Rating: 
Summary: Required reading for ALL expectant mothers and fathers.
Review: Naomi has done her research, and she doesn't sugar-coat anything in this impressive work. Birthing in the United States has indeed become medicalized, and it was refreshing to uncover the straight facts, even if they are a little frightening. Most birthing women in the U.S. find that they are ignored by their health care practitioners and rendered powerless during their births, often receiving unnecessary medical interventions that take the birthing experience and power away from women and hand it over to physicians. This certainly isn't a new revelation--our male-dominated American society has for many years taken power away from birthing women by making them feel dependent on their male physicians for birthing expertise. Naomi asks pertinent questions in this provocative book: In a healthy, low-risk pregnancy, isn't the woman giving birth the expert? And aren't physicians acting more out of a fear of being sued if there is an incident than out of the mother's and baby's well-being? Do the huge "childbirth industry" profits correlate with soaring rates of cesarean sections, episiotomies and epidurals? Naomi lifts the rug on many issues like these and seeks real answers. She also addresses how the workplace, husbands and society in general manipulate new mothers. She also speaks candidly about her own birth experience, her postpartum depression, contradictory feelings toward her baby, seeking caregiving assistance, and feeling professionally unfulfilled. Not only is this book extensively researched and well-written, but it offers the honest emotions of an experienced birthing woman, new mother, and one of the most respected feminist writers of our time.
Rating:
Summary: I didn't think it could happen to me
Review: This book is fantastic. I read this book before the birth of my daughter this past January. Because I believed myself to be a highly informed consumer with 10 weeks of Bradley training and having my husband and doula by my side, I never thought I would experience the medicalization that Wolf describes. Sadly, the experiences that she details in MISCONCEPTIONS proved all too accurate when one nurse cornered my husband and attempted to coerce him into having me medicated, while another nurse worked on convincing me to agree to use an epidural. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to expectant parents who want to go through the birthing experience with their eyes open and knowing what to REALLY expect.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST!
Review: Naomi contributed an extremely powerful and empowering book. I see it as a must for every pregnant woman and the people who support her through this adventure. It legitimized and normalized a lot of the negative feelings and thoughts I had during pregnancy and made it a lot easier to explore them and grow from them.
Rating: 
Summary: still living in the '50s in many ways
Review: _Misconceptions_ is about the institutionalisation of childbirth in the US, and how dangerous and unnecessary much of the interventions are...giving the US the 23rd highest infant mortality rate in the world. It's written from a very personal point of view, but it also includes many anecdotes of other women who went through similar nightmare stories in the hospital... Klein writes about how motherhood challenged her feminism, in many ways. Lastly, and I think most importantly, she critiques how little has changed in terms of eradicating the gendered division of labor and its consequent inequities, since most US American men, feminist or not, still seem opposed to and/or incompetent for assuming more childcaregiving roles.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing view of pregnancy and childbirth
Review: I received this book from my best friend and after finishing it, I returned it to her with the warning, "Do not let this be the first or only book you read on the subject." I was sorely disappointed after having read and been a fan of much of her other work. Reading this book actually temporarily turned me off of my pregnancy. I feared being pregnant and the life changes that Wolf so negatively described. And while I applaud her warnings of letting doctors make all the decisions, most doctors will listen when you say "No." In my experience, if they don't listen to you, you go and find another doctor. I too had a c-section, after 62 hours of labor during which I was offered but never scolded for not accepting drugs. I'll agree with her that it was a brutal process to heal from that, both physically and emotionally. But, I dealt with things in the days that followed my sons birth that would destroy many women and I didn't let myself wallow in the kind of self-centered misery she talks about in the book. I had a new person to rejoice in, for crying out loud, and I chose to focus on that. I know it can be hard to focus on your child when you're in the midst of post partum depression - it's sometimes nearly impossible, but you HAVE to do it. Otherwise, you should never have kids, you should get a goldfish. After re-reading the book after having my son, I have the suspicion that she played up a lot of her experiences to make it seem more sensational. I also kept wondering, basically, why did this woman want to have a child in the first place. I wouldn't want to call Wolf "weak," but after having a very similar experience to hers, I'd be hard-pressed to find a more diplomatic term. I know everyone handles things differently, but coming from someone I'd always considered to be a strong woman, I was profoundly disappointed in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Misconceptions
Review: I would not recommend this book to anyone. I only gave it one star because I had to. I would give it 0! It was the WORST book that I have EVER read! This woman found joy in nothing. Her personal issues were all that were addressed. She was selfish and could only think of herself. She found nothing good in what a baby brings to your life! I found it to be completely negative and depressing. She needs Dr. Phil!
Rating:
Summary: Honest and fascinating
Review: Wolf writes about pregnancy, childbirth, and mothering like a no-holds-barred friend. Yes-- she was woefully misinformed about the whole process; this is precisely her point. Most of the rest of us are, as well. So many women are unprepared for the difficult and important work of bearing and rearing our children. If you haven't yet had children, this book will give you many things to think about; if your life isn't all lacy nighties and clean diapers, this book will reassure you that you aren't alone. Don't shoot the messenger! Wolf tells the truth.
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Summary: Poor Old Naomi Wolf
Review: Ms. Wolf needs to see a therapist about her issues. She clearly needs help. Writing such a contradictory, self-absorbed, elitist piece of garbage doesn't do anyone any favors, except maybe makes her bank account a little larger, which she obviously values more than her kids. Her self-loathing and country club poor-me attitude got so trite, irresponsible and preachy, I couldn't get past the second chapter. This book is a HUGE disservice to pregnant and nursing mothers across the country. Yes, American vigilante obstetrics is flawed beyond comparision. Really, why didn't she follow her own advice to not go back for more? Why didn't she follow what she's so preachy to others to do? What a hypocrite. If you really want to read this boring, snide drivel, check it out at the library. Save your money for a GOOD pregnancy and motherhood book, like the new "Ina May Gaskin's Guide To Natural Childbirth" by a mother and a midwife who actually knows something about birth in the real world.
Rating:
Summary: Unreadable - do NOT buy this book!
Review: Apparently no one told Ms. Wolf that in fact having children does interfere with one's ability to remain completely self-focused. The thing that makes this book so horrible is the author's obvious antipathy toward her kids and her assumption that every other mother on the planet secretly feels the same way. Moreover, with so many birthing options available, no expectant mother need end up feeling as though her birthing experience was less than she wanted it to be. And even if it is......in the scheme of things, who cares? What an awful book and what an awful woman Ms. Wolf must be!
Rating:
Summary: A biased and bitter perspective on motherhood
Review: As I read this book, I was struck by the appropriateness of the title "Misconceptions." However, I feel the author Naomi Wolff is the one with the misconceptions... about the medical field, and the experience of pregnancy, labour, delivery, and breastfeeding. I feel qualified to make this criticism, as I am both a female family physician with experience in obstetrical care, and a first-time mother of a healthy 4 month old son. I would not recommend this book to anyone. The author is clearly bitter and resentful about her own experiences during her first pregnany. As a result, she makes broad and inaccurate generalizations about pregnancy and childbirth, and comes across as an angry and selfish individual. Any attempts she makes to share important factual information with the reader are overshadowed by her own bias. Like Ms. Wolff, I too had a C-section delivery of a breech baby. However, my own experience was very different from hers. I enjoyed an excellent and trusting relationship with my physician, and received wonderful care in our small rural hospital. Breastfeeding my son has been an unexpected joy. Certainly there were hard days during pregnancy. Having major abdominal surgery is painful. Caring for an infant is a lot of work. Having a good support system of family and friends, and excellent medical care is of vital importance. In this regard, I agree with Ms. Wolff. However, in every other aspect, the author is bitter, biased, mistrustful, selfish, and often misinformed. In my opinion, this book is terrible, as its bias and bitterness far overshadow its educational value.
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