Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: This book was excellent, informative and very entertaining. Definitely a must read for first time mothers.
Rating:
Summary: Just what I needed!
Review: This was one of several books I recently purchased within a week of finding out that I am pregnant with my first child. It is only one of two that I am currently reading. The book's light-hearted approach and the laughs are just what I need. It covers so many little things that I did not even know about. So many of my friends had their children in their 20's and as our lifestyles changed to reflect their family involvement, we drifted apart & so I really have little first-hand knowledge of childbirth & everything leading up to it. I will be 33 by the time my baby is born & I feel like I need to go back to school to make up these lessons! Thank you Vicki for a book that has done much to entertain & teach all at the same time. Maybe it's not for everyone but I highly recommend that everyone at least give it a try before putting it down. This is definetly a time in my life when a good laugh goes a long way!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Pregnancy, Beverly Hills-style
Review: Hey girlfriend, this is definitely not worth reading. For anyone of us who grew up in middle-class suburbia, we probably attended public schools, state colleges, and married men of similar backgrounds. Iovine apparently has had everything handed to her on a silver platter, and she appears to take each blessing for granted (money, marriage, children). She passes on this sordid "wisdom" in her shallow, misinformative, dark book on pregnancy. The things she's most concerned with are her hairstyle, weight, and wardrobe content. For those of us who were not voted prom queen in our younger days, this depiction is ridiculous and offensive, not to mention unrealistic. While the book does have some cutesy little laughs about hemorrhoids, gas and stretch marks, what woman doesn't already know about this? Iovine provides little or no factual base for her statements on the avoidance of exercise and natural childbirth and her suggestion that the occasional glass of wine is not harmful to the fetus. Heaven only knows how she, her husband and her children survived her 4 pregnancies. I read through many of the reviews for this book, and agree with those educated women who said that she likely wrote this book to make a fast buck, probably to prove a thing or two to her seemingly insensitive, dim-witted, big bucks producer husband. She also probably addressed the weight issue (over and over again) to deal with her own personal demons and possibly her insecurity. If pregnancy were really this bleak, the world's population would be a heck of a lot smaller. Do yourself (and your unborn child) a favor. Buy a book with a healthy balance of humorous and factual content. Don't read a book that will make you feel ashamed of the way you look and inconvenienced by the beautiful baby inside of you. Some of us have been trying (for years!) to have one of our own and can't wait for the day to enjoy every moment with our own baby. Pregnancy is a miracle, not a nuisance. (Having your teeth cleaned, doing your taxes...those are hassles!)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: Vicki Iovine is not afraid to tell you what the parenting magazines and books will not. Your husband may be turned on by your pregnant body, but then again, he may not, and that's OKAY. You may not feel like sex for a while, and that, too, is OKAY. She offers good advice on how to work through the glitches. So many sources will make you feel guilty: you are a failure if you don't breastfeed, if you don't have a drug-free birth, if you don't have your kid sleeping through the night in his/her own crib, blah, blah... this book will let you know that you are not alone, you are not in a competition to see who has the best pregnancy, and it is highly entertaining. It is personal advice, not medical; for medical advice, DO NOT buy what to expect when you're expecting, which is a horrible book, buy any other book, like your pregnancy week by week, or better yet, just ask your doctor about any specific questions you have.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent complement to other books
Review: During my first pregnancy, The Girlfriend's Guide provided something that I couldn't find in any of the other pregnancy books out there: real women's perspectives as well as a sense of humor. Now that I'm pregnant again I've been rereading the book and am reminded of why it was so important to me the first time around. A friend also gave me another book this time which I adore. It's a book of real women's stories of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, called Pregnancy Stories. Reading Pregnancy Stories and The Girlfriend's Guide along with the more clinical books out there (What to Expect, The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth) allowed me to get a very well-rounded sense of pregnancy both from the perspective of professionals and from other women like me who were living through its ups and downs.
Rating: 
Summary: Big downer on pregnancy-must read if you want to be bitter
Review: I think this lady is so bitter towards men and the size 4 jeans that she can't get in anymore that she wants to inflict her distress on the rest of us! When you buy a book on pregnancy, you're usually excited and not expecting to come away from it depressed! There are some funny parts and some crass descriptions of gas and... on the table, but unfortunately, this is about all this book had going for it.
Rating:
Summary: Opinionated, but some good information!
Review: The Girlfriends Guide really does have a lot of useful information that is not really talked about in the other pregnancy books. Most of those other books speak more scientifically, that's true, and this is more anecdotal, but it does help to know that others have felt how you do, and experienced some of your symptoms. It makes you feel like your symptoms are ok, and what you're going through is normal. And it covers things you may not want to ask your doctor, or your mother, or your girlfriends. My only complaint is that there are some very strong opinions expressed that are not my own, but I'm a very strongly opinionated woman myself, so I can't fault the author. This is still a very helpful book. However, if you're looking for a book on fetal development, this is not the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious
Review: Author Vicki Iovine presents the joys and pains of pregnancy with great humor and reassurance. This book will certainly abate the anxiety and fears of any woman who just finds out she is pregnant. The book was rather smug at times; Iovine denounces breastfeeding and balks at women who are determined to get in shape quickly after giving birth (ironic since Iovine is a mere size 4 when she is not with child). Besides these and a few other shortcomings, this is a great read and a must-have for any pregnant woman who wants a little girlfriend advice.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic, hilarious book!
Review: This book is unbelievably funny! I read it when I was pregnant with my third child and I laughed like CRAZY. Any pregnant woman can relate to the author's feelings. She has a way of pointing out all the ridiculous aspects of pregnancy. This book is a wonderful alternative to all the serious maternity books out there! Don't miss this one, ladies. And when you read it, be sure there is a bathroom close by-- its THAT funny!
Rating:
Summary: The plain truth!
Review: As a first time mom, I was RELIEVED to read this book. All the embarrassing things that you can't discuss with anyone (most of all a husband) are discussed here openly and honestly. The tone of the book is humorous - just what an expectant mom needs most is a good laugh when you gain 10 pounds in between the positive home pregnancy test and that first OB visit! As I read the book as my pregnancy progressed, I found myself exclaiming, "Yes, yes! So, this is normal!" I encourage all expecting moms to read this book - granted, it's NOT medical advice, but provides a lot of practical, day-to-day advice that is so needed during the most important journey you will ever take - becoming a mother.
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