3 GREAT pregnancy books worth buying!

I own 5 pregnancy/baby books.  One I found for a dollar at a thrift store.  The others I bought on reccomendations from others.  Pregnancy/baby books can be SO expensive!  I think publishers know how much we crave knowledge and answers and are taking advantage.  So, more recently, (since we actually started trying for a baby) I decided to just subscribe to a couple good pregnancy/parenting magazines (for frequently updated news, tips, tricks and product reviews) and check the books out from the library for free. 

When I go to the library I always check the copyright date of the book.  I don't check out anything older than 2006, unless there's a specific reason or it looks too good to pass up.  When you're dealing with medical information you want the latest and greatest advice (not something 10 years old). 

1 of the "older" books I've checked out, is still the BEST (in my opinion) book for pictures of fetal development (and what goes on during conception).  I've actually checked it out twice so far.  It's Lennart Nilsson's A Child is Born.  I checked out Peter Tallack's In the Womb too, which was newer and a companion book to the TV program of the same name (which I LOVE!).  I didn't really enjoy it.  So, if you want to buy a picture book, go for A Child is Born.

 

I LOVE this book so much.  Definately will be a "buyer" for me.  The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine is exactly what I needed when I needed it.  So many books/magazines out there will tell you the things you should and should not be doing during pregnancy and labor.  This book is such a relief.  In her book, Vicki says "This is not a contest! You just do what you can to survive the nine (ten) months and have a healthy baby." She also states, under the labor and delivery section, that " [t]here is no award ceremony for mothers after delivery...there is no such thing as a second-class birth."  Statements like these are what makes me really cherish the advice in this book.  When you see a model, actress, sister-in-law, next door neighbor having no outward signs of discomfort, awkward weightgain, worry and stress during pregnancy and then bounce back naturally after her wonderfully delightful perfect natural birth, you may feel like your pregnancy can be that way too.  If it's not, then somehow you are failing or have failed.  This book is just the thing to quell all your fears and assure you that you are perfectly normal!  It's like confiding something totally embarassing to a girlfriend only to hear "No Way!  I thought I was the only one!!!" What a relief and comfort.



Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting by Lucy J. Puryear, M.D. is also an invaluable pregnancy advice source worth buying.  Lots of books will tell you you're going to be a crazy lady during your pregnancy, but not many address other emotional issues you may experience.  Almost immediately after finding out I was pregnant I found myself worrying and stressing when I should be jumping for joy at my good fortune right?  This book addresses many many perfectly normal and common fears or concerns a mom-to-be may be faced with.  The concerns are presented by the authors real life experience with friends and patients and followed by sound professional advice.  Again, to know that your fears, worries, and discomforts are perfectly normal is such a comfort. 

-Jessy