If you’re planning a home birth, you might be wondering how best to explain the upcoming event to your older child, especially if you’re considering having them at the birth itself. Or perhaps you’d like to read a home birth picture book with your own home birth baby. My youngest was born at home in just over an hour, and both my girls love hearing about what her home birth was like!
Somewhere between 1-1.5% of births in Canada and the US take place outside of a hospital. That may not sound like much, but that’s still around 4,000 births in Canada and 60,000 births in the US every year. Despite these numbers, there are surprisingly few books for children about home birth. Here are the ones I’ve been able to track down, including books that are currently out of print.
Updated: This post was updated in February 2020 with several new books released since our list was originally published.
Here’s the complete list of all the home birth books I’ve been able to find so far. If I’ve missed any, please let me know in the comments below or send me an email. I’ve also included out of print books as you may be able to find them in your local library or used copies on Amazon, eBay, or Abebooks.
Click on any book cover to see it on Amazon.
My Mother is the Strongest: A Homebirth Story by Cynthia Durand & Andreann Larouche
Shhh…Mommy is giving birth! Structured as a series of questions and answers between a curious child and their pregnant mama, this lovely storybook is intended to teach children two years old and up that they needn’t worry about birth. Gentle, watercolour illustrations will encourage kids to read and re-read and ask their own questions.
Mama Midwife: A Birth Adventure by Christy Tyner
Mama Midwife is the story of young Miso the mouse, whose mother is a midwife. When Mama rushes out of the house in the middle of the night during a slumber party, Miso’s friends are intrigued! Is Miso’s mama a superhero? A secret agent? Miso giggles at the theories and gathers her friends close to share the real-life adventures of a midwife. When Miso’s dream of attending a birth in the forest comes true, she learns more about birth then she ever could have imagined.
The Waterbirth Story by Lisa Marie Sanchez Oxenham & Tegwyn DeForest
There is much to do to prepare for a new baby! Find out what this family experiences through the eyes of a soon-to-be big sister. With everyone’s help, the midwife and team come together for a waterbirth in this beautifully illustrated story filled with love and discovery. Each page is full of color and magic to convey the magnificence of waterbirth.
Splish! Splash! Born in the Bath! by Michelle Eliason & Katherine Olenic
The plan is to have the baby at the hospital. The plan is to have a water birth with the midwife and her assistant, but the baby has other plans… How will this baby “Splish Splash” into the world? Have fun reading this rhyming story with a great beat about a mom ready to give birth. Laugh at the antics of the brother and the valiant yet frantic efforts of the dad in this story.
Our Home Birth with a Midwife by DeShaun Desrosiers
This short story, told from a child’s perspective, gives an outlook on midwifery care and home birth. A loving family and their strong bond is pictured on each page. This story also features a Haitian midwife and people of color in the field of midwifery. Also briefly highlights the feeling of no longer being an only child. Kindle format here.
Mommy’s Having a Homebirth by Natalie Johanik & Lara Hardy
A heartfelt story of a young girl following the journey of her mother’s pregnancy and homebirth. A book filled with rhymthic words, realistic illustrations, and a glossary to educate and prepare little one(s) for the arrival of their new sibling.
Welcome Home by Alisha Bourke & Catie Atkinson
This children’s book takes the reader on a journey of discovery from pregnancy to midwifery care and preparation for a home birth. As they flip through these brightly coloured pages they will be greeted with ways to prepare for all the natural occurrences in labour and delivery including noises Mama could make, different positions Mama needs to move into to get baby into the right position to be born, a baby crowning, details of blood loss, placenta and breastfeeding.
Home Sweet Baby: A Celebration of Birth for Big Siblings by Jonna Carter & Kira Birney
This heartwarming picture book explores the many different roles older siblings may play in the home birth of a new baby.
Home Birth Betty: A Children’s Story About Birth at Home by Jennifer T. Barry & Noelle Beutler
A beautiful story about birth at home from the perspective of a five year old. Perfect way to help prepare older siblings! Book includes real life pictures depicting what to expect as well as fun ideas for older siblings and a glossary explaining common terms, like placenta and colostrum.
We’re Having a Homebirth!! by Kelly Mochel
This colorful, contemporary book will help children learn about what to expect at a home birth covering the role of a midwife, providing good labor support, noises mom might make, cutting the cord, delivering the placenta, and breastfeeding. Combined with healthy conversation about pregnancy and home birth, this book will help teach children that birth is a natural occurrence, not a medical emergency. Only available in Kindle format.
Our Water Baby by Amy Maclean & Jan Nesbitt
This 32-page full colour book introduces and normalizes a midwife-attended waterbirth at home through the story of a young boy with a natural curiosity about the arrival of his sibling. Covers the sounds and sights that a child might expect at a home birth, like the sounds Mom makes, Dad helping in the tub, the midwife assisting, and finally getting to hold the new baby.
Who Was Born at Home? by Corie Feiner & George Sandidge
This children’s picture book follows one family across America to answer the question, “Who was born at home?” After visiting the birthplace and birthplace museums of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Jr., Amelia Earhart, and other influential Americans, we discover that the young boy, too, was born at home.
My Brother Jimi Jazz by Chrissy Butler
A beautifully illustrated children’s book, written from the perspective of a young girl about the home birth of her brother, Jimi Jazz. This book embraces natural active home birth, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cloth diapers, and siblings present at birth. Available at Homebirth Access Sydney.
Out of Print Books
Unfortunately, several of the home birth books on our list are now out of print. I decided to include them anyway because you might still be able to find them at your local library or used copies for sale. Check the Amazon Marketplace, eBay, or Abebooks.
Welcome With Love by Jeni Overend & Julie Vivas (also called Hello Baby)
On a winter night, in a cottage far away from the town, Mum’s baby is ready to be born. The midwife arrives and the whole family prepares for a new baby. This beautifully illustrated and honest portrayal of home birth shows Jack’s mum walking to help start labour, comfort measures, and a not too detailed image of baby emerging from between Mum’s legs. While everyone greets the new baby, the midwife removes the placenta, and the book ends with everyone falling asleep together. If you can find this one, snatch it up! Out of print.
Runa’s Birth by Uwe Spillman & Inga Kamieth
Originally published in German, this story is told from the perspective of four-year-old Lisa. Her Mommy is having a water birth at home with the help of Karin the midwife. Covers massage and other labour aids, mom’s noises, the smell of birth, cutting the umbilical cord, and tears of joy. Lisa’s new baby sister, Runa, is weighed, measured, breastfed, and then the whole family goes to sleep together. Out of print.
Mama, Talk About When Max Was Born by Toni Olson & S. Marie Colson
This book tells the story of Max’s birth at home in water. Max’s older sister likes to hear all about when Mama first learned that she was pregnant; about seeing the doula and midwives; about preparing for Max’s arrival and finally his birth in their living room. A sweet and normalizing look at home birth and home water birth for young children. Out of print.
Born Right Here at Home by Cassandra Austin
The author’s two youngest children were born at home with wonderful midwives in attendance. This gentle introduction to home birth is a delightful affirmation that home birth can be a wonderful way to welcome your baby into the world. Out of print.
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Home birth are very rare in these days. I don’t remember any birth in my family and friends. That’s good way teach kids about this. Books are just like friends.
Wow. Only one of these is available from my public library and it’s the one I already knew about / borrowed 🙁
I recently just published a children’s book about home birth. My book features a Haitian midwife, and a family of color. Unfortunately I haven’t run across any including POC, so I wrote one. Would love if it was added to the list! It’s available on Amazon via kindle, and the paperback version should be available for purchase in the next 72 hours.
Its called “Our home birth with a midwife” by DeShaun Desrosiers