Pregnancy & Childbirth

This is the most informative, positive, and non-scary pregnancy book I've read. Every other pregnancy book I've read (including What to Expect When You're Expecting) made me cry after every paragraph as it detailed all the horrible things that a woman can do to permanently damage her baby, all the awful ways a woman's body will be disfigured by pregnancy and childbirth, and how a woman's life will be completely changed, not for the better, once the child is born. This book, on the other hand, presents information about pregnancy and childbirth in a wholly positive manner, even when detailing the potential pitfalls of pregnancy and childbirth. The information in this book is current and up-to-date, and the book is very well-written. I would recommend the book just for the positive and reassuring tone alone, and all the excellent information in the book is a bonus. Once you read this book, you won't need any other.

I am a childbirth educator and mom of four kids. I was delighted to find this book to add to my lending library for childbirth class clients. It is so much more empowering than books like "What to Expect" or "Your Pregnancy Week-by-week". I like the way that procedures that tend to be standard (eg. external fetal monitoring in labor) are described, and the evidence against their routine use is also provided in a thoughtful but not damning way. It is refreshing to find a mainstream book that lists Certified Professional Midwives alonside CNMs and OBs as possible caregivers, and describes out-of-hospital birth as the safe and reasonable option it is, whilst not condemning hospital birth. I think this book would be a valuable resource for any parents-to-be who want to read about the full spectrum of options available at each step of their journey, without feeling judged for the choices they ultimately make. My favorite section is "A Final Word" on p451, where the authors so accurately describe the challenging transition to parenting and emphasize that you will be the perfect parent for your baby. Definitely a book written by moms for moms!

When I learned that I was pregnant, I ran out and bought quite a few pregnancy guides. Of them all, Great Expectations has been the best hands down. It gives you a WEEKLY run-down of how the baby is developing as well as what is going on in your own body. It covers pregnancy in far greater detail than any of the other books I purchased. I highly recommend this book!

This is my bible. It is an excellent resource that is very well organized and PACKED with practical information.

When I found out I was pregnant a few weeks ago I started reading EVERYTHING. So far, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, in tone, organization, and informativeness has it over all the other books. When I have a question about my body or my baby, I don't want jokes and cute puns, I don't need wisecracks, and I don't want to be talked down to. A new arrival on the scene, this book is the antidote for the reader who doesn't want a "Girlfriend" when she needs an expert.