Growing Together: Doula Wisdom & Holistic Practices for Pregnancy, Birth & Early Motherhood

by Carson Meyer

A week-by-week pregnancy and birthing guide from renowned Hollywood doula Carson Meyer—brimming with empowering advice to help expectant mothers care for their bodies, nurture their babies, and make confident decisions throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

In this groundbreaking pregnancy book, Carson Meyer draws on her experience as a birth doula helping hundreds of families welcome their babies into the world. With a holistic focus on wellness, health, and spirituality, Growing Together offers birthing parents an empowering approach to pregnancy and childbirth that is too often missing in today’s standard care.

This is a weekly guide to caring for and honoring your body and your baby through every phase of the life-changing experience of becoming a parent—from the first positive pregnancy test through the fourth trimester. Featuring easy-to-follow guidance and illuminating information to help you feel informed, confident, and calm, the content wisdom from professionalsSimple-to-follow activities and ritualsExpert tips for every birth environmentNourishing recipes to help you feel grounded in your body and connected to your childAnd much more 
Growing Together is an invaluable resource and a comprehensive must-have handbook for every expecting parent.

DOULA An experienced doula who treats birth as an empowering process, Carson Meyer brings a unique and informed perspective to this pregnancy guide. In addition to her one-on-one work, she offers courses on doula training, nutrition counseling, and a “Growing Together Circle," an all-in-one birth prep course and community circle for expecting parents.

MODERN PREGNANCY & PARENTING This comprehensive guide incorporates testimonials, research, and science with a more spirit-centered and relaxed approach. A unique companion to typical bestselling pregnancy books, Growing Together offers a resource for expecting parents to turn to from conception through the first one hundred days after birth to access a full spectrum of user-friendly holistic resources and information.

PREGNANCY An outstanding pregnancy planner for first-time moms or parents navigating new additions to the family, this nurturing guidebook makes an excellent self-purchase or present for pregnancy announcement or baby shower celebrations.

Perfect parents, first-time mothers, or experienced moms eager for a new approach to pregnancy and childbirthGift-giving to expecting wives, partners, sisters, granddaughters, coworkers, friends, or couplesReaders of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn; Like a Mother; Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy; The Fourth Trimester; and the What to Expect When You’re Expecting series

Genres: Parenting

344 pages, Paperback

Published March 25, 2025

Reviews

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly insightful and helpful book on the journey of pregnancy and everything that comes with it. I love that it is divided by trimesters and weeks, so you don’t necessarily have to read it cover to cover but you can jump back and forth to whatever point you find yourself at. Not every chapter spoke to me or reflected my own journey but the author clearly highlights how individual everyone’s journey is and at no point did I feel like she was implying her way is the only way

[Stephanie K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the last portion of this book that spoke specifically to the fourth trimester. I've read many books on pregnancy, and a few postpartum that mainly approached nutrition and rest. But Carson had some new nuggets to share! my favorite was the section on lymphatic massage. As a mama of 4 and freshly postpartum again I always get very engorged and spend a lot of energy trying to avoid mastitis. I have never heard of lymphatic massage to help. I'm adding it in to my daily routine.

If you're a first or second time mom, I think this book has a lot of great knowledge to share and is worth the read.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compassionate week-by-week guide through pregnancy and early motherhood, written by a doula. Rather than overwhelming readers with clinical jargon or rigid instructions, the author provides small rituals, reflections, and practices designed to nurture both mother and baby. Each section includes a mindful exercise, a recipe, or a reminder that mothers need to connect with their own intuition.

What I appreciate most is how the book balances practicality with gentleness. The author acknowledges the challenges of pregnancy, childbirth, and the vulnerable weeks that follow. Instead of merely presenting these times as difficult, it reframes them as opportunities for growth and connection. This guide celebrates the journey as both a physical and emotional experience. Rather than offering lists of routines and prescriptive approaches, it gives parents permission to slow down, trust their instincts, and honor the beauty of the transition into parenthood.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://shows.acast.com/moms-dont-hav...

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only book you need as a new mama!! I have learned so much invaluable information from Carson's work on my journey not only to becoming a doula myself, but from my own preconception through early motherhood, that has had such a profound impact on the confidence I carry as a new mother and space holder for fellow mothers. Carson's wisdom truly helped shape my positive birth experience, for which I am so grateful. I love that she included it all in this book: the physical, emotional, and spiritual; it has recipes, tips, guidance on big questions, data-based evidence, activities... all the generational wisdom and research that is so deeply needed but largely missing from a woman's transition into motherhood today. If you're looking for guidance on how to find your rhythm in pregnancy and emerge into the nurturing, grounded, connected and empowered motherhood you've always dreamed of, get this book and it will become your forever go-to resource! Carson's holistic perspective and teachings will keep both you and your baby well-nourished.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep well of wisdom and knowledge on all things pregnancy, birth, and the first 100 days. Books like these help women reclaim what we should already know about motherhood. So much information that used to be passed between women as common knowledge has became lost to so many of us in this last century. Carson's resources are a beautiful and accessible tool for women to make empowered and informed decisions on all things pregnancy and motherhood. If you or anyone you know is considering becoming pregnant, this is a must read.

[Dina Shihabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carson has had such a profound impact on me as a mother. I’ve basically spent my first year as a mama in one of her circles and it has been more than the incredible guidance and support I received. Carson has a way of empowering you to trust your instincts and believe in yourself- from birth to motherhood. She’s also brilliant and so thoughtful, all of which lends itself to a beautiful writer. She is a truly special being and I am so excited for this book to be out in the world and that I get to share it with everyone I love!

[Beatrice Rondell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my guide through my pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. It made the most positive impact on such an important chapter of my life. This book is packed with information and journal prompts that helped strengthening my understanding and intuition to make my own informed decisions. I highly recommend it to all the mamas to be!

[Amrit Gill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible. Very questionable advice and recommendations. The author recommends raw milk and recommends against frequent ultrasounds without any factual evidence, just her feelings and observations that she takes as evidence. I’m definitely not the target demographic for this book. I’m a little “woo woo” but this book is way too “woo woo” for me.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will be my go to purchase for any new moms in my life! Carson has a wealth of knowledge about holistic pregnancy and motherhood. She has so much wisdom to share! Perfect book for any mom or parent who wants to have a healthy, holistic and loving journey to parenthood :)

[Morgan Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite people in the world wrote a book which is now required reading for my clients! Better pre-order now - Morgan Lynn

[Heidi]

Recommended by the Down to Birth podcast

[Florii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!

[Katie Dowdle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every expecting mom should read this book!!

[Fia Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the language was less extreme… yet I find the same issue with all parenting books I’ve read. Why is that? Helpful information though and I appreciate the layout of the book being month by month and postpartum.