The Natural Pregnancy Book: Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices

I am a novice herbalist, not an expert by any means, but herbs are definitely my first choice when it comes to helping me or my family's body's deal with infection, boosting health, etc. However, when it came to pregnancy I was stumped with what was safe and what is not. This book really answered a lot of questions as to what is great to take to nurture the pregnancy as well as what to take if there are problems encountered. I was also VERY impressed and influenced by Romm's perspective on women taking back their right to deal with their pregnancy as a natural occurrence rather than the way western medicine deals with it almost as a sickness. In addition this book inspired me to utilize the help of a midwife rather than a M.D. during my next pregnancy. I absolutely recommend this to women who are seeking to be pregnant or are already pregnant and wish to utilize alternative natural means to aid your pregnancy.

I enjoyed this book and it was a great help. From wondering what was going on, if it was normal to how to treat constipation and other pregnancy ills naturally. Also very informative to know which herbs are helpful and which to avoid.

After having read the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book, and hating it, a friend gave this book to me during my fourth month of pregnancy (with my first baby). I really like this book, even though Ms. Romm is kind of corny and extreme in some of her ideas. (What if I don't want to "wear my stretch marks like silver jewelry"?)The book has great suggestions for alternative ways to deal with the discomforts of pregnancy. It also teaches you to love yourself, and to value yourself for what your body is able to do.It doesn't have a detailed month-by-month account of what to expect. Rather, it lets you say what you're experiencing now, rather than on someone else's timeline, and gives you suggestions for dealing with it positively. I credit this book with helping me to find non-medication ways of dealing with depression, so I can actually enjoy being pregnant during my last trimester.

This book is *much* more helpful than many others on the market, in my not always so humble opinion. Very sound advice, suggestions, great tone/approach overall. Because when it comes right down to it, nutrition is THE biggest thing we have control of, while pregnant. Even if one does not want to invest in or "do" all the herbs she suggests throughout the text, the basic pregnancy and nutritional advice is very sound, and ultimately, helpful throughout a woman's life. Funny... another reviewer mentioned pagan content. I've owned, referred to and personally used this book for two years, and have never noticed anything "pagan" about it. Does merely recognizing the spiritual aspects of birth count as pagan? If so, I guess I must be a pagan, too. Modern obstetrics would have us ignore the spiritual/emotional aspects of birth, seemingly entirely, but... the food we eat nourishes not only our unborn children, but our own souls, as well. Check out this wonderful book/approach to pregnancy, birth and life.

Romm's book is refreshing and helpful for women seeking a more natural approach to the joys and discomforts of pregnancy. As a midwife, herbalist, and mother, the author offers wise and inspirational knowledge that she has culled over the years. The book is divided into chapters and sections dealing with many aspects of pregnancy, including physical and emotional changes, nutrition, exercise, safe herbal remedies for common discomforts, and even a chapter written by her husband directed toward pregnancy partners. Though it may not have all the specific details of what is happening developmentally each and every week, as some books do, it does offer overall treatment of many common pregnancy topics and questions.Romm believes that pregnancy and birth are natural parts of life, not illnesses to be dealt with medically. When common concerns do arise, she offers suggestions for dealing with the emotional and physical aspects of the concerns, through healthy thinking, healthy eating, and herbal remedies that are safe for pregnancy. She encourages a proactive approach toward excellent living, rather than a pill or shot that will temporarily relieve symptoms.I enjoyed the positive, nurturing tone of the book, as the author's obvious love of pregnancy as a time of wonderful change is communicated in many ways. The book is nourishing, and encourages the reader to enjoy the splendors of pregnancy by communicating with the baby, finding creative outlets for the mother-to-be's questions and energy, and so on. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be more involved with the natural and emotional aspects of pregnancy, rather than just knowing what week the baby grew fingernails and how much weight guidelines say you should gain per week, on which many pregnancy guides tend to focus.