Rating: 
Summary: A good resource - but what is with all the scare tactics???
Review: I got this book the day I found out I was pregnant. I *thought* it was THE book an expectant mother to buy. It really is a good resource for questions regarding basic biological changes during pregnancy. However, it made me feel like every breath I took I was one moment closer to a miscarriage. For example, soda pop. This book will tell you that soda has no place in your pregnancy - because it either has too much sugar, is diet (and *we all know* how *bad* diet drinks are, right?), or contains caffiene. The only thing I could drink while going through the roughest Morning Sickness was Dr. Pepper - everything else I threw-up. This book made me feel like I was going to kill my baby! Another example would be coffee - should I drink it? Yet again, it uses the scare tactic: "Well, you can drink some coffee, but the more you drink the more likely you are to miscarry." So, if you can read between the lines in the book - you will do just fine!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: This is filled with detailed, specific information month by month. It's a wonderful book. It's also quite big so your gettting it at a great price!
Rating:
Summary: Reliable advice...but doesn't replace your doctor!
Review: I used this book with both of my pregnancies (one ending in a miscarriage), and I found it to be quite comprehensive and reassuring when it came to everyday pregnancy questions, such as fetal development, pre-natal testing, and physical and emotional symptoms that the mom-to-be and her partner may be experiencing. It is organized month-by-month, in a Question-and-Answer format. Of course, not every woman has the same questions in the same month, but the index quickly helps the reader to find the answer to her query. Regarding the "scary stuff": yes, it can be alarming that problems (including very serious ones) can arise with pregnancy, but it is important to be aware of what can go wrong. In my case, I found the section on miscarriage quite informative, especially when they emphasized that first trimester miscarriages are most often due to chromosomal abnormalities - something that the mother can't prevent. If reading this type of information would cause you unnecessary worry or fear, I would recommend that you avoid reading the When Something Goes Wrong section or only refer to it if you've received a specific diagnosis. In any case, a book can NEVER replace your doctor, especially when problems arise. Like other reviewers, I found the strict diet advice somewhat over the top, but after gaining 45 pounds with my first pregnancy (courtesy of numerous pints of ice cream), I know that with any future pregnancies, I will try to incorporate some elements of their recommended diet. Healthy eating is beneficial to anybody, pregnant or not, but there is certainly plenty of room in a healthy diet for an occasional indulgence...and more than the "bagel with cream cheese" that WTEWYE allows weekly. Overall, I found this book to give sound advice. I didn't find it too alarmist, and as stated above, these sections can be avoided. Good book and recommended...but certainly not the only option when it comes to pregnancy books!
Rating: 
Summary: What to freak out about when you're expecting
Review: My mom gave me this when I first got pregnant, and I dutifully read it every month for the first half of my pregnancy. Not too surprisingly, I felt worried about all the tests and complications described, guilty because I didn't manage to follow their diet perfectly, and found myself anxiously awaiting the onset of the pregnancy side effects described. I also thought the tone was pretty patronizing. I stopped reading it about 3-4 months ago and since then have felt great, have a healthy pregnancy and much less anxiety.
Rating:
Summary: A pregnancy must-have
Review: This is a great book, but you must remember that it is just a reference guide and should not be taken as gospel. Every woman and every pregnancy is different. Use it as a guide, it will help you through every step of your pregnancy, but don't get upset or scared if thing don't match up perfectly. I read every segment over and over again and drove myself nuts at first, but then I relaxed and enjoyed the pregnancy.
Rating:
Summary: Generalized Rule of Thumb not a Bible
Review: I have always had liked the book. I have been very surprized by the many poor reviews. I suggest this book but at the same time keep this in mind. I am the type of person that reads severl books at a time. I am also the type to remember that the books are a general reference NOT a pregancy bible. There was nothing in the book that scared me in the least bit. The weight gain part is a generalized rule of thumb not a strict rule. I never got the feeling that there was something wrong with me. All of my other books mention the weight gain with the same formula so it is not all that different. Yes, everyone is different and every pregancy is different. That is why I look at books as a general rule of thumb and if I really had a question that was an issue then I should be discussing with my doctor not a book. About the weight gain from this book as well as others I have come to the conclusion that the weight gain is for the average sized woman which I am not. But that did not faze me because to me everything in life refers to the average sized woman, I have learned at a young age that I have to adjust the info for the averaged sized woman and adjust it. I have one book that had the same quide lines as what to expecting for weight gain and it went on to say that if you are shorter/smaller than average then you may not have to gain as much and if you were taller than average then you may gain more. I recommend this book for those that want a generalized rule of thumb. I have found other books that are as good or better. Each book is suited for different personalities. I suggest going to the book store and begin reading the books at the store before you buy them. Remember that if it is really important then it should be discussed with your doctor not the book.
Rating: 
Summary: What to expect when you are expecting
Review: I found this book to be most informative and a "must" for any first time parents. The layout is a nice progression in time through the pregnancy. I did not find this book to be condescending or scary. It was simply "informative".
Rating:
Summary: Read this book if you want to feel miserable
Review: I started reading this book when I still suffered from slight morning sickness, but now, almost halfway my pregnancy, reading this book still makes me fel sick. I think the emphasis on weight gain and food issues is very annoying. I appreciate some advice, but there is a limit. This books makes me feel guilty every time I eat a cookie or some ice cream.
Also, I will decide if I want to spend a fortune on maternity clothes or not. Maybe I have a fortune to spend?
Moreover, I believe that many complications mentioned in hte normal month to month chapters are so exotic, they should be in a seperate section named 'very rare complications and problems'.
I say no to this book, being pregnant is worrysome enough without this book!
Rating:
Summary: What to Expect when your Expecting
Review: Talks down to readers, as though we are all 6 graders, but has a wide range of question and answer facts that the medical associations recommend. Talks about what you should and shound not do in black and white terms.
Rating:
Summary: I found this book very condescending
Review: Every pregnancy is different, including how much weight a woman puts on. There are so many variables, and yet the authors of this book again and again generalize and imply that any woman who puts on more weight than THEY recommend has been sitting around snacking on bon-bons and watching television. What about a woman who is simply too sick to get out of bed with her pregnancy? I found myself increasingly frustrated and insulted by the constant, smug rehashing of this issue.
My ob-gyn and perinatal care coordinator both pooh-poohed this one, too, specifically because of these broad generalizations.
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