What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition

Rating:
Summary: Informative - but stressful and in some ways unrealistic.
Review: This book includes some really great information for the newly-pregnant woman. However, the section on diet is absolutely ridiculous and unrealistic. It makes the reader feel completely inadequate and changes mealtime into an ordeal.

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Summary: YOU HAVE TO GET THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I got this book from my health insurance company (!) when I became pregnant for the first time. It was a starting point for my research about myself and my then unborn baby. Sufficed to say, I wasted a lot of money on books that weren't nearly as good and reassuring as this one.Simply stated, "everyone's pregnancy is different" - this book assured me that I was not a (completely) insane and to "hang in there" and ride the storm.I have few negative comments about the book - I'm actually struggling to find one to prove I've actually read it - trust me, though - I have - and you really must!!!I've lent my book out so many times (and never got it back) that I finally just started buying it for friends whenever they said they were pregnant - or even just thinking about it.Seriously though, buy it, read it and good luck with your pregnancy.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book with everything you need to know
Review: "What to Expect When You're Expecting" is a book which has all the information a pregnant woman needs. It even has a section for fathers-to-be. This book covers questions, fears, exercise, diet, and provides a month-by-month guide to let you know what is normal to be experiencing at that time.

Rating:
Summary: Basic Information, but focus is too much on the negative
Review: This was the first book I bought when I found out I was pregnant. I found the information helpful, but somewhat limited. The book tends to focus on the negative aspects of pregnancy so often that my husband took the book away from me so I would quit worrying so much. I'm not sorry I bought it, but if I could only have one book on pregnancy, this would not be it.

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Summary: WHAT are you doing HERE? Try "The Birth Book" By Sears and Sears instead!
Review: While this book provides much information about medicalized prenatal care and hospital labor and birth, it is as biased as it comes. I disliked the unsubstantiated anti-midwife stance, and the way the author presented the list of prenatal tests as inevitable and unquestionable. The discussions about the safety and accurace of these tests were incomplete and biased. I also found it absurd to include a chapter about possible complications and tell women not to read it. I also disliked the question-answer format. All of the information in this book can be found in other consumer-oriented books without the intervention-as-normal-and-desireable attitude

Rating:
Summary: a life saver
Review: As this is my first pregnancy, I was totally unprepared for the physical changes that tookplace. I couldn't have lived these past monthswithout this book. I'm glad that it isn't technically written, so that it is very understandable. I'd recommend this book to anyfirst time parent. There are no bad points about this book, only good ones

Rating:
Summary: Least helpful of pregnancy books I've read!
Review: I found this book to be short on really useful information. The "expectations" for each month were nearly identical and the tone often depressing. After reading this book you will wonder why it is you wanted to be pregnant in the first place. If you want a thorough and helpful book on pregnancy, with discussions on possible complications without raising undue alarm, with answers to all of the 1,000 questions every pregnant woman has, then buy "Your Pregnancy Week by Week."

Rating:
Summary: good thing it's cheap- you'll want more books
Review: Most women like the developmental information, but find the rest of the book unrealistic, condenscending, and irritating. The authors- a couple of RN's, so no, they aren't physicians- seem to assume that you will treat your mainstream obstetrician or midwife as a god and final authority. If that's what you want, fine. If you want a safe, empowering birth, and a good outcome, look for information elsewhere. Try "The Birth Book" by Wm and Martha Sears, "A Good Birth, A Safe Birth"... and by all means, avoid the rest of the books in the WTE series- most are worse than this one. I found that I was nauseated by reading the book by about the 5th month the first time around, and it was relegated to bathroom reading the second time around.

Rating:
Summary: It has the basics, but....
Review: While this book gives good information about, say, the size of the fetus and some possible symptoms of pregnancy(as well as what they might mean), it had a really narrow approach to pregnancy and some unlikely solutions to problems. For example, in the chapter on colds and flu during pregnancy, one recommended remedy was hot diluted orange juice. If you're not throwing up from morning sickness or the flu, hot diluted orange juice will definitely upset your stomach! I also disliked the "Do it our way or no way" attitude. Overall, I'd say this book created almost as much anxiety in me as it relieved.

Rating:
Summary: Good to have during your first pregnancy.
Review: If you are at all interested in natural childbirth and/or what your options are during pregnancy and birth, this book definity does not cover that. However, it was very reassuring during my first pregnancy when I had no idea what to expect from my body. If this is not your first pregnancy, you can probably skip this book