| # | Product | Best for | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What to Expect When You're Expecting | ⭐ Best all-round book | —/10 |
| 2 | The Expectant Dad's Handbook | Best for partners | —/10 |
| 3 | Pregnancy Journal & Memory Book | Best journal | —/10 |
The picks in depth
What to Expect When You're Expecting
⭐ Best all-round bookThe definitive week-by-week pregnancy guide. Updated for 2024. Covers symptoms, tests, nutrition, birth preparation. UK and global edition.
View on Amazon →The Expectant Dad's Handbook
Best for partnersWritten for partners: week-by-week guide to what's happening, how to help, and what to expect at birth. UK-specific advice on paternity leave and rights.
View on Amazon →Pregnancy Journal & Memory Book
Best journalWeek-by-week journal with spaces for scan photos, milestones, notes, measurements and baby shower memories. Hardback keepsake.
View on Amazon →What to look for
Buy a week-by-week guide (to understand what's happening) plus a journal (to record the experience). Apps (Ovia, Pregnancy+) are useful for NHS appointment reminders and quick checks but don't replace a good book for depth.
Frequently asked
What is the due date calculator formula?
A due date is estimated as 280 days (40 weeks) from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP). This is Naegele's rule, developed in 1830. The date is approximate — only 5% of babies are born on their due date; 80% are born within 2 weeks.
When should I start tracking pregnancy week by week?
From the moment you find out — usually 4-6 weeks after LMP. Weeks 1-2 are technically before conception (the NHS counts from LMP, not conception). So a 'week 5' pregnancy is only 3 weeks post-conception.