What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWhat to Expect When You're Expecting
Film · 2012
If you loved What to Expect When You're Expecting, start with Parenthood (Jason Katims, 2010) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to What to Expect When You're Expecting across media.
What hooked you in What to Expect When You're Expecting was the way the chaotic, messy reality of impending parenthood unfolds.
Books on the same thread
A Child is Born
Lennart Nilsson · Book · 1993
Shares a thread with What to Expect When You're Expecting: Pregnancy.
If you enjoyed the educational side of What to Expect When You're Expecting, this classic provides a visual exploration of the pregnancy journey and the miracle of fetal development.
Detox Before You're Expecting
Rea Frey · Book · 2015
Explores: Detoxification, Women's Health, Maternal Health.
Building on the preparation themes in What to Expect When You're Expecting, this guide offers a practical approach to maternal health and nutrition for those planning their own family.
The Choice
Nicholas Sparks · Book
Explores: life-altering choices, destiny, slow-burn romance.
Like the emotional stakes in What to Expect When You're Expecting, this story explores how life-altering choices and unexpected paths can redefine the future for two people in love.
The Sweetest Thing
Deborah Fletcher Mello · Book · 2014
Explores: Inheritance, Estranged Family, Culinary Romance.
Fans of the family dynamics in What to Expect When You're Expecting will appreciate this tale of brothers navigating life transitions and inheritance after the sudden loss of family.
Series on the same thread
Parenthood
Jason Katims · Series · 2010
Shares 2 threads with What to Expect When You're Expecting: Life Transitions, Family Drama.
This series mirrors the sprawling ensemble nature of What to Expect When You're Expecting, capturing the authentic trials and tribulations of a large family navigating complex life transitions.
Jane the Virgin
Jennie Snyder Urman · Series · 2014
Explores: Accidental Pregnancy, Faith and Morality, Family Relationships.
If the surprise pregnancy plot in What to Expect When You're Expecting resonated with you, you will enjoy this comedic look at an accidental pregnancy and its family impact.
Raising Hope
Greg Garcia · Series · 2010
Explores: Accidental Parenthood, Dysfunctional Family, Lower Class.
This show shares the chaotic, accidental parenthood premise of What to Expect When You're Expecting, focusing on how an oddball family pulls together to support a new, unexpected arrival.
Catastrophe
Rob Delaney · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with What to Expect When You're Expecting: Romantic Comedy.
Much like the relationship struggles in What to Expect When You're Expecting, this series explores the messy, modern reality of two people navigating a sudden, unexpected pregnancy together.
Podcasts on the same thread
Daddies Overnight
Podcast
Explores: Gay fathers, Adoption journey, New parents.
This podcast captures the real-time, unpolished journey toward parenthood that fans of What to Expect When You're Expecting will find relatable as the hosts navigate their own adoption path.
KICBump
Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with What to Expect When You're Expecting: Pregnancy.
For those who appreciated the comprehensive pregnancy coverage in What to Expect When You're Expecting, this podcast provides ongoing advice and support for the transition into life with baby.
Keep exploring
Common questions
How many couples are featured in What to Expect When You're Expecting?
The film What to Expect When You're Expecting follows the lives of five different couples. Each pair faces unique challenges related to impending parenthood, ranging from surprise pregnancy demands and adoption plans to the complications of hormones and unexpected twin arrivals.
Is What to Expect When You're Expecting a story about a single couple?
No, What to Expect When You're Expecting is an ensemble film that tracks five couples simultaneously. The narrative explores how the impending arrival of children disrupts the lives of these individuals through various scenarios including celebrity pregnancy, adoption, and unexpected family expansions.
What kind of parenthood challenges are depicted in What to Expect When You're Expecting?
In What to Expect When You're Expecting, characters deal with diverse issues such as the hormonal effects of pregnancy, the surprise demands placed on celebrities, the complexities of adoption, and the competitive tension between a husband and his father who is also expecting twins.
Does What to Expect When You're Expecting include themes of adoption?
Yes, adoption is one of the central plot points in What to Expect When You're Expecting. The film portrays a photographer and her husband navigating their conflicting feelings and uncertainties regarding the wife's plans to pursue adoption as they prepare for their future.