Books for/about - Pregnancy

What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition

Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Authors: Heidi Murkoff Arlene Eisenberg Sandee Hathaway

ISBN: 0761121323
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 4
Reviews:
Summary: Good but there are better.
The drawback for this book is it clearly explains almost every possible complication. With the monthly format it is a lot to read at a time. The list of complications and possible symptoms each moth can be very daunting. Yet with all of that the book is also a great resource. It gives you many things to consider that you may never have thought of. It is much more comprehensive than many other pregnancy books. It has some nice charts in the back to help you keep track of weight, size and other notes for the Doctor's or Midwives. It also has a section for coping with pregnancy loss and also preparing for the next child. A good resource for any couple expecting a child. With over 12 Million copies sold this book now, in it's 3rd edition has been trusted by many people. The authors have also written:
What to Expect the First Year
What to Expect the Toddler Years
What to Expect Eating Well When You're Expecting
The What to Expect When You're Expecting Pregnancy Organizer

Summary: Detailed, valuable and recommended!
I would like to recommend this book especially to first time mothers because it has wonderful month by month pictures and information detailing the monthly changes in your body. The author has presented "everything" in a step-by-step format, which is very useful and easy to follow. This book will answer most of your questions. It provides also a lot of information about what may go wrong. I guess that this specific information could be presented in a milder way because more anxious mothers-to-be may get worried.

I want to advise you to do your best to avoid any stress during the pregnancy because it will raise the levels of Adrenalin in your body. This will cause an aggressive/depressive mood swings and higher blood pressure. That's why whenever you read something potentially disturbing in this book take it easy and if there are any complications consult with your health care provider.

Being a sexual therapist as well, I advised my daughter to buy in addition to this book scientist Ritz' "Scientifcally guaranteed male multi-orgasms and ultimate sex". Pregnancy is a tough period for sex no matter how much you strive to be intimate with your husband. That's why he most probably will feel bad or even rejected from the serious decrease in your intimate contacts. Scientist Ritz has made a breakthrough with the discovery of "The VIP Muscle", which generates multiple orgasms in men with or without a partner. That's' why my daughter's husband was very happy and calmed from this book (a proof that she thinks for him). Now she reads "What to expect when you are expecting" while he reads Ritz' book and prepares for "ultimate sex" after the delivery. I recommend both books!

Summary: The Pregnancy Bible
As a birth doula, this is the one book that I refer absolutely every expecting mom and dad to every time. This book addresses every possible concern and pregnancy scenario by week, month and trimester. There is a diary in the back of the book to help keep track of every aspect of your pregnancy. It is great fun to go back later and read about your pregnancy after baby comes! I recommend this book to expecting parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The birth experience is a family affair and with this book, everyone is on the same page!

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What to Expect the First Year, Second Edition

Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Authors: Heidi Murkoff Sandee Hathaway Arlene Eisnberg

ISBN: 0761129588
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: Mother of child diagnosed with autism spectrum
Having had to wait 10 years because of infertility, I was so ready for children. When Jordan came into our lives, I had so many questions only this book could answer. I got to know the milestones a baby should come across, the things we as parents are to expect and the missing details that a pediatrician can't have time to dwell on because of the busy schedule he/she keeps. Have you ever experienced that? How many of us enjoy a visit to the pediatrician that spans 30 - 40 minutes? Not many. So this book helped. When our second child arrived miraculously (we were told that we could not have anymore), this book helped us once again to determine that because of missing milestones, we had to be concerned about our baby's mental and physical health. I highly recommend this book to new moms because if you can't remember to ask your doctor every question you had, ask the book. Read, read, read. It was our baby bible. And by the way, our first book has been passed around so many times. It has gone to another state in the USA, Hongkong, China and Singapore. And I just bought another one for a colleague.

Enjoy the baby and the book!

Summary: Good information
This book provides a lot of great information for taking care of a new baby. A great counterpart to "what to expect when you're expecting."

Summary: Pages of wisdom
It is a great, big volume! The essential of this book is that it is written in simple terms and it is very down to earth. It is hard for me to imagine anyone getting through their baby's first year without this book in hand. It is informative, sensitive to the mother's, as well as the baby's needs, it is respectful of everyone involved with the child's care, it is kind, nonjudgmental, reassuring, and gives you every kind of guideline and consideration.
I have purchased many copies of this book as gifts for my friends. I recommend it to all future parents. Another great title is "Can We Live 150 Year" by Tombak. You will find there a lot of information about bringing up your child in a healthy manner. These two books make a great addition to a baby shower gift package.

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	Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health (Revised Edition) Publisher: Collins Authors: Toni Weschler
ISBN: 0060937645 List Price: $23.95 Amazon Price: $15.57 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: Wonderful, Wonderful Resource When I bought this book, my husband and I had been trying to get pregnant for almost two years. It took us almost a year after buying this book to get pregnant. While I didn't chart my monthly cycle consistently, we did end up getting pregnant. I'm sure there were a lot of reasons for that, but the biggest one is the greatest gift this book gave me: a much more solid and informed understanding of my own body. My sincere thanks to Toni Weschler for this, and for providing this wonderful resource. Summary: Truly Exceptional and a Must have! I was deeply impressed and pleased with this book. I am a Ph. D in Sexuality and know a lot about fertility and conception. I absolutely agree that the information is essential especially for young women because it will put their mind at ease about several normal, physiological changes that happen within their bodies. I also agree that the FAM method is better than the "rhythm method" and that's why I highly recommend it to my female clients. I am happy that this great book becomes more and more popular. It is truly the "bible" when it comes to how the female body functions. I would like in addition to it to strongly recommend scientist Ritz' "Scientifcally guaranteed male multi-orgasms and ultimate sex", which I believe is the equivalent of this book for the male body. Also if your husband has any sexual problems (premature ejaculation, low libido, (semi) impotence and even infertility he will find a lot of first class and science-based information in it. I highly recommend both bestsellers. Summary: Excellent book. I'm REALLY glad that I bought the Taking Charge of Your Fertility book. At first I thought, "Yeah, yeah... how hard can it be to understand how to get pregnant?!" I've come to realize that I must have forgotten some of the stuff we learned in 6th grade health class. (I'm 37.) Actually, the book gives more info than health class but it is written in layman's terms, not scientific mumbo-jumbo and it has a bit of humor tossed in too. Also, I was amazed how how thick the book was! I seriously thought it was going to be about as big as a child's book but it has 496 pages! (But there are pictures too... it's not all words.) So.. I've bought the BD BBT thermometer and am temping every morning. We're just starting our 3rd cycle of trying to get pregnant. Summary:

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Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Fifth Edition

Publisher: Da Capo Press
Authors: Glade B. Curtis Judith Schuler

ISBN: 1555613462
List Price: $15.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: An Absolute Must Have For Pregnancy!
I absolutely LOVE this book. I grabbed a pile of books at the bookstore and looked through each one carefully before selecting this one. It is the only best-selling guide written by a doctor with millions of copies sold. And I know why now that I own it!! I don't see the negative like some readers do. It is written by a doctor, so it provides a lot of info that you'd get by talking with your doctor every day! So there are things that you should know about even if you don't want to hear it or don't think it will happen to you! It explains things such as bleeding during pregnancy, some common medications to avoid to prevent birth defects, pollutants to avoid and why, STDS during pregnancy, nutrition and sources/serving sizes, how your actions affect your baby's development (vaccinations, smoking, xray, falling, safety, etc.), possible tests, required tests, lying on your back, rh-sensitivity, douching, sex, backaches, exercise guidelines, air travel, car safety, breastfeeding, pregnancy discomforts (hemmorhoids, constipation, backaches, foot swelling, dizziness, breast itching, cramping, contractions), infections, hot tubs, jaundice... It really is like having a doctor's advice for each week of your pregnancy. It relieved alot of the worrying about symptoms I was experiencing, realizing that I was "normal".

It is very exciting to read each week's development and be able to check out the illustration of the baby's actual size and shape, read what I may be expecting (nausea, ultrasounds, testings, baby kicks, belly size, wt. gain). Every week I sit on the couch and read aloud to hubby and we marvel at all the changes and progress this book explains each week. Sometimes I even read ahead a few weeks because it reveals so many interesting changes occurring that you couldn't possibly know otherwise. There are tips provided for each week and common concerns addressed that are very important during each week of pregnancy. It is an invaluable resource! I've learned so much from this book, I highly recommend it!

Summary: The Best Pregnancy Book of the 5 we used.
The greatest strength of this book is the week-by-week format. It outlines specific changes that are pretty close to exactly as predicted. We noticed many of the things and then read them that week, ie. phlegmyness, inability to travel more than an hour and dryness at night just to name a few. This book is very well balanced and it tends to focuses more on the positives of pregnancy and not the possible complications. This is the 5th Edition of this book with millions of copies sold. Overall it is a great help. I definitely recommend it to all expectant couples. These authors also wrote a number of supporting or complimentary books:
Bouncing Back From Your Pregnancy
Your Pregnancy Journal Week by Week
Your Pregnancy for the Father to Be
Your Pregnancy After 35
Your Pregnancy Questions and Answers
Your Pregnancy Every Woman's Guide
Your Baby's First Year Week by Week

Summary: Scaremongering and inaccurate
This book is appalling. It is disempowering to women, providing false and very negative information about out of hospital births (with no reference to back it up), and generally gives a "don't worry your pretty little head and do what the doctor tells you" attitude--even if what the doctor tells you will endanger you and your baby.

In spite of what this book says, there are things you can do to minimize tearing (and episiotomies don't heal better than tears, in spite of what the book says), things you can do to improve your chances of a healthy baby without a cesarean or other medical interventions, and so on. Of course there are times these things are needed, but not nearly so often as the book suggests, and it's not nearly so random. It continually cites opinions as facts, without any evidence base.

There are much, much better books out there than this one. Don't subject yourself to the needless anxiety of this book.

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The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy: Or everything your doctor won't tell you

Publisher: Pocket
Authors: Vicki Iovine

ISBN: 0671524313
List Price: $14.00
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 2
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Summary: Some parts were funny, but just wasn't for me.
There are things written in this book that made me laugh out loud, but there are a lot of things that also made me cringe. Mainly the portions about Vicki and her husband. He sounds like an uncaring lout of a man. She actually states in the book that her husband "hated nearly all the activitites associated with pregnancy and having babies." Not only that, but when she told him about their fourth pregnancy, his reaction was "How could you do this to me?" He also found her pregnant body to be very unattractive. This is also the same man who leaves her in her hospital room while she's in labor to chat with nurses, sleep or find snacks. The final straw was when she stated that for every real pregnancy related ailment that she had (IE hemmoroids, nausea, etc.), he would claim that he was having a worse ailment because he wanted to be taken care of instead of taking care of her. In my opinion, her only reason for having children was to keep her busy and out of his hair. This does a disservice to all pregnant women because Vicki makes an excuse for all of her husband's obvious flaws. He may be a "Superdad", but needs to be a good husband as well. I'm very lucky to have my loving and adoring husband who loves me and my pre-pregnant, pregnant and post-pregnant body no matter what.

Summary: Good idea, but fell short of my expectations
I loved the idea of a book written from the experienced point of view of "girlfriends." For those of us not surrounded by friends who are also mothers, someone has to fill us in on all the little details of pregnancy. Vicki Iovine writes well and sprinkles in a good dose of humor, which is always appreciated when you're pregnant. However, I disagreed with so many of her opinions that I had a difficult time really liking the book.

1. Exercise: while she doesn't outright say you shouldn't exercise, she goes into such detail about why you shouldn't worry about exercising that she could easily convince you that exercising is not a good idea during pregnancy.

2. Outdated: her section on maternity clothes really cracked me up because she couldn't stop talking about stirrup pants and raiding your husband's closet for vests. She also mentions buying as much of your baby's layette used as possible, but most modern books agree that you should not buy a crib used if you can help it.

3. Losing your Body: in an attempt to really tell it like it is, I think that Vicki goes overboard when detailing the bad changes that will occur to your body. This is the first pregnancy book that actually scared me that I would forever lose my body. She basically tells you to get over the fact that you're going to lose your waist, your abs, your thighs, your bladder control, and your breasts- forever. She throws in one token sentence that says your post-pregnancy body MIGHT be better, but never the same. Instead of finding this helpful or insightful, I find it discouraging.

4. Breast Feeding: again, she didn't outright say don't breast feed, but her sarcasm regarding the subject was very negative. She even details stories of her girlfriends not breast feeding in an attempt to save their breasts, which she just goes on to say won't help since you're doomed to smaller, saggier breasts anyway.

5. Natural Birth: while I fully support every woman's right to choose which birthing plan is right for her, Vicki is clearly against woman trying the natural route. She doesn't see the merit in making it through delivery medication free and states that an epideral can't come early enough. Her attitude is, if you can do it with less pain why wouldn't you? She even supports the planned C-section for no other reason than convenience. I can't get on board with that.

6. Husbands/Partners: I feel sorry for Vicki because she portrays her husband as unhelpful, unsupportive, and unsympathetic throughout her pregnancies and deliveries. But she's quick to add not to worry if your husband/partner is unsupportive because he can still make a great father. Great. She goes on to talk about how her husband was down the hall talking with friends while she was alone in her hospital room contracting. Or my personal favorite, how he may need to be taking pictures instead of helping you through the pushing stage of delivery. I understand that there are plenty of husbands/partners out there that have trouble knowing how to support their pregnant women, but honestly, we should expect a little more out of them than Vicki does! I feel insulted on behalf of women with understanding partners and I think a lot of husbands/partners would be insulted, too.

Overall, if you really want another pregnancy book to read (and believe me, I know what it's like to want to devour every piece of writing out there on the subject) go ahead and read this one, too. But, be forewarned that you may not agree with many of her opinions and might be frightened by some of her comments. I highly recommend Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy instead!

Summary: Fun, but not a primary source for new moms.
As a new mom-to-be, who is up to my ears in pregnancy related books and magazines, not to mention tips and warnings from family and friends, I found this book to be a breath of fresh air. It's lot less alarmist than any other pregnancy book I've found, as Iovine takes a more human approach to childbearing, and makes you laugh a lot in the process. She addresses some of the concerns that plague a new mom-to-be that many of the more clinical pregnancy resources either do not mention, or merely gloss over, as if you're supposed to automatically understand what "mild cramping" or "some discomfort" actually means in real terms. She goes into the kind of gritty detail about certain pregnancy matters (i.e. cramping in the 1st trimester, sex during pregnancy, vaginal discharge, hemerrhoids, etc) that you would expect from a friend, and can't get from "What to Expect." I certainly appreciated her approach. However, the book is a tad outdated and I concede that the fashion advice is pretty ridiculous (I could NEVER wear my husband's dress shirts, and wouldn't be caught dead in a body suit, preggers or no). And it's not so well-informed that I'd use it as my primary resource for pregnancy. However, if you're looking for a break from all those serious, clinical baby books, this is great, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Summary:

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	Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth Publisher: Da Capo Press Authors: Jenny McCarthy
ISBN: 073820949X List Price: $18.00 Amazon Price: $11.70 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: A hilarious, fast read I am constantly sharing these stories with other pregnant women....her writing style is so funny and I finished this book in a day. I love that she just tells it like it is. Summary: Laugh Out Loud This book is so funny that I could not put it down or stop laughing. As a new mom, this book took me back to all the happenings over 9 months. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all moms that need a laugh. Summary: A different perspective... I am not sure what I was looking for by reading this; certainly I wasn't looking to be told that sex during pregnancy should just be tossed to the side, or how grateful my husband would be if I just didn't bother. I didn't expect to be regaled with the wonders of the epidural, even though that epidural caused every side effect in the book for Jenny. Slowed labor down, resulted in c-section, baby had trouble breathing at birth. Hello?!? That's why some women DON'T want epidurals Jenny. Not even the smallest bit of introspective thinking there. She wasn't even in pain when she got the stupid thing. Straight on to not even considering breastfeeding her newborn baby. Her choice, of course, but... :( I guess I expected Jenny McCarthy to more be rejecting the stereotypes of pregnancy in America instead of jumping into EVERY SINGLE ONE. I always thought she was this bold and bright chick who'd be doing things her own way, instead of doing things the way everyone does it. I also just didn't find it that funny. Even the funny parts weren't that funny. I bought it at a used bookstore and wish I hadn't. Summary:

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Infant Massage--Revised Edition: A Handbook for Loving Parents

Publisher: Bantam
Authors: Vimala Schneider Mcclure

ISBN: 0553380567
List Price: $17.00
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 4
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Summary: Nice for a book, but I'd rather look at a video. (I'm very visual.)
This book is nice, but for the same price you can buy a DVD on the subject. I like Aimee Ketchum's DVD because not only does she do a great job of demonstrating baby massage, but she also gives lots of information on how your baby develops. Her massage method lasts only 4-5 minutes per session. I really don't have the time to spend an hour giving my baby a massage. There is so much more information on her DVD about your baby and how simple exercises can help your baby's brain development and lots and lots of other stuff. I just don't see why you'd want to buy a book with only massage pictures in it when you can buy a DVD with not only lots of massage info, but also has tons and tons of other simple stuff you can do with your baby. It makes so much sense and you don't need to buy anything else. Plus Aimee has a nice personality and you can tell she really cares. She's very qualified and is a pediatric OT plus certified massage therapist for babies, like Gweneth Paltro hires to massage her baby.

Summary: Infant Massage - A Natural Way to Bond with Baby
I ordered this book after reading Dr. Karp's "Happiest Baby on the Block." He recommended it as a reference tool for how to soothe a fussy baby with massage. Although my baby is not "fussy," this book is a gem. It gives wonderful (and easy) instruction on the art of massaging your baby, a perfect way to not only soothe baby, but to bond with baby and develop trust, and strong attachment and all of those wonderful things that we as parents desire to have with our children. The pictures in the book seem a little dated (it was originally published in 1979), but once you get past that, the information it contains is still pertinent (and the book was revised in 2000). It covers massage for healthy babies, babies suffering from minor illnesses, colic, special needs babies, and preemies. There is even a section devoted to teen parents. Although you wouldn't think you'd need an instruction manual on how to massage your baby, I really found this book to be a wonderful reference and a great reminder of how simple it is to foster that bond with your baby through the simple act of loving touch. We have now made massage a part of our nightly ritual with our two-month old daughter and we wouldn't have it any other way. She loves this special time after her evening bath - it helps her to unwind and prepare for bedtime, and we love the adoration we get in return.

Summary: Parents, Do Try This At Home
Have you ever touched a baby and had a happy response? Well this book will show you how to fine tune that touch. Once you can do this you will find there is nothing quite like seeing your baby glow with the love and attention he or she is recieving as you massage them.

Babys need a lot of care and this is one way you can both enjoy interacting. Not only does baby enjoy the sensations, but this is the best opportunity to learn your baby's personality. This is when they really open up, telling you through their large smiles, loud coos and some rather amazing wiggling, what they like and dislike, and most importantly, how much they love you.

While massaging our little boy (although my wife does most of it), I have found that there is more of a bond, and a feeling that this child really is a part of our life.

Inside you will find not only how to massage an infant, but lots of information about the importance of an early relationshp with your child, and how times have changed and people are finally becomming aware that their baby doesn't just need physical care, but emotional and spiritual care as well.

We got this book because we heard that infant massage helps gassy babies, not only by helping to release the gas, but also easing tension in both you and the baby. After a week or two of practicing, the results were real. Not only is he generally feeling better, but he really looks foward to his massages.

My only regret is in not knowing about this book when my little girl was a small baby. But as they say, it is never to late, and she is now massaged on a semi-regular basis, thoughrouly enjoying it, (although at this age they are much more easily tickled).

Do I recomend this book? Highly. I think american culture needs more books like this that place a real value on human interaction, and how to cultivate it.

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Varney's Midwifery, Fourth Edition

Publisher: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.
Authors: Helen Varney Burst

ISBN: 0763718564
List Price: $127.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: A must read
I have always found Varney to be useful and easy to read, especially in comparison to Speroff or Gabbe. I think that this book was never intended to be the definitive text on home birth. If a midwife's interest lies in homebirth, seek out books that cater to that option. I found the skills sections especially helpful. It isn't Varney's job to unite midwives, her primary job is to educate. You can not teach the spirit of midwife through a book, that's where mentoring comes into play. This is certainly a must have for all practicing midwives, regardless of educational background.

Summary: Technically accurate, boring read
I am impressed by Varney's vast knowledge of hospital procedures as they relate to midwifery care. However, I found this to be "textbook" as a very boring read. Her information did not really cover the practice outside the hospital setting as thoroughly as would be needed for someone praticing in that setting. Her information would be most appreciated by the CNM and the L&D nurse - a great resource for them.

Summary: This is a good reference book, but not the best for homebirt
This book is a good reference book, but not the best one for homebirth midwives. Myle's, and Anne' Frye's books I have found to be more applicable in my practice. To the above person that thinks that Circumsision should not be addresses, I could not disagree more. Circumsision is a subject that should be addressed prenatally, and Since midwives are supposed to provide basic Post-partum care to the mother and baby during the first six weeks It is essentual that midwives and parents are educated about the issue antapartum

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