How to Have a Baby

An empowering, unbiased guide and essential toolkit for pregnancy, labour, birth, breastfeeding and your baby’s first year by GP and TV presenter, Dr Sara Kayat.



“I LOVE this book – it’s everything you need to know when having a baby, but delivered in the warmest, funniest and most honest manner.” Dr Zoe Williams



In a world where our instinct is to turn to the internet for answers, even when we know we shouldn’t, this book delivers an entirely unbiased, medical-based guide to everything you need and want to know about pregnancy, birth and babyhood.


Dr Sara Kayat is a GP and mum of two – as a medical professional overwhelmed by the information (and often lack of information!) available to new parents, she wanted to write the book that she wish she’d had when she was starting her family.


The chapters cover everything from pre-pregnancy nutrition, early pregnancy symptoms and FAQs, to what all the medical jargon at your scans really means, when to worry and when not to worry, what to expect, what is normal, and when to seek further help; moving onto your birth options, how to advocate for yourself and how to recover from birth, both physically and mentally, the first year of your baby’s life, and so much more – Sara has it all covered.


Encouraging, informative, down-to-earth and always non-judgmental, How to Have a Baby will be your new best friend as you navigate this sometimes weird(!) but wonderful journey. It will make every parent feel less alone and more empowered.


'No amount of time spent watching One Born Every Minute, Motherland, or attending antenatal classes will brace you for the enormity of what that extra line on the pregnancy test means for your life. My aim in writing this book is that by sharing my own honest experiences, with a hefty medical slant, you will hopefully feel more confident of the bits you can control, have a better understanding of the science, and feel empowered to make more informed decisions, get some practical tips, and maybe have a laugh. We are all in this together, holding each other's clammy, anxious hands!' Dr Sara Kayat