The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy

Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: This is a wonderful book for anyone who is pregnant. If you are pregnant and wnat to read a book about it that will also make you feel relaxed and good about being pregnant then this is the book for you to read. I really did like this book and I may even read it again. The end.

Rating:
Summary: An amusing tale, however upper class targeted.
Review: Vicki Iovine is a good writer, her words are catchy, clever, and enlightening. However, it's obvious that she has never had a C-section and that this is one area she cannot offer too much advice on. I found it a nice diversion to the physician written pregnancy books out there, very comical. Lastly I must add, it seems very upper class targeted. Most women don't have the money and time to lead the life, pregnant or not, that Vicki does and it shows in her writing. I do recommend it though, for a refreshing laugh during trying months. Don't expect too much medical knowledge though, and at least she states that several times in her book.

Rating:
Summary: Pregnancy is Not Pretty, But it's Pretty Funny
Review: Buy and read this book, but supplement with a "real medical" tome such as What to Expect If You Are an Expectant Nazi. Girlfriends Guide is for the more mature, easygoing, realistic mother-to-be. Uptight people without the maturity to see the humor and warmth in pregnancy may be offended (as evidenced by some reviews listed here). Shining through the flippant tone and humorous anecdotes comes Iovine's sincerity and best wishes for her audience. Sure, she has her opinions and they may not be everyone's, but most of the "real, medical" books on pregnancy are filled with opinions, too. So buy this book AND a "real" medical book and alternate. I promise, you'll come back to this one more often.

Rating:
Summary: Take it with a grain of salt.
Review: What you have to remember is that this is one (or three) women's personal opinion. I listened to it on tape and enjoyed some parts for their entertainment value. I did learn some valuable thing like what to pack for the hospital. The section on epidurals completely precluded not having one which is a valid "and safe" choice for both mother and child. The section on exercise during pregnancy was nonsense - every woman should stay active and exercise if possible during pregnancy. This is a book to be taken lightly, not seriously.

Rating:
Summary: Of All The Books, This One Delighted Me!
Review: After reading all of the how-to and what's-what books, read this one just for the fun of it. Delightful and funny reassurance that everything you're going through is universally shared.

Rating:
Summary: Candid & Hysterical
Review: I can't count the number of times reading this book that I laughed so hard I almost started crying. It was so refreshingly candid! Sure, it's real fun at the very beginning and at the end you get a baby, but.. For a while, I thought that if I read one more book telling me that in my next month, I could look forward to cellulite! hemmorhoids! etc! I was going to die. Iovine tells it like it is. Those could be MY girlfriends she talks about. I don't necessarily think this book should be one's ONLY reference manual for everything that happens to you during pregancy, but it's certainly excellent auxilliary material.

Rating:
Summary: The most accurate book on the REAL pregnancy experience.
Review: When you couple this book with all the books written by medical experts you have all you need to get through pregnancy. Vicki Iovine is hilarious as she gives you the truth about every aspect of being pregnant. I looked to the book for every question I was afraid to ask my doctor or what I knew he couldn't help me with from how to find good maternity wear without breaking the bank to how to keep the passion between my husband and me. This book was a lifesaver and now one of my girlfriends is pregnant and I can't wait to buy it for her.

Rating:
Summary: Read this book if you want to be terrified!!!
Review: After reading this book I almost changed my mind about having children! It mainly focuses on negativity and the author gives you the impression that almost any horror of pregnancy is an inevitability. There are definite pros and cons to having an epidural, but Vicky makes it seem like your only intelligent choice is to have one. I would not recommend this book for a first time mom learning about pregnancy. I did not find this book amusing, nor did my husband.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR ALL MOMS TO BE!
Review: Anyone who gives this book a rating below a four is just a bit too high strung about the whole pregnancy issue!! This is a wonderfully funny book with some great advice and tips for nervous moms! I completely enjoyed reading this book throughout my pregnancy! Of course you should not base your medical decisions solely on the authors suggests, which most halfway intelligent people already know...as with any other book that they are getting advice from...whether it is written by a Doctor or a Playboy model! It is just nice to hear that other experience similar things when going through new experiences and this book is a wonderful resource for information and much need laughs! After all...this is one of the most wonderful times in you life!!! Your allowed to have some fun! Good luck to everyone!

Rating:
Summary: Not realistic to my life!
Review: I found her completely old-fashioned in the way she described how husbands to be acted. I thought this was geared towards older mothers to be. I am 24 and could hardly relate to a lot of her topics. The exercise philosophy is crap and could scare a lot of women unnecessarily. Nearly everything that I've read encourages women to keep up their exercise routine for as long as they feel comfortable. This book is garbage.