5 Books for Black women and pregnant people to feel empowered and inspired
The theme of Black Maternal Health Awareness Week 2026 is Leading with Solutions, Not Trauma. I was inspired to share some of the books I've come across that can inspire and empower Black women and pregnant people. Let me know if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them. If you have any others to add to the list, let me know in the comments.
The Women Who Caught the Babies
by Gloria Greenfield
The Women Who Caught the Babies highlights important aspects of the training and work of African-American midwives and the ways in which they have helped, and continue to help, so many families by "catching" their babies at birth. The blend of Eloise Greenfield's poetry and Daniel Minter's art evokes heartfelt appreciation of the abilities of African-American midwifes over the course of time. The poem "Africa to America" begins the poetic journey. The poem "The Women" both heralds the poetry/art pairing and concludes it with a note of gratitude. Also included is a piece titled "Miss Rovenia Mayo," which pays tribute to the midwife who caught newborn Eloise.
Mothering the Mother: African American Postpartum Traditions, Recipes and Healing
by Shafia Monroe
Renowned midwife, doula trainer, and Master of Public Health Shafia Monroe reintroduces and celebrates the lost art of African American postpartum healing traditions in this practical, essential guide to maternal health.
As a mother, grandmother, and traditional midwife, Shafia M. Monroe intimately knows about childbirth and the fourth trimester. Over forty years, she’s helped thousands give birth, and has taught thousands more how to support birthing parents, all integrating the deep wisdom of African American healing traditions. Long suppressed by the white medical establishment, these practices–such as belly binding, heat, herbs, the lying‑in period, and the “taking‑out‑of‑bed ritual”–are powerful healing tools. Using them, we mother the mother through a healthy postpartum period.
Beautiful! Images of Health, Joy and Vitality in Pregnancy and Birth
by Jennie Joseph
Jennie Joseph's greatest joy is in delivering healthy babies! A British midwife, she has lived in the United States since 1989 and has developed a pregnancy healthcare system that has served countless women from all walks of life. Her JJ Way® model has empowered and supported pregnant women to their healthiest pregnancy and birth, often against great odds. This compilation of incredible photos documents the journeys of the women in her practice and the effectiveness of The JJ Way® in improving birth outcomes.
Safe in a Midwife’s Hands
by Linda Janet Holmes
After a less-than-positive experience giving birth as a Black woman in the 1970s, Linda Janet Holmes launched a lifetime of work as an activist dedicated to learning about and honoring alternative birth traditions and the Black women behind them. Safe in a Midwife’s Hands brings together what Holmes has gleaned from the countless midwives who have shared with her their experiences, at a time when their knowledge and holistic approaches are essential counterbalances to a medical system that routinely fails Black mothers and babies. Building on work she began in the 1980s, when she interviewed traditional Black midwives in Alabama and Virginia, Holmes traveled to Ghana, Ethiopia, and Kenya to visit midwives there. In detailing their work, from massage to the uses of medicinal plants to naming ceremonies, she links their voices to those of midwives and doulas in the US.
The Emotional Breast
by Krishinda Powers-Duff
From the goddess Hera creating the Milky Way constellation with her sprayed milk into the heavens, to the Nestle baby milk scandal. The Emotional Breast gives us a new way to look at breastfeeding and how society has changed its ideas around feeding throughout history. This is a short non-fiction book about the reality of breastfeeding in our times.
Krishinda Powers-Duff is a former NHS midwife who lives and works in Barcelona. This book encompasses the history, physiology and emotional aspects of breastfeeding. It has been written to educate mothers and professionals alike. Unlike many other books on the subject, this book focuses on how trauma and deep emotional feelings can have a negative effect on the lactating mother. Mixed with social commentary and personal stories, this book is as engaging as it is informative.
