Rating: 
Summary: Why So Negative?
Review: I do not understand why this series is so popular - is it the good title or just that they have been around some time? My wife and I went out and got an arm full of books and this was one of them. The positive side is that it did seam to provide some good information in a reference method. It also gave us a general idea on what was going on and some of the things to look for. What we did not like is it seams that this book should have come with an overbearing adult wagging her finger at you. I don't think we needed or cared for the tone the book had about the authors militant views on what not to do - is drinking 1 coke really going to be that bad? It is almost like the authors wanted to scare you silly for nine months. Overall an overview, but if you are aggravated by being talked down to then I would look someplace else.
Rating:
Summary: GUILTY!
Review: At first, I started to read this book cover to cover, but it quickly got put on the shelf and only came out when I had some kind of weird pregnancy symptom!
I felt like every time I read the book I found I was doing something "wrong" and that I was harming the baby in some way.
My daughter is now nine months old and she is a beautiful,healthy baby and I didn't even follow the Best Odds diet!
Like I said, use it for a reference, but don't read it and feel guilty like I did!
Rating: 
Summary: What to *FEAR* When You're Expecting
Review: This book should be titled, "What to FEAR When You're Expecting." I received it as a gift during my second month of pregnancy with my first child, and was very excited believing that I would soon learn all that I needed to know for the months to come. What I found was every possible thing that could go wrong with my health and the health of my child during his stay in my womb.This book covers everything from the mundanely uncomfortable to the rare and horrific that a woman could possibly experience during pregnancy. As an experiment, I began randomly opening the book to any page, and I found everything from miscarriages to varicose veins to ectopic pregnancies to testing for genetic abnormalities in the fetus to premature birth. I had to actively search for any paragraph that hinted at the joys and pleasures of pregnancy, and found very little to reassure me that all the the strange new physical changes occuring in my body were simply normal and nothing to fret about. This book is an encyclopedia of disaster for the pregnant woman. If you would like to have a resource to go to that will give a summary of every possible thing that has the remotest chance of going wrong in your pregnancy, than by all means, I suggest you seek it out. If you would like a supportive, informative guide to the growth of your child and the normal, wonderful things to TRULY expect when you're expecting I think you should avoid it. I found the series of books by Bill and Martha Sears to be a much better resource. I will say that the book, "What to Eat When You're Expecting" is a much more valuable part of this series, offering the expectant mother practical advice that she can actively employ to help her feel more in control of both her own and her baby's health. It is a useful resource with some very good tips for keeping healthy while your appetite does some very strange things.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Expect Much from
Review: This book is passable at best. As far as a broad overview of pregnancy, it has merit, and I really liked the month-by-month format, particularly the listings of what the mother may be experiencing physically and emotionally. On the other hand, the book is too general for many mothers who will want all the facts about what's happening to them and their babies. The book had the annoying combination of being medically vague while maintaining a clinical, detached tone. Furthermore, the question and answer style of the book wasn't very helpful; it would have been easier to follow with a better method of categorization, although I admit it did have a good index. Most women will find the Best Odds Diet unrealistic, if not impossible. I must say, though, that I followed it as closely as possible because it was excellent for managing an insulin disorder I have. Mothers with gestational diabetes would do very well with the Best Odds Diet also. It's nutritionally balanced and certainly would be good for mother and baby. The problem is that it doesn't allow for any indulgence, and some older editions of the book even provide advice for dads on how to correct wives who commit the cardinal sin of ordering breaded/fried chicken in a restaurant--horrors! For many mothers, the most offensive aspect of this book is that it implies that mothers should meekly agree to whatever the doctor, nurses, and hospital policy dictates. Those who believe in natural childbirth and minimal intervention will be disappointed by the brief section on medication-free labor/delivery; furthermore, the different methods of handling natural childbirth are not explored. Instead, the greater focus is on drugs and epidural, along with induction and c-sections. The authors fail to mention how frequently epidurals make c-sections necessary, since they often stall labor. One gathers that mothers are expected to be submissive, quiet patients who will accept whatever drugs the medical staff offers. I think the authors do a disservice to mothers in failing to adequately explain all the various methods of delivery available to mothers today. That being said, I recommend Henci Goer's "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" for an intelligent alternative!
Rating:
Summary: What to expect doesn't meet expectations
Review: Where did all the inane questions come from? The question and answer format certainly did not answer questions I have, and many were somewhat redundant. Although this is an updated edition, it falls short of meeting the needs of expectant mothers in 2002. Read on further through the list of excellent pregnancy books for one that will give more encouraging information for today.
Rating:
Summary: What to WORRY about when you're expecting...
Review: This book is more of a hindrance than a help. After reading the first section, and perusing the rest, I had become convinced that I was about to miscarry, I had resurected adolescent food/body image issues, and I worried myself into bed for three days. I found the advise to fathers-to-be regarding how to help keep their partners attractive/slim (!) during pregnancy particularly offensive. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing that women have been doing successfully for many thousands of years. Throw this book away and call your mom instead!
Rating: 
Summary: a good reference
Review: This book is not so much a good read as it is a good reference. Along the way, you'll likely have a number of odd and unexpected physical symptoms. You can use this book to look them up. It is organized by month, and so also provides you with information about what to expect that month in terms of physical changes. This book saved me from worrying about normal (but unusual if you're not pregnant!) aches and pains and probably saved me about ten calls to the doctor.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I don't know why all the other mothers hate this book. I found it very informative and unbiased.
Everytime I had a specific question, I looked it up in the index and then read the info.
I did not follow the Best Odds Diet. But I don't have a problem with them offering it as a suggestion.
I know women can think for themselves these days, however, sometimes I needed reassurance or questions answered through pregnancy. If you are looking for a book to follow by the letter- this is not for you. If you are looking for a book to reference to with your questions- this is it! Plus, I liked all the personalized charts in the back.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book for new Moms
Review: I borrowed this book from my cousin and at first I didn't like it because it tells you everything, from the good to the bad. I just decided not to scare myself with the bad things that could go wrong with the prenancy unless I had questions about them. Otherwise the information was very helpful!! I have to give to book back because she is expecting again and I am going to go out and buy my own. Definatly a must for new moms!!
Rating:
Summary: Aren't women making their own choices these days?
Review: This book's information was really outdated. You can tell it was written long ago, before women really had much of a say in things. If you go by everything the book says, the next nine months will be miserable. You will basically shut up, listen to your doctor and accept his word as law. You will never eat what you crave, and you will never be an active participant in your own baby's birth. This is good for general information, but if you really want to make informed decisions, look elsewhere.
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