I loved The Zen Mama Guide, it is packed full of useful imformation for mothers and mothers-to-be, and i know i will be frequently refuring to this when i have my own kids.

This is an excellent read for people who are planning to have kids. The book covers a lot of topics like pregnancy planning, pregnancy loss and each trimester and post-pregnancy and postpartum depression. Each stage is explained in detail and what they experienced and other moms and moms to be experienced were there. I really loved the way they explained pregnancy loss they used this word instead of miscarriage and how the loss is different for everyone and how it affects and what needs to be done to have a good relationship with yourself and your partner than detaching from everyone around. As mentioned in the title it talks about the birth and beyond and I wish you read to understand what would be good for you as Sara and Teresa have shared a lot of stuff that is helpful for people across the world who wish to have little ones in their life and to feel the parenthood.

I really there are different ways and positions to give birth as I have watched only one position in movies and in a hospital and I got to know more about it we should find the right doctor or midwife who matches our mindset and we should be able to feel secure talking to them. Changing doctors to get the right and comfortable one is not bad.

The writing style was so simple and lucid and I liked how they were expressing themselves openly so that it help others there are a few pictures of them with their kids which is so lovely.

Teresa and Sarah share their honest experiences and views on their pregnancy journey. A comprehensive account of what to expect before, during and after pregnancy. Personally, I was looking for something which catered to the zen part of the book which I found was lacking. I went in with misguided expectations about this book. I was hoping to learn spiritual practices and exercises but this book was closer to a "What to expect when you are expecting."

It is still a great guide for moms-to-be and I would recommend it if you are planning your first pregnancy - a lot of questions and doubts have been answered.

As a self-proclaimed “krunchy” lady who embraces the holistic lifestyle and is proudly plant/based - I was intrigued book as I am currently trying to get pregnant!

I did learn some new things in this book that I didn’t know before, but it seemed quite shallow. There wasn’t much depth, or the depth that I was expecting. I enjoyed the anecdotes, personal experiences, taking a stance on controversial topics like circumcision, placenta smoothies, co-sleeping, and so much more. It was cool to hear the husband perspective on witnessing the childbirth process.

With that being said - there seems to be something lacking in this guide. I didn’t feel that connection to the authors - the book itself seems a bit rushed and under developed. I also wish there was more of a spiritual connection made - there’s talk of affirmations and mantras but there’s never really anything connecting the spiritual side of pregnancy which is unexpected in a book talking about zen.

The authors talk a lot about their own businesses and I liked learning the information about women entrepreneurs being happier than non and the empowerment they encourage moms to have.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to consume this ARC.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* not a mother, to be mother or otherwise but i do work with kids often and like to read books like this for reference, this is a book i would reread if i ever decided to get pregnant for sure!

This book was received as an ARC from Harper Horizon in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've learned so much from the Zen Mama Guide and appreciate how open Teresa and Sarah were sharing their stories. My husband and I am thinking of becoming pregnant soon and all of the information shared in this book was so informative and educational. Even if you can't relate or not becoming pregnant, there are many tips and tricks to learn throughout this book. The layout and color scheme chosen for this book was very attractive and it brought your eye right to the important facts and tips. We have weeded almost all of our pregnancy collection in our R Non-Fiction and this book will be a perfect start in rebuilding the collection.

We will consider adding this title to our R Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

4.5 stars!
I really enjoyed the Zen Mamas Guide to Finding Your Rhythm in Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond! As a first time mom / pregnant person, I feel like a sponge just wanting to absorb as much reputable advice and information as I can, and Teresa and Sarah really broke down their personal experiences and mixed in some good education and advice from professionals that made the book a really easy and enjoyable read. I actually spent a couple of months reading and absorbing the book, and even went back and re-read some parts too!

Thanks to the authors and NetGalley for the copy, I thoroughly enjoyed it snd have recommended it to a couple of other expecting mamas!

I really enjoyed this book even though I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first. I was worried it might be all gloss and none of the challenges but I was pleasantly surprised.
The book covers things like pre-conception care, conception, early pregnancy, labour, birth + the fourth trimester.
Im really glad they covered the myriad of possible loss' and resources for support because even though its common it can still feel quite taboo.

I love that this book covers so much ground, from non-medical birth support to medical and exploring different options in a really open and encouraging way. They also delve into mood disorders and where to seek help. As well as swaddling, feeding and more.

As a Birth Photographer I was so glad they mentioned this as something to consider! It doesn't have to be for sharing but its pretty special to be able to reflect on your birth both soon after and well into the future.

This is a great purchase for anyone looking to start a family or support a friend who is having a baby.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

I wasn't too sure what to expect with this book, but I ended up really loving it a lot. I am not pregnant nor do I have any children, but I hope that it is something I have the ability to experience in my life and this was a great book to read.

I love how clear the information was presented, with personal anecdotes and professional opinions scattered throughout. I also appreciated that there was an entire chapter dedicated to pregnancy loss included since that is something that so many women experience.

Overall this was a very well thought out book that I am very glad to have read before embarking on this new part of my life.

A very comprehensive overview of pregnancy from pre-conception to the fourth trimester. The authors offer a lot of holistic options for pain relief and even throw in recommendations for chemical-free cleaning supplies. Eco friendly products are emphasized.

I really appreciated the fact that in a book about pregnancy, they covered miscarriage or pregnancy loss as they refer to it. Not too many books cover it or they do it really quickly.

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.