel awkwardly shoehorned in, but her explanations are empowering and easy to follow. And Michelle Lassaline’s color illustrations are a real treat; the small drawings, chapter frontispieces, and full-page infographics will catch readers’ eyes and do a great job of supplementing the text. Holistic-minded readers, doulas, and midwives will find this a resource worth returning to. (Sept.)