The Best Movies to Watch While Pregnant

Why we love it: Of the pregnancy documentaries out there, this one ranks among our favorites. It follows four human babies from around the world (Namibia, Japan, Mongolia and the US) during the first year of their lives, and proves that no matter the location or culture, babies are just babies. And they’re universally adorable.

What to know: Released in 2010. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 19 minutes.

Where to find it: YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV

Why we love it: This film (and its Oscar-winning screenplay) is a heartwarming, sarcastic, give-you-all-the-feels coming-of-age teen pregnancy movie that’s sure to stick with you. Here, 16-year-old Juno (Elliot Page) gets pregnant by quasi-boyfriend, Paulie (the adorably awkward Michael Cera), and decides to give the baby up for adoption. Juno’s caring dad and stepmom: awesome. Cera and Page’s smile-worthy dialogue: awesome. Prospective adoptive parents played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner: awesome. Hands-down one of the wittiest pregnancy movies around.

What to know: Released in 2007. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 36 minutes.

Where to find it: YouTube, Hulu and Apple TV

Why we love it: A one-night stand between Alison (Katherine Heigl) and Ben (Seth Rogen) would have stayed a one-and-done thing if the duo didn’t accidentally make a baby that night. Toss this one onto the pile of silly but oh-so-enjoyable pregnancy movies. It’s heartwarming and hilarious to watch this pair of opposites (she’s a determined, hard-working journalist, while he’s more reckless) tackle the task of getting to know each other and preparing for a baby. If you love Judd Apatow, Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as much as we do, you won’t be disappointed.

What to know: Released in 2007. Rated R. Running time is 2 hours 13 minutes.

Where to find it: YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Max

Why we love it: Real-life mamas Tina Fey and Amy Poehler team up in this hilarious comedy about a single, career-oriented woman, Kate (Fey), who hires an eccentric, less organized woman, Angie (Poehler), to be her surrogate. High jinks ensue: Angie moves in with Kate; Angie lies about being pregnant, then (gasp!) Angie actually gets pregnant, but it’s her own baby with her ex-husband. Honestly, being able to rest your pregnant self on the sofa and hang with this dynamic girl-power duo is enough. The cherry on top? There are some solid laughs in this silliest of pregnancy movies.

What to know: Released in 2008. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 39 minutes.

Where to find it: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and YouTube

Why we love it: Itching for some indie pregnancy movies? This one’s for you. Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Burt (John Krasinski) are expectant parents on a zigzagging journey across the country, trying to figure out where—and how, exactly—to raise their budding family. Through each encounter with friends and family, the couple learns about what parenting skills to shore up, what to avoid and how to weed through all the kooky advice out there. In the end, it’ll make you think about what “home” really means (and offer some good laughs along the way).

What to know: Released in 2009. Rated R. Running time is 1 hr 38 minutes.

Where to find it: YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV

Why we love it: It’s true this film is one of those pregnancy documentaries with an agenda: It has a bias in favor of unmedicated births. But no matter what kind of birth you’re planning to have, the movie offers an eye-opening and intimate look at pregnancy and birth in the US. The filmmakers were allowed to document every detail, up close and personal. Watch this one to admire the capacity of the human body and spirit and to feel emboldened to advocate for the birth you want.

What to know: Released in 2008. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 27 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video and YouTube

Why we love it: The 1980s served up a bunch of amazing pregnancy movies—and you know what? Three decades later, these now-classics still ring true. Baby Boom tells the tale of J.C. (Diane Keaton), a high-powered career woman who’s blindsided by parenthood. Unprepared and overwhelmed, she loses her job and her boyfriend, and high-tails it to the country to start again. Sounds like a downer? It’s not. In the midst of frustration and loneliness, J.C. figures out how to meld her old life with the new and show everyone just what moms are made of.

What to know: Released in 1987. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 50 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video, SlingTV, fuboTV, Hulu and Apple TV

Why we love it: Be warned: You will laugh. A lot. One of the funniest pregnancy movies on this list, the story opens with a young couple and new parents Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) who have inadvertently moved next door to a frat house. They try to channel their younger, child-free days and be cool and party with the young folk across the lawn. But they fail. Hard. You’ll crack up while totally identifying with their struggles.

What to know: Released in 2014. Rated R. Running time is 1 hour 37 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: Full disclosure: This is not an A+ movie. It’s actually a profanity- and stereotype-filled romcom. But it stars Hugh Grant (swoon), and sometimes eye-candy and a little cursing is all you really need to get through pregnancy. Grant plays Samuel, a guy who’s decidedly anti-kid, who freaks out when his girlfriend Rebecca (Julianne Moore) announces she’s pregnant. Our favorite character? The bumbling ob-gyn, played by the late, great Robin Williams. Pregnancy movies tend to go over the top with the labor and delivery scenes, and this one is no exception—the moment features lots of screaming and fainting, but it’s so dramatized that it’s actually pretty amusing.

What to know: Released in 1995. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 46 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime

Why we love it: Looking for pregnancy movies that take a more realistic approach? “First Comes Love” is an autobiographical pregnancy documentary made by filmmaker Nina Davenport. At age 41, she found herself single and itching to have a baby—so she did it on her own and documented her journey. There’s lots of candor and comedy in this unflinching look at her journey to parenthood and what it means to be family in the modern world.

What to know: Released in 2013. Rated NR. Running time is 1 hour 48 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play

Why we love it: Before it hit Broadway, Waitress was a top-notch film. Keri Russell (from Felicity and The Americans) will steal your heart in this charming but dark pregnancy movie about a woman who’s upset to find herself pregnant by her abusive husband. Russell plays Jenna, a waitress and world-class pie-maker, who dreams of running away from her husband before the baby arrives. Her plans change, however, when she gets (very) close to her adorably nervous ob-gyn. It’s heartwarming to watch as Jenna embraces her pregnancy and begins to bond with her future daughter.

What to know: Released in 2007. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 44 minutes.

Where to find it: Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube

Why we love it: Here’s the quick-n-dirty: Unmarried accountant (Kirstie Alley) has an affair with a married man, gets pregnant and then dumped. She sets out to find a new man—and (surprise!) he’s been under her nose the whole time. What makes this flick one of our favorite pregnancy movies is not the need-a-man storyline (snooze) but all the ’80s vibes it oozes, and of course baby Mikey, whose hilariously cynical thoughts (even from the womb) are voiced by Bruce Willis.

What to know: Released in 1989. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 36 minutes.

Where to find it: Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video

Why we love it: Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Eric (Josh Duhamel) are not married and can barely tolerate each other, but they both happen to be godparents to baby Sophia. After fate takes a disastrous turn, the pair are left as Sophia’s guardians. The movie is all about this bickering duo trying to work together to make a home for their pint-size ward. Does it rank among the Oscar-worthy pregnancy movies? Hardly. But the always-funny Melissa McCarthy kills it as the comedic neighbor, and there are some romantic moments that will totally make you go “aww.” Plus, the baby is just so cute!

What to know: Released in 2010. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 54 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: We’re (obviously) all about apps and emails that offer a week-by-week glimpse into what’s happening in pregnancy—but when you can get a 40-week rundown just by watching pregnancy movies? Possibly even better. Enter 40 Weeks, a pregnancy documentary that explores the emotional and physical changes you experience throughout the nine+ months through interviews with women across the country. There’s nothing like a little camaraderie when you’re expecting.

What to know: Released in 2014. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 51 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play

Why we love it: Bridget Jones strikes again. In this sequel, she has broken up with Darcy (Colin Firth) and finds herself single at forty-something. The twist? She’s unintentionally pregnant and scratching her head about who the father is: Her ex? Or is it Jack, her new beau (Patrick Dempsey)? Both are game to take the role of dad. While not nearly as iconic as the original “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” other pregnancy movies can’t touch its funny mix of feminism and silliness.

What to know: Released in 2016. Rated R. Running time is 1 hour 58 minutes.

Where to find it: Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Paramount+

Why we love it: One thing eccentric pregnancy movies are great for? Putting any panic you might be feeling into perspective. In “Father of the Bridge Part II,” mom (the amazing Diane Keaton) and grown-and-married daughter are pregnant at the same time. Of course, the soon-to-be-granddad and dad (Steve Martin) flips out as reality hits. There’s plenty of eye-roll- worthy comic chaos as the characters face baby shower and nursery mayhem, and a lot of life-crisis drama to boot.

What to know: Released in 1995. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 46 minutes.

Where to find it: Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: There’s absolutely no need to wait ’til you have kids to watch animated movies. And with Storks, you can get your craving for cartoons and pregnancy movies out of the way. In this sweet, family-friendly film, Nate, the only child of workaholic parents (Jennifer Aniston and Ty Burrell) sends a letter to the baby-making birds up on Stork Mountain, asking for a brother. There, the long-dormant baby-making machine cranks out a little boy who has to be delivered by a couple of storks (voiced by Kelsey Grammer and Andy Samberg). It’s pretty darn entertaining. Plus, those big, animated baby eyes are just too much.

What to know: Released in 2016. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 27 minutes.

Where to find it: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube

Why we love it: It’s rare that sequels match—or surpass—the original film, but this film is just as good as the original “Mamma Mia.” It takes place five years after the first film and follows Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) as she travels to Greece to reopen the Hotel Bella Donna. Worried about managing the hotel and her pregnancy, she turns to her late mother’s friends for support—and discovers more about her mother’s past. Incredibly charming and heartwarming, this pregnancy movie gets into the heart of what it means to be a family, generation after generation.

What to know: Released in 2018. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 54 minutes.

Where to find it: YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Apple TV

Why we love it: Okay, so not all pregnancy movies are going to knock your socks off. But it’s pretty fun to watch this cast of big-name stars (Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Anna Kendrick, Chace Crawford, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Rock and more) fumble their way toward parenthood as they pass in and out of each other’s lives. You’ll laugh in recognition as they stumble through pregnancy and adoption.

What to know: Released in 2012. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 50 minutes.

Where to find it: Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: Looking for outlandish laughs? Start streaming this throwback Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito flick. In “Junior,” Schwarzenegger plays a gynecologist who—get this—impregnates himself using a fertility drug he and his colleague (DeVito) develop. (Who says pregnancy movies aren’t creative?) If nothing else, it’s a hoot to see Schwarzenegger sport a bump and navigate the challenges of pregnancy, like morning sickness and labor pains.

What to know: Released in 1994. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 49 minutes.

Where to find it: Apple TV, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video

Why we love it: “The Beginning of Life” is a groundbreaking pregnancy documentary, filmed across eight nations, that explores how a child’s early environment impacts their cognitive, social and emotional development. Instead of a sciencey snooze, you’ll get a fascinating look at how and why social environments are just as important as genetics when it comes to influencing children’s development. This is among the pregnancy movies that are definitely worth the watch.

What to know: Released in 2016. Rated G. Running time is 2 hours.

Where to find it: Apple TV

Why we love it: Three bachelors are living the life in New York City when a baby is suddenly dropped off on their doorstep—and it turns out one of them is the father. If you love the idea of seeing grown men make some pretty ridiculous bloopers while taking care of a baby, you’ll dig this film—one of the classic pregnancy movies out of the ’80s. (After 30 years, Tom Selleck’s retro mustache is totally back in style.)

What to know: Released in 1987. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 42 minutes.

Where to find it: Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: Charlize Theron plays Marlo, a new mom who’s just given birth to her third child. With two other kids at home, she quickly finds herself more overwhelmed than ever and begrudgingly accepts her brother’s help to hire a night nanny, Tully (Mackenzie Davis). The two begin to form a bond as Tully helps Marlo slowly piece her life back together. While focused on a heavier subject, this pregnancy movie explores the toll that becoming a mother can take on one’s mental and physical health—and delves into why it’s so important to give new moms the care and help they deserve.

What to know: Released in 2018. Rated R. Running time is 1 hour 36 minutes.

Where to find it: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: “Boss Baby” is essentially an animated primer on parenthood that illustrates who’s really in charge once you have a baby (you guessed it—the baby). It’s contrived, silly and oddly insightful. The inimitable Alec Baldwin, who voices the mini boss, is reason enough for this flick to make it onto our list of best pregnancy and baby movies. (Bonus: If you love “Boss Baby,” check out its sequel, “The Boss Baby: Family Business,” released in 2021.)

What to know: Released in 2017. Rated PG. Running time is 1 hour 37 minutes.

Where to find it: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: If you’re craving a no-thinking-required romcom with a side of physical humor, this one might be for you. “The Back-up Plan” revolves around Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) who conceives twins through artificial insemination, only to meet the man of her dreams (a hot goat farmer, no less) on the very same day. Zoe is weepy and puky, and her boyfriend comes to terms with what being a parent is all about. Not exactly among the pregnancy movies that sparkle with cinemagic, but cute all the same.

What to know: Released in 2010. Rate PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 46 minutes.

Where to find it: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video and PlutoTV

Why we love it: Nina (Jennifer Aniston) invites the recently-dumped George (Paul Rudd) to move into her spare room. Nina has a boyfriend. George is gay. Long story short: Nina becomes pregnant, breaks up with her controlling boyfriend and turns to her roomie George to ask if he’d raise the baby with her. He says yes, and then things get complicated (as pregnancy movies tend to). Silly as it sounds, it gets at the heart of what everyone wants in a co-parent.

What to know: Released in 1998. Rated R. Running time is 1 hour 52 minutes.

Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV

Why we love it: We’re closing out our list of best pregnancy movies with “The Switch,” a romcom with a charming cast. Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) decides to have a baby by way of donated sperm. Her buddy Wally (Jason Bateman), who’s secretly in love with her, is not too pleased—so he swaps the donated seed for his own. Fast-forward a few years to when Wally meets Kassie’s son Sebastian, who also happens to be his. Watching Wally and Sebastian connect, and be silly, anxious misfits together, is a sweet peek into father-son bonding.

What to know: Released in 2010. Rated PG-13. Running time is 1 hour 41 minutes.

Where to find it: Paramount+, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV