What to Expect When You're Expecting

Rating:
Summary: Discouraging and Useless
Review: Why is this book consodered to be the "Bible" for pregnancy??? As soon as I found out I was pregnant I went out and bought this book, only to find out that it has very little information that I actually need to know, and talks almost nothing about the baby. Yes, I want to feed myself (and therefore the baby) the best possible choices, but the horrible preachy overtones of this book allow for no slack. Am I really a horrible mother since I want regular ice cream once in a while instead of low-fat ice milk or yogart?

The question and answer format is useless as well. Most of the questions that I did have were not in the book, and the few that were answered did not give complete answers, so I had to consult another pregnancy book or my doctor anyway. Too much changes with yourself and your baby in a month's time. Choose Your Pregnany Week by Week for a much better information source and leave this book to collect dust on the shelf!

Rating:
Summary: How can so many people be recommending this book??!!
Review: From my doctor to friends that just had a baby...to others on this site...I can't believe that people find this book remotely helpful and recommend it. All the information can be found elsewhere in a much more user-friendly format. I also agree with others that the tone it takes makes one feel inadequate and a failure. I don't think I've ever had such a viseral reaction to a book before...then again...I've never been pregnant before.

Rating:
Summary: What a wonderful addition!
Review: I have several pregnancy books in my house right now. This book is wonderful ~~ but it did incite me to panic because I thought I wasn't eating enough for my two kiddos. My husband actually had to take this book away from me as it was making me so nervous! Now that I've calmed down, it has provided some useful hints and tips for me as I go through this pregnancy.

I would recommend this book to any first-time moms-to-be. It's helpful and you can skim over parts of it ~~ and it is full of useful advice and tidbits.

2-15-02

Rating:
Summary: Very Informative
Review: Liked it very much. Kept us informed about our pregnancy . Also helped us ask the right questions from the Doctor. I have not bothered to read another book since this answered all our questions. I would recommend my friends to buy this one, Sure is a keeper.

Rating:
Summary: Full of misinformation!
Review: This book is like a mixed bag of jellybeans, heavily weighted toward your least favorite flavor. Every now and then there is something good, but generally it is not enjoyable. Yes, it's nice to read that nosebleeds are normal, but more often I felt the expectations on the mother were unrealistic. Worst of all is the medical misinformation!

Several times during my pregnancy I raised concerns with my doctor based on something in "What to Expect..." Every time the book was wrong! I had worried needlessly. There are better books out there for your medical information, and the Girlfriend's Guide for the practical (and funny) advice on hair and husbands. Don't rely on "What to Expect when You're Expecting."

Rating:
Summary: Great Book for Someone Expecting, or Expecting to Expect!
Review: This book is great and it is organized month by month. Very clear and easy to understand. I am not yet pregnant, but I understand the realities of what will happen to me and my baby when the time comes.

Rating:
Summary: Mother's appearance given precedence over baby
Review: Good only if you're more interested in getting your figure back after the birth than in actually enjoying your pregnancy and then loving your baby.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing; I'd had high hopes.
Review: I'd been looking forward to this book... it's gotten a reputation as a standard... but that now that I have it, and now that I'm into my pregnancy, it's actually sort of a disappointment.

My biggest gripe: The question-and-answer format is fine if you're reading from beginning to end, but makes it hard to look things up by topic. The index isn't much help.

My second biggest gripe: Although its premise is very sensible indeed, the specific suggestions of the Best-Odds Diet are damn near impossible to follow in the real world. This is not to say we should all throw up our hands and eat at McDonald's... just that there are common-sense, healthy approaches to eating that aren't so restrictive that a real person can't possibly follow them. I think it's interesting that [someone] said this book made her feel like a failure. It's easy to see where she's coming from. On second thought, maybe this is my biggest gripe.

Another gripe: There isn't enough information about the BABY. How big is it now? How 'bout now? Does it have toes, organs, what?

On the up side, the information about what you may be experiencing in a given month is useful.

Bottom line: don't take for granted this will be the one book you'll really use and need. I wish I'd gotten a different one. ...

Rating:
Summary: Not a Must-Have
Review: I am expecting my first baby at the age of 43. Well-meaning friends insisted from the beginning that I MUST have "What To Expect"--"It's the Bible." "It answers all your questions." Even my doctor's office gives out copies.
I have found the book less than helpful. I want to know much more about my baby's development and much less about me. I need to know when my child develops toes. I want to know what he/she hears and sees in there. I don't need to know about hair dyes or diets that I will never follow.
I also need a lighter approach than is found in "What To Expect." The writing style strikes me as chilly and clinical. This is a joyous and often very humorous life experience. Novice moms-to-be need a laugh along with the facts.
In short, "What To Expect" has answered very few of my questions. It's decent reference for the bookshelf, but not my Bible, by any means.

Rating:
Summary: This is a great reference tool!
Review: I got this book during my first two pregnancies... by my third I practically knew it all by heart. The more informed you are, the better. Maybe this book is getting low ratings because as a first time parent you are very nervous and it really isn't a book to allay alot of fears. This book is pretty straightforward, and it doesn't tend to cushion things. I do find that it is written very well. It can give a woman the knowledge of what can happen, is happening and has happened by the questions in the book. I mean they wouldn't have some of the questions in the book if they weren't asked before by someone going through that experience. Stay informed is my motto.... this book will help.