The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth, and Everything In Between (U.S. Edition)

Unlike all those otherbossy, tell-you-what-to-do titles, this funny, entertaining guide presents expectant parents with all the facts on such perennial hot topics as pain relief during labor, episiotomy, and circumcision, and empowers them to make informed personal choices. It's packed with tools you won't find anywhere else, including:

• Charts highlighting the risks of using various over-the-counter drug productsduring pregnancy
• Lists of the ten best -- and worst --baby products
• A set of emergency childbirth procedures
• Forthright discussions of difficult topics like infertility, high-risk pregnancy, and pregnancy and infant loss that other books are loathe to tackle

Did I lie? This book covers it all. The biggest complaint my friend had regarding Vicki Iovine's "Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" (which I loved) was how casually the topic of miscarriage was handled (my friend, who is now due the same week as me, has experienced 2 miscarriages). Ann Douglas, however, has experienced infertility, miscarriage, AND stillbirth (and has 4 kids). The caring and frank way she deals with grieving over the loss of a baby (even suggesting spending time with your baby's body, dressing it and taking your picture with it to cry and grieve over later) was touching and impressive all at once. WARNING: If you're particularly emotional, or can't handle one more added worry at this point in your pregnancy, you might want to skip this chapter, for fear of adding to the ever-growing bag of morbid worries to may already have. But, it's nice to know the subject is covered if, God forbid, the worst happens. If you are considering having a baby, or even if you're already pregnant, YOU NEED THIS BOOK. Browse through it once and you'll be impressed, I guarantee.

The information is practical and doesn't use medical jargon. Charts etc. are used to lay information out in an easily-scanned and readable format.

The book is not arranged so much in a month-by-month format (although that does underlie the organization). It is *NOT* What to Expect When You're Expecting -- it's its own book, to be evaluated on its own terms.

I particularly appreciated the practical medical and nutrition advice and explanations, as I work in the nutrition field - it was nice to see things explained so reasonably (I have read other books which can be frightening in their approach to the 'nutrition' question). There are practical tips, such as the best ways to take iron supplements (with a meal, and/or with citrus, for better absorption and less of the sometime side effects) .... And good descriptions of some of the common complaints of pregnancy, as well as their causes (and whether there's anything a woman can do to avoid them).

I also appreciated the information in the back, about potential problems with pregnancy. Let's face it - none of us want to have a difficult pregnancy, and we all want to have healthy babies. But the fact remains that sometimes that's not going to happen. I'd far rather have some idea what the complications might be, than lie panic-stricken on the exam table several months into a 'blissful' pregnancy, completely blind-sided by something that's come up.

People who don't want to read or know about that information, can simply skip that section. But I think it's a great section to have on hand, because if something troubling does come up - you'll have an extra resource to explain in layman's terms what you and your partner (and child) may be facing.

What I find particularly useful is the list of common pregnancy complaints listed alphabetically, rather than by month. Since no two pregnancies are exactly alike, it's reassuring to just be able to read about what you're experiencing, without the worry that something is wrong because it is ocurring either too early or too late.

The book is neither bossy nor condescending. It's like having good advice from a friend handy, that you can refer to at any time. I find myself reading things in other books, or in magazines and looking it up in The Mother of All Pregnancy Books, thinking, "What does Ann say about this?"

If you are only going to buy one pregnancy book, this is the one to get. Seriously. It really does have it all: miscarriage, birth plans, home birth, maximizing your chances of conception, ways to cope with common complaints, ways to make your dollar stretch when outfitting the nursery, etc. etc.

I see that The Mother of All Baby Books will soon be published. I can hardly wait!

2. The book covers both the obvious pregnancy topics and the not-so-obvious pregnancy topics. Because the author is a mom of four, she understands what pregnant women want and need to know.

3. The book is modern and up-to-date and contains guidance on issues that are of concern to modern moms-to-be, like hiring a doula, negotiating the best possible maternity leave, etc.

4. The book is refreshingly honest. It doesn't assume you're going to be totally blissful and euphoric for every moment of your pregnancy. It's hard to be euphoric when you're throwing up or feeling totally exhausted.

5. The book is extremely well written. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down. I read it over a weekend and then re-read it over and over again during my pregnancy. If you're looking for a book that you'll get a lot of use out of over the next nine months, this is the one.