Rating: 
Summary: Good reference to have.
Review: I found this book to be very much what I needed during my (second) pregnancy.It gives a lot of information in an easy-to-understand language.The month-by-month format is helpful,but it did not stop me from reading ahead and skipping back and forth.It answers many questions I didn't even realize I could ask,and explains everything very clearly.I liked that this book did not make doctors and other medical professionals to be always right,and that it tells you to trust yourself too! I do not follow the book religiously,but I appreciate knowing all that I can do.This book isn't my only resource - I talk to my OB,friends,family, and I read a lot.All in all,it is a very good,informative and caring book.I think it's a good reference to have.
Rating:
Summary: 18 Million Moms know something you need to know...
Review: As a first time mom to be, I slept with this book under my pillow. Only kidding (almost). Although I am an avid reader, I had no clue what to expect during my pregnancy. What was going to happen to my body and my mind? What was going on with the baby? How was he growing? What was he doing? My most obsessive thoughts when I was pregnant had to do with the upcoming labor and delivery. What should I eat? Was what I was thinking "normal"? I couldn't even think past the delivery. I assumed that I could care for the baby easily once he was born. Of course, this is when you need "What to expect the First Year". I have many years of schooling. Big Deal. I had no clue what to expect and this book gave me peace of mind. If you have already given birth, you do not need this book although you would probably enjoy it. My husband, who is not a reader, actually read some of the chapters. The authors are very funny and terrific at anticipating questions you may have. I have given this book as a gift for friends having their first child and have yet to hear a complaint. Highly, highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Basic information, but some bias by the authors
Review: This book certainly gives a lot of information, but it is biased against certain professionals. For instance, laboratory professionals are portrayed as mistake-makers (these are the people that do all your blood tests, etc.) The laboratory professionals I know are people with graduate degrees. I notice that 2 of the authors are nurses- they never once say that the nursing profession makes mistakes.I also agree with another reviewer that it has an alarmist attitude and the authors definately have their own ideas of what is right and wrong to do during a pregnancy. You'd think that drinking a soda or getting your hair highlighted is tantamount to shooting heroin in their eyes! Lighten up- pregnancy lasts 9 months, what's wrong with a glass of wine once in a while?
Rating:
Summary: A husband's perspective
Review: This book has been a great help to my wife and I during her pregnancy (our first). If ever we wondered "is that normal?" we could turn to the book and the information we needed was there. While no book can take the place of a doctor, it was a great comfort many times. From my perspective, the book helped teach me what to expect, and how to help my wife with all of the things she was going through. Fathers-to-be will all learn something from this book. There isn't anything this book doesn't discuss in a mature, candid, but often humorous manner. And what is discussed is done in detail. Never was I left wondering if there was something else that the authors weren't letting on. No pregnant couple should be without it.
Rating: 
Summary: I gave this one away.
Review: I first read this book when I was pregnant with my first child. During my second pregnancy, I actually gave my copy away to a friend. I, like another reviewer here, found it needlessly alarmist, but that has to do with my philosophy of pregnancy and childbirth. I think if there is reason for a woman to be concerned about a troublesome pregnancy or birth, then this book could provide some good, basic information. Also, any woman who really trusts the standard medical protocol regarding childbirth and pregnancy, will probably like this book. For women who tend to question EVERYTHING their doctor or midwife does, they will not like this book! Just about everything that can go wrong is discussed and the standard procedures that doctors do are not questioned. For the rebellious mother, I would advise that you skip this one and get "Husband-Coached Childbirth" and one of the books by Dr. Brewer. And have a happy pregnancy and birth!
Rating:
Summary: What to expect when you're expecting
Review: This book is an excellent resource. It is actually given out to patients in my obstetrician's office. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Rating: 
Summary: Hopelessly simplistic yet alarmist
Review: After going through two years of infertility, I was so excited to settle down with this book and learn all about "What to expect". This book was a waste of time and money, especially in the first trimester when everything changes so quickly that you can't possibly expect to cover issues on a monthly basis. Also, even though I found it alarmist (Uhoh! I looked at a muffin! My baby will be born with two heads!), I also thought that it didn't cover some very basic information. For example, nowhere in the book does it indicate that symptoms will come and go, and that this is normal. Instead, it says that if your symptoms disappear you are likely having a miscarriage and should call your doctor. That's baloney. In the end, I realized I could find all of the information I wanted simply by doing a simple online search. I will never recommend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: What to Expect when your Expecting
Review: I have found as a first time mother that WTEWYE was informative. However, it scared me more than helping me along the way. I became more frightened for my baby then before I read the book.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful reference for first-timers
Review: I am genuinely surprised at the middling average rating this book has thus far achieved on this web site; my wife and I have utilized this book as our primary (though not only) reference for the nine months of her pregnancy (our first), and we have found it invaluable. Every physical tic or symptom my wife experienced is documented within these pages. The book is clearly and comprehensively written, but most importantly it is largely free of sermonizing or partiality. Most passages are careful to take into account the full range of possible experiences an expecting couple might have. The lone exception to this would be the book's harping on diet--I'm not sure how many times I or any other reader needs to be reminded that "fruit-juice-sweetened" muffins are nutritionally superior to those sweetened with refined sugar, or purchased in packages and thus likely to harbor artificial flavor enhancers or preservatives. Then again, the diet recommended is called the "best odds" diet for a reason--flout their recommendations as much as you want, and you are still likely to have a healthy baby, but the chances of problems occurring could increase. In any case, if like me you are expecting (or hoping to expect) your first child, and you're feeling a little clueless as to what lies ahead, I recommend this book without reservation.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Basic book that covers all questions
Review: Any question you could possibly have during your pregnancy is answered in this book. It is very easy to read, to find what you are looking for, and to understand. I have read the other reviews and the bottom line is, as an adult, you can make whatever decisions you feel are correct, however, as Doctors, they are going to give you the answers with the highest standard. This is the prenancy book that I used the most--I didn't really need the other ones.
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