The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Gift For All Your Pregnant Friends
Review: As a parenting expert, author and family counselor this is one of the first books I recommend to pregnant mothers! Why? Vicki is able to laugh at herself and as a result puts to ease a new moms fears and worries. Her practical advise is sound and her humorous asides are a welcomed relief!

- Kelly E. Nault


Rating:
Summary: Depressing and disrespectful
Review: I bought this book because it did make me laugh in the store after just a few pages with girl-talky descriptions of indigestion and mood swings, etc. But at home reading futher, I was appalled by Iovine's bossy, negative attitude about just about every aspect of pregnancy! 1) Exercise (she says not worth it, you're going to get fat and ugly), 2) Maternity wear (she says also not worth it, you're going to look ugly), 3) Sex (if you happen to have low sex drive while pregnant, she suggests you lie back and think of england or your husband will cheat on you!), 4) Husbands (I am sorry for her and her girlfriends who seem to have only macho, unsympathetic mates--she tells you to expect no understanding or support from them); and on more serious medical issues of choosing a practitioner, birth method, or breast feeding, the book is ridiculous: with little or no explanation, she simply tells you you'll be terrified unless you're in the care of an MD, that not using pain medication during birth is silly, that breast-feeding and formula are one and the same--what doctor or midwife has she been talking to? Anyone seen the movie "Mean Girls"? The more I read the 'girlfriends' advice, the more I felt I was surrounded at a junior-high locker getting pressured into hating pregnancy like them, thinking you have no control over your body, and thinking no one else can understand what you're going through. Yes, pregnancy puts you through some really uncomfortable and anxiety-ridden changes, but this book is truly unhelpful with its entirely negative take on the experience. Plus, so much has changed in medical and cultural approaches to pregnancy that whether you enjoy her humor or not, this book is really outdated--published 1995, 10 years ago! Do not put yourself through this!

Rating:
Summary: I'm not even pregnant!!
Review: That's right, I'm not even trying but babies are on my mind! All my girlfriend's are and I plan to be within the next year so curiosity got the better of me a little early. I loved this book. It was very down to earth all the while being hysterical! The way she talks about throwing somthing at her husband more than once! She, to her best ability describes, from start to finish what the nine/ten months of pregnancy was like for her and a group of girlfriend's she's consulted. She explains this is not a medical book and that these are the things that the doctors don't tell you like the hemmoroids and uncontrollable flatulence! She just describes her 4 experiences or her girlfriend's in a way that always can make you smile or even laugh out loud! Very enjoyable and I definatley want to read it again when I actually am pregnant.

Rating:
Summary: Great resource...
Review: The book made me laugh. I really appreciated the light hearted way she talked about all of the symptoms, reactions, and relationships that would change through out the pregnancy.

All the things that you wanted to ask but were afraid to. I got so much information out of this book that after I took notes, I passed it to my friends and they passed it along. I want to thank author for telling me about a alternative to coffee that is absolutely delicious. Its caffeine-free and comes in 8 delicious flavors. Just google it under "s oyfee" to find it. This is a great helpful book. Read IT!