Pregnancy can be pretty uncomfortable, which is why having a bun in the oven is a perfectly good excuse to curl up on the couch and watch movies whenever you damn well please. Presenting our very favorite movies about pregnancy and parenthood to keep you entertained from now until that goose is cooked. Don’t forget the snacks.
25 Movies About Pregnancy That Will Make You Laugh, Cry and Give You All the Feels (And Not Because of Hormones)
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1. Knocked Up (2007)
- Run time: 133 minutes
Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogan have a one-night stand and, well, the rest is right there in the title. While the two would not choose to date under different circumstances, they do decide to at least get to know each other better while awaiting the baby’s arrival, and it’s both funny and sweet to watch.
2. Juno (2007)
- Run time: 96 minutes
When a high school romance between Eliot Page (Juno) and Michael Cera (Paulie) results in an unwanted pregnancy, 16-year-old Juno decides to give the baby up for adoption. The characters in this quirky indie flick—including the prospective parents, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman—are completely likable, and the Oscar-award winning screenplay is witty, heartfelt and just plain smart.
3. What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012)
- Run time: 110 minutes
There’s serious star power (Cameron Diaz, Chris Rock, Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Banks, to name a few) in this not so serious, but decently entertaining movie about five different couples and the surprises they encounter as they prepare for parenthood. If you’re looking for something cute, funny and easy to watch, this one fits the bill.
4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
- Run time: 136 minutes
Pregnancy can be rough, but you can take comfort in knowing that, even on the worst days, you’re doing better than Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), whose pregnancy turns into a veritable nightmare with a very scary ending. Roman Polanski’s chilling psychological thriller is a classic for a reason—namely because it’s devilishly good.
5. Junior (1994)
- Run time: 109 minutes
Here, a 90s gem in which Arnold Schwarzenegger is a stoic research scientist who becomes the first ever pregnant man after testing a fertility drug that he’s been developing with his colleague (Danny DeVito). Absurdly stupid, but mighty entertaining—this is a terrible movie in the very best way.
6. Baby Mama (2008)
- Run time: 99 minutes
Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey) is an uptight, single executive who hires a working-class woman from Philly (Amy Poehler) to be her surrogate, only to discover that the woman carrying her child needs a place to live. Needless to say, personalities clash and hilarity ensues when Fey and Poehler become housemates. Expect solid comedic performances and plenty of entertainment from this odd couple.
7. The Business of Being Born(2008)
- Run time: 87 minutes
This politically charged documentary exposes the business model that guides hospitals and influences the birth experiences of millions of women in the US. The filmmaker’s preference for natural births is pretty clear, but there’s a valuable message to be found here, regardless of your birth plan—namely that expectant mothers should advocate for their rights and their bodily autonomy throughout pregnancy and childbirth. Think of this one as an empowering call to action.
8. Waitress (2007)
- Run time: 104 minutes
Keri Russell stars as a small town waitress who’s stuck in an abusive marriage and grappling with an unwanted pregnancy. Part quirky comedy, part poignant drama—this one has plenty of wit and even more heart. (Psst: There’s a happy ending, too, but we’ll leave it at that.)
9. The Object of My Affection (1998)
- Run time: 112 minutes
Jennifer Aniston is a social worker who decides to keep the baby but ditch the boyfriend; Paul Rudd is the gay best friend she invites to live with her; unexpected feelings start to develop, and the rest is rom-com-dram history. If you’re in the mood for romance (and Paul Rudd!), you can’t go wrong with this sappy love fest.
10. Nine Months (1995)
- Run time: 106 minutes
When a playboy (Hugh Grant) knocks up his girlfriend (Julianne Moore), he must confront his fear of commitment or lose the girl. This rom-com is lacking in originality; it’s also rife with stereotypes about immature men and the ending is highly predictable. That said, it’s sure to go down easy for fans of the genre (and Robin Williams has a cameo, too, which is pretty neat).
11. 40 Weeks (2014)
- Run time: 111 minutes
Take a deep dive into the prenatal world with this documentary, which boasts raw and intimate interviews with women at every week of their pregnancy. This is a great choice for expectant parents who have already read every weekly report that various baby sites have to offer (it’s the size of an avocado right now!) and want some juicier and more relatable details.
12. Tully (2018)
- Run time: 96 minutes
Women who have experienced the extra strain of pregnancy and birth, while simultaneously caring for older children will appreciate this film about Marlo (Charlize Theron), an overworked mom who’s struggling with postpartum depression, and the special friendship she develops with Tully (Mackenzie Davis), the night nanny who arrives on the scene to help.
13. The Back-up Plan (2010)
- Run time: 106 minutes
J-Lo stars in this movie about a woman who, at the behest of her biological clock, conceives twins by artificial insemination, only to find true love as soon as the deed is done. Despite the unusual start to the relationship, the two continue to date and try to go the distance. In other words, this film works its way backwards through the ABCs of dating, love and marriage, so grab some popcorn and get ready to watch a not-so-tidy romance unfold.
14. The Beginning of Life (2016)
- Run time: 96 minutes
Expectant parents will be truly inspired and excited for what lies ahead when they watch this captivating documentary, which explores the delicate and fascinating nature of early childhood development with insight from scientists, advocates and parents alike.
15. Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)
- Run time: 118 minutes
The third film in the beloved Bridget Jones franchise, Bridget Jones’s Baby features Renee Zellweger as a forty-something whose famously eventful dating life has finally culminated in an unexpected pregnancy. Oh, and there’s also a bizarre love triangle (duh) that requires some serious attention before said baby is born.
16. Angie (1994)
- Run time: 107 minutes
In this feel-good 90s romantic comedy-drama, the irresistibly charming Geena Davis plays a similarly beguiling woman—a pregnant Brooklynite named Angie who’s hell-bent on building a better life for herself. With its charismatic female lead and strong girl-power vibes, Angie is more than a little fun to watch.
17. Fools Rush In (1997)
- Run time: 109 minutes
In case you missed it, one-night stands can get a bit messy. Such is the case for Isabel (Salma Hayek) and Alex (Matthew Perry) who rush into marriage after one night of lust turns into an unexpected pregnancy. You’ll have to tune in to find out whether or not the two actually have the kind of love that lasts…but it’s a rom-com, so we bet you can guess.
18. Junebug (2005)
- Run time: 107 minutes
Big city affluence and modest small-town life intersect in this fresh and memorable film about a fancy (newlywed) art dealer from Chicago, and the things she learns about her husband when they pay a visit to his middle-class Southern family. While the urban girl-country boy premise might sound a bit trite, this Indie flick tells its story with remarkable humanity and incisiveness—so much so that Amy Adams won an Academy Award for her supporting role as the very pregnant and oh-so earnest sister-in-law who bridges the cultural divide.
19. For Keeps (1988)
- Run time: 98 minutes
In a departure from her typically lighter rom-com 80s fare, Molly Ringwald stars as a pregnant teen who makes a difficult decision with her boyfriend to keep the baby and derail their promising futures, only to discover that the path they chose is much tougher than they anticipated. Touching, sentimental and at times quite funny—this one is well worth a watch.
20. Away We Go (2009)
- Run time: 98 minutes
Away We Go is a road film that follows the misadventures of two expectant parents as they travel across the country to visit old friends and family members, forming their own parenting philosophy along the way. Quirky, funny and just a bit twee—this is just what you’d expect from an indie film about pregnancy and parenting.
21. The Switch (2010)
- Run time: 101 minutes
A woman decides to have a baby with donated sperm, but her best guy friend’s unspoken romantic feelings get the better of him and he swaps the donor sperm for his own. Creepy? Absolutely! But Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman are a rom-com dream team with enough charm and chemistry to pull off the pretty seedy storyline (pun intended).
22. Labor Pains (2009)
- Run time: 90 minutes
A flighty secretary, played by Lindsay Lohan, fakes a pregnancy in order to avoid a looming firing. If all goes according to plan, she’ll be able to maintain the lie and lap up the attention for the next nine months. Needless to say, there’s not much substance here—but if you’re looking for a guilty pleasure, we won’t judge.
23. Maybe Baby (2000)
- Run time: 104 minutes
Calling all House fans: Hugh Laurie stars as Joely Richardson’s dreamy husband in this British comedy about a blissfully married couple who are wanting for only one thing…a baby. You can count on some pretty good laughs from this flick about a likable couple trying their darndest to conceive.
24. Life as We Know It (2010)
- Run time: 114 minutes
Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel star as polar opposites with a common cause in this film about two godparents’ rapid initiation into child-rearing and the teamwork it demands. Pregnancy itself isn’t part of the story, but the movie does capture to great comedic effect the jarring new reality that awaits expecting parents.
25. Baby Boom(1987)
- Run time: 110 minutes
Before there was Life as We Know It, there was Baby Boom—an 80s gem featuring Diane Keaton as a busy NYC career woman who must reluctantly step up as caretaker to a deceased relative’s little girl. The message of the movie is fairly straightforward (i.e., that parenthood rearranges priorities and humbles a person like none other), but you’re guaranteed to laugh from start to finish.