Rating: 
Summary: This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting
Review: For a book that is supposed to be the definitive word on pregnancy, it gave a remarkably small amount of information on the baby! Isn't that what pregnancy is all about? If you only want to know about the maladies that sometimes are side effects of pregnancy, then this book is for you. If you want to know more about how both you and your baby are developing in more detail as well as read about some actual issues, don't get this book. Instead, I'd recommend Pregnancy Week by Week.
Rating: 
Summary: DON'T WASTE YOUR $!
Review: This book has little information and is completely over- rated! This book is all hype. For a thorough and informative book check out Dr. William Sears' THE PREGNANCY BOOK. And THE BREASTFEEDING BOOK by Sears is also great.
Rating: 
Summary: Too basic
Review: After hearing so much about this book, I was so excited to receive it as a gift when I found out I was pregnant. But the content is very weak, and the "Question & Answer" format condescending and annoying. I found "The Unofficial Guide ..." and "Advice from a Pregnant OB" much more intelligent reading. I would not even recommend this as a backup book, except for someone who wants some very light reading, and doesn`t like an academic, purer approach and will appreciate the Q&As.I was very surprised that this is "the bible" for pregnancies -- it really makes you wonder.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting guideline, don't follow to the letter
Review: I bought this book last year when I was pregnant with my first child becuase that is what you are "supposed" to do, right? While I did eagerly look forward to checking what my baby would look like every month, and what organs (and such) were developing), I did not put too much faith into the book. The diet that it expects you to follow is rediculous (who doesn't eat any sugar or white flour for 9 months?). Plus, the information on breastfeeding is so outdated as to be dangerous (the book actually says that you should wean by 12 months because the baby will not get adequit nutrition after that. This is ABSOLUTELY FALSE! The American Academy of Pediatrics reccomends breastfeeding for AT LEAST 12 months and for as long afterward as both the baby and mother want to). I feel if this book really wanted to do some good, it wouldn't preach about every little thing you eat when pregnant, and would be more encouraging about breastfeeding. I mean, come on, let's get our priorities straight!
Rating:
Summary: Maybe this was written for a previous generation?
Review: I can't help but feel as though this book is trapped in some kind of mysterious time warp, where modern obstetrical technology meets the social values of the 1950's. Some of the Best Odds recipes are pretty good, even if the whole diet is incredibly restrictive, and some of the information about hospital procedures is interesting (if overly weighted toward passive acceptance of whatever someone in a white coat thinks is best for you.) But the section on labor was a trip. Let me get this straight -- after labor starts, but before I go to the hospital, I'm supposed to pass the time by *preparing food for other people*? Yeah, right.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific and Helpful
Review: I'm a first time mom. Im pregnant and my OB gave me this book to read. I was so suprised about how much this book covered. It had everything in it. Im glad too. Alot of questions I had about being pregnant for the first time were answered in the book. It was very helpful for me and let me know what to expect during a certain month and later on. Im so so glad I got this book. Definatly a must for first time moms.
Rating:
Summary: Better guides out there
Review: Not my favorite pregnancy book. Yes, there's a lot of practical pregnany info, but there's a lot of filler and unrealistic expectations. They advise mothers-to-be to forego sugar for the entire pregnancy. They also present a host of genetic diseases that will convince you you're baby is doomed. Go for the Girlfriend's Guide instead.
Rating:
Summary: What to expect if you believe everything doctor says
Review: The title is unfortunately very accurate, and that is the problem. Comes up short on all counts when compared to 'Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: the complete guide', by Keppler, Simkin and Whalley. The cover of WTEWYE shows the pregnant woman sitting passively in a rocker. In PC&N she is standing on her own two feet, seeking out information as an active participant, and preparing herself for what she WANTS, not just what she can expect. WTEWYE has an undeservedly enthusiastic following, and is part of the problem in the American way of birth, rather than part of the solution. Don't do your pregnant friends a disservice. Get them a book that respects their ability to make their own choices. This is not the one.
Rating:
Summary: What is the big deal about this book?
Review: After choking through the first few chapters of this book and skimming over the rest I had to politely place it in my bookcase, vowing never to pick it up again. As someone who was pregnant for the first time I thought it would be the Bible of the maternal world. Unfortunately it was quite the contrary. One annoyance was the constant plug for the "Best Odds Diet," making you feel paranoid if you didn't eat 2.5 ounces of this or a 8 ounces of that everyday. The authors made it sound like if you ate everything on their menu then you would have a perfect baby. Pregnant women don't need scare tactics! I didn't like the layout either, how it was a Q&A setup for each chapter. There were MANY questions I had that were not addressed, but I guess the author must have only included questions that she had during her pregnancy or something. The writing style is dummied down, like they think the reader needs to start from "when a man and a woman really love each other...." No need to talk down to us, just provide the information. Unfortunately it wasn't the information I needed.
Rating:
Summary: Why be so negative and scary?
Review: I bought this book because it was one of the first things I heard when someone learned we were pregnant for the first time. I hated it and put it down almost immediately. It should be titled "What might go wrong with your pregnancy - you better start worrying now!" Pregnancy is a wonderfully exciting time. Moms-to-be need positive information and support because everyting is so new and unfamilar. I strongly recommend The Pregnancy Book (Sears) or Your Pregnancy:Week by week (Curtis) for moms to keep track of how the baby is developing over the pregnancy. What's the point of being negative and scary?
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