What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition

Rating:
Summary: Save your Money!
Review: This book is a guide to pregnancy and childbirth for women who really don't care to be truly informed. It is only slightly more information than the average doctor will divulge, and glosses over many of the risks of some of the procedures discussed. In particular, it doesn't give an adequate description of the risks a cesarian has for the mom and baby, and also for future pregnancies and deliveries. It also has misinformation regarding breastfeeding. When I was pregnant with my first, I bought this book thinking it was the "bible" of childbirth books. After my first birth, and my subsequent research, I won't even *give* it away-- I don't want anyone else running around with this kind of misinformation at her fingertips. A much better book for those who truly want to be informed is Henci Goer's "Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Childbirth."

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Summary: Use as a reference book
Review: This is the "mother" of all pregnancy books...and it talks as if it is your mother, guilt and all. That said, it is a good as reference when you want some quick info. Read what you need on the bookshelf, or buy it used.

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Summary: the best book ever
Review: i don't care what anyone says whether you are a pro at being pregnant or not! this book was well informing exspecially for first time pregnancies. it told you every ache and pain and what you will most likely be feeling. also i took you through every inch of labor and told you ... well what to expect. i recomend this book to anyone that is pregnant or getting ready to be. also after the baby is born there are also what to expect the first years and what to expect the toddler years. also great reads and great deals of helpfulness

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Summary: A lot of unnecessary scare
Review: Althoug this is the one you hear about over and over again, I have heard several doctors advise against it... now I know why. It is a lot of unnecessarily scary stories and "what ifs." There are many better books out there. My personal favorite was the new one put out by the Mayo clinic.

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Summary: The Perfect Hint for A Tubby Wife
Review: I gave this delightful book to my increasingly angry (and rotund) wife Bessie for our 5th wedding anniversary. She's not pregnant, but I thought this book (presented at a celebratory gathering of twenty or so close friends and too-close family) might just be the subtle tip she needs to start shedding those pounds she put on about 4 years ago when she was pregnant. I lovingly inscribed it to "Beautifully BIG Bessie: When are the quintuplets due? Try Exercise. Love, Hops." A worthy attempt, but yet another failure.

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Summary: What to Expect When You're Expecting the Worst
Review: All doom and gloom. Takes all the fun out of being pregnant and keeps you up at night worrying about the what-ifs. Perhaps it's handy to have around as an additional reference for particular situations (I looked at it when I was Group B Strep positive, for example), if you can get your hands on a hand-me-down copy. Buy the Dr. Sears book instead!

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Summary: this book depressed me
Review: I am a pediatrician and expecting my 2nd child. The diet advice in this book is so preachy. When you're sick and or in the throes of a craving the last thing you worry about is sticking to a rigid diet. This book actually made me feel depressed because I ate some McDonald's this morning. If I didn't know better because I am a physician, I would be very fearful that I am harming my baby (which I am NOT). In the edition I have, the one before this one, they actually recommend that a husband signal to his wife if she orders something "unhealthy" in a restaurant. I would hit my husband with a fork if he did such a thing! (not really, but he would regret it.) I sincerely hope they removed this advice from the current addition. The Girlfriend's guide by Vicki Iovine gave me a good laugh and made me feel a lot better about my dietary indiscretions..

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Summary: How did this ever get to be called the pregnancy bible?
Review: I am a first-time mom and eagerly bought this book. I think it is way too basic, fear-mongering and just plain boring. My other major complaint is that she continually uses the word "husband" and "father". Not all of us out there fit into these categories - other books out there talk about raising a child alone and/or use the word "partner". This book is just awful.

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Summary: Confusing!
Review: The month by month format of this book is of no help. My OB (as most do) calculates by weeks. Also, they start their OB visits at month 1-I did not see my OB until week 9 which is pretty normal-so which OB visit applys when?
This book assumes you have a perfect body and perfect pregnancy: it does not have a basis in reality for most women.
Buy something else.

Rating:
Summary: Should be called the Pregnancy Diet Book
Review: I found this book offensive. It seemed to be almost entirely devoted to diet and how NOT TO GET FAT DURING PREGNANCY. Oh please, make the preaching stop. I finally had to put it down. I can't recommend it. The other information in the book is given in Q & A form which I found unhelpful. If you happen to have the same question or a similar concern as someone who contributed to the book has then you'll get an answer. But you have to wade through the muck to get there.

I give it a big thumbs down.