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Binding: Paperback EAN: 9780684817873 Format: Import ISBN: 068481787X Label: Simon & Schuster Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Number Of Pages: 480 Publication Date: 1996-01-01 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Studio: Simon & Schuster
Editorial Reviews for What to Expect When You're Expecting
Consumer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Excellent fire starter Comment: The midwives at our Birth Center frequently lament the existence of this publication. They commonly joke that they use this book most effectively as a fire starter. No one needs to subject themselves to the over-the-top and misinformed judgments provided in this work. Customer Rating: Summary: A very handy reference guide Comment: As much as I wanted to dislike this book, I found it to be a very valuable resource during my pregnancy and the few weeks following. Nothing I read in the book contradicted my doctor's advice or other information I read on reputable sites like [...] (the one website my OB recommended). And contrary to what other people have said, the book did not make me paranoid ... In fact, I felt like each time I referenced it, it confirmed that what I was experiencing was totally normal and expected.
Customer Rating: Summary: A very complete and reassuring book Comment: I usually do not write reviews but I felt I had to do it for this book : when I read the bad reviews about it, I wonder if we really had the same book in hand ? For me it was a mine of information and above all, a mine of reassuring tips and advices. I'm the type of person who worries about all and everything. I got this book for my first pregnancy and it helped me getting started and understanding the pregnancy step by step.
It is much less a catalog of awful things than other books such as "your pregnancy week by week", for instance - that, in a funny way, readers that actually disliked "what to expect" preferred. In a funny way, because for each week, you have about three pages about you and the baby, and the rest for what can go wrong, full chart of what substances will do to your baby, money concerns, it even talks about tuberculosis !! Personnally, I realy disliked "week by week" as, after every chapter, I felt I had read more about problems than about the pregnancy. I did not have this impression with "what to expect".
I got very worried at the beginning of my pregnancy because I'm older (37) and was experiencing cramping and no morning sickness. In at least 4 places in "what to expect" they explain this is perfectly OK and normal and that this is not necessairly bad unless associated with other symptoms.
I also had a miscarriage - and the book helped me cope with it in a wonderful way. It told me more than my own doctor... I actually found that it is written in a way that leaves room for everyone, every taste, every reaction, without judging nor condescending as others have said.
Honestly I have few usage of a book that would NOT tell me the truth abouth what to expect : the various pregnancy symptoms, the procedures, what can go wrong. In other books I got they do not talk about "normal cramping" - and I would have begun to worry about not reading about it. This is the exact reason WHY I got this book - so that I can find most of the answers that I'm looking for. And if there is something to be looked at in more detail, there is always your practitioner, and the internet. And let's face it : pregnancy is not a piece of cake. I do not need a book enhancing how wonderful time it is... I need a book that is practical and matter-of-factly.
Actually I found strange all the reviews of hate - as if the readers had developped a personal relationship with the book itself. After reading the book, I find most of the reviews exagerated - this is of course my own take at it ;). I guess people find in there what they want to find... maybe the style in which it is written is not the cup of tea of everybody. Personnally it did not prevent me from getting the information that I was looking for without getting emotional over it.
A few excerpts of the book that answer some concerns of other reviewers :
Reader : "it was so discouraging to be reading the guilt-inducing message that I might be denying my baby something because I was gagging on my spinach". Extracts :
- page 89 : "there is a very important point to keep in mind as you embark on making a diet change for the better :what's presented in this chapter is the ideal, the best possible plan for eating when you're expecting. Something you should strive for, certainly, but nothing you should stress over (especially early in pregnancy) [...] "
- page 92 : a full "No more guilt" section...
Reader : "You know what it says in the index? "Mood swings: see depression."
This is absolutely not true. Tere are two pages on mood swings, one on panick attacks, and it explains why and how to cope with it and how your husband can cope with yours... the index actually says : mood swings : 162-164 ; and DHA/Omega 3 ; and thyroid condition; father's ; spouse coping with your ; see also : baby blues, depression, emotions
Reader : "This book is full of information unfortunately, it is all the scary information."
Well, I think the contrary. The scary information is actually regrouped at the end of the book, in a chapter called "managing a complicated pregnancy". The introduction to the chapter reads : "If you've had a problem-free pregnancy so far, though, this need-to-know chapter is not for you (you don't need to know any of it). Most women sail through pregnancy and childbirth without any complications. While information is definitey empowering when you need it, reading about all the things that could go wrong when they're not going wrong is only going to stress you out - and for no good reason. Skip it, and save yourself some unneeded worry."
By the way, this is the same disclaimer this reader is talking about here :
Reader : "I also hated that the miscarriage section had a big disclaimer warning pregnant women not to read it unless they actually had had a miscarriage, because the knowledge alone that miscarriage could happen would be so emotionally devastating to her that she couldn't handle it."
I call this an far-fetched interpretation of what is actually written.
Reader : "...was advised to have an amniocentesis. The language in "What to Expect" emphasizes: 1. The large size of the needle, 2. The risks of the procedure, and 3. Pain"
I think you read what you want to read. These facts were not "emphasized" but merely described. And these ARE the facts. Would you prefer a book stating that the needle is nothing to notice, that the procedure has no risks and there is no pain ? You would call that book a liar...
"Although it explains procedures, it does not emphasize a pregnant woman's rights to refuse those procedures if she chooses, and take ownership of her medical care during this crucial time."
Again I do not think this is true. Of course if you jump directly to the paragraph talking about amniocentesis, there is nothing there. But there are some caveats in a lot of other places, particularly in the few pages preceding the description of the invasive procedures. For instance :
- page 59 : "for those whose concerns represent more than normal expectant-parent jitters, the benefits of prenatal diagnosis can far outweigh the risks."
- page 63 : (talking about screening which is a blood test) : " once you have that information, you can decide, together with your practitioner, whether you want to undergo diagnostic testing". page 64 (same) : "the major risk of the test is that a positive result may lead to follow-up procedures that present greater risks. Before you consider taking any action on the basis of prenatal screening, be sre an experienced physician or genetic counselor has evaluated the results." (follow the descriptions of various procedures including amniocentesis)
Anyway, I will just stop here, it was just an illustration of what people disliked vs what was really written. Try to borrow the book or have a peak inside here or at a library to get an idea of whether it's right or wrong for you. It was definitely right for me. Every pregnancy is different... everybody is different.
Customer Rating: Summary: Full Disclosure would be nice Comment: It didn't say that there was writing on the inside cover of the book - otherwise it was fine Customer Rating: Summary: What to expect? Horrible things! Comment: As a birth doula, I understand that the very best way to approach your pregnancy and birth is with a calm attitude. Even if a problem arises or you choose a medical intervention, remaining calm and collected is key to enjoying pregnancy and childbirth, also to remain in control of the experience. Unfortunately, What to Expect does the opposite. It makes women and their partners literally freak out about every little inconsistency with "textbook" information. According to this book, what you should expect are TERRIBLE THINGS. Which is the absolute WORST way to view your body as it goes through the wonderful changes during pregnancy and childbirth. As alternatives, I would suggest "Pregnancy Childbirth and the Newborn" by Penny Simkin, the "Our Bodies Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth," or "The Pregnancy Book" by Dr. Sears. Same information in these books, but a far more positive outlook on your birth!
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide (medically updated)
Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth
The Pregnancy Book: Month-by-Month, Everything You Need to Know From America's Baby Experts
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