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The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth
The pregnancy resource you can medically reliable information, mom-to-mom advice.
If you want the real deal on pregnancy, you've come to the right book! Drs. Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, and Alane Park are three top obstetricians who have personally welcomed more than 10,000 babies into the world. But they've been on the other side of the ultrasound too--as mothers themselves, they have each experienced the joys and anxieties of pregnancy firsthand. Morning sickness . . . unexpected contractions . . . midnight feedings . . . even serious complications . . . they've been there! Now they share everything you need to know about this exciting, life-changing journey.
Written in a clear and friendly style, The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth offers the most up-to-date medical guidance. It's packed with real-life stories from new moms and practical tips straight from the Docs' office. From pre-conception to postpartum, you'll find answers to your most pressing questions,
Can birth control pills cause fertility problems?
When will I start showing?
Which prenatal tests do I really need?
Is my baby getting the right nutrition?
Is it true that I can't touch a cat, eat sushi, or color my hair for nine months?
If I get a cold, is it safe to take medication?
How do I create a birth plan?
What if I go into labor alone?
If I've had a cesarean delivery before, will I need to have one with my next pregnancy?
How can I make breastfeeding easier?
This extraordinarily comprehensive guide also includes chapters on diet and exercise, high-risk pregnancies, and the most often-repeated myths. Complete with illustrations of your baby's development, The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth is your reassuring resource for a healthy and stress-free pregnancy.
If you want the real deal on pregnancy, you've come to the right book! Drs. Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, and Alane Park are three top obstetricians who have personally welcomed more than 10,000 babies into the world. But they've been on the other side of the ultrasound too--as mothers themselves, they have each experienced the joys and anxieties of pregnancy firsthand. Morning sickness . . . unexpected contractions . . . midnight feedings . . . even serious complications . . . they've been there! Now they share everything you need to know about this exciting, life-changing journey.
Written in a clear and friendly style, The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth offers the most up-to-date medical guidance. It's packed with real-life stories from new moms and practical tips straight from the Docs' office. From pre-conception to postpartum, you'll find answers to your most pressing questions,
Can birth control pills cause fertility problems?
When will I start showing?
Which prenatal tests do I really need?
Is my baby getting the right nutrition?
Is it true that I can't touch a cat, eat sushi, or color my hair for nine months?
If I get a cold, is it safe to take medication?
How do I create a birth plan?
What if I go into labor alone?
If I've had a cesarean delivery before, will I need to have one with my next pregnancy?
How can I make breastfeeding easier?
This extraordinarily comprehensive guide also includes chapters on diet and exercise, high-risk pregnancies, and the most often-repeated myths. Complete with illustrations of your baby's development, The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth is your reassuring resource for a healthy and stress-free pregnancy.
- GenresNonfictionParenting
544 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 6, 2017
2.5 stars. I liked that this book is quite detailed, though some of the information is out of date. However, I found the tone of the book really irritating (and probably should have guessed I would be annoyed by something with "The Mommy Docs" in the title). I also didn't like that they used terms like "bag of water" instead of "amniotic sac." I was also annoyed that it kept referring to gender instead of sex. Babies don't have gender identities. Overall, I would have preferred a book that used more scientific terminology. My husband read the book as well and found it frustrating that it was written as if only women were interested in pregnancy. Still, I think this book contains valuable information. I liked the tone of Emily Oster's Expecting Better a lot more, but it wasn't focused on the details of fetal development, which this book does a pretty good job of.
April 5, 2018
My OB wrote this book so it was helpful to get more insight on pregnancy and childbirth from her perspective. Very good advice throughout pregnancy. Was it helpful during labor and delivery though? Not really as no one can prepare you for that!
October 19, 2017
A good book to read for expectant grandparents, as well!
January 19, 2012
Written by three lady ob-gyns, this book is an informative and authoritative guide to pregnancy. All three doctors did their residency training in low risk pregnancy and delivery with midwives at L.A. County Hospital, so they are more accepting of midwifery for low risk pregnancies and more tolerant of minimal medical interventions than many doctors. They even support a patients’ right to attempt a VBAC. These three doctors also don’t appear to be as induction happy as most modern ob-gyns and purport to advocate inducing only for certain medical reasons and never electively prior to 40 weeks, and thankfully they follow the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines that recommend against inducing at late preterm in suspected cases of macrosomia (a baby weighing over 8 lbs 13 oz) and instead offer an elective cesarean at term for non-diabetic mothers. For readers in favor of medically managed maternity care, these doctors seem to a solid middle ground approach.
Sidebars containing myths and facts are sprinkled throughout the books, and there are anecdotes in each section discussing either one of the doctor’s personal experience or the experience of one of her patients. There is also a glossary and an index.
The opening chapter contains preconception information and is followed by one discussing diet and exercise during pregnancy. Chapter 3 covers the first trimester, Chapter 4 covers the second trimester, and Chapter 5 covers the third trimester but also includes information about birth plans. Chapter 6 covers labor and delivery.
An entire chapter -- Chapter 8 -- is devoted to complications in early pregnancy, which gives more elaborate explanations of why a pregnancy may end in miscarriage prior to 20 weeks than most pregnancy guidebooks. This chapter also discusses infertility and treatment options.
High risk pregnancies also receive an entire chapter – Chapter 9, and for some reasons complications and emergencies during labor and delivery are lumped into this chapter rather than being included in Chapter 6 along with labor and delivery.
The next to last chapter – Chapter 10 – deals with other issues – mostly social and family/in-law – that cause women a great deal of stress during pregnancy, and the final chapter discusses common myths and frequently asked questions.
This is an excellent book for woman wanting a hospital birth with the exception of four major flaws.
Flaw #1: The authors describe lithotomy position (lying on one’s back) as “the traditional birthing position,” which is untrue. It is only “traditional” as of the early 1900’s when childbirth shifted from a home to a hospital setting. Upright positions are the traditional positions dating back thousands of years.
Flaw #2: The authors claim it is a myth that lithotomy position is not the most effective position for childbirth. This is not a myth, and you can ask the World Health Organization if you don't want to take my word for it.
Flaw #3: The authors list shoulder dystocia as a complication for macrosomia (a baby weighing over 8 lbs 13 oz). 50% of all cases of shoulder dystocia occur with babies weighing under 8 lbs 13 oz, and it is an event impossible to predict, which means this is a possible complication for every birth.
Flaw #4: None of the authors are trained in the Gaskin Maneuver, and the Gaskin Maneuver used to resolve shoulder dystocia and free the trapped baby is not mentioned anywhere in this book.
The authors also claim it is a myth that ob-gyns get paid more for cesarean sections. While I cannot prove this to be an outright untruth, it raises my suspicions. If the average vaginal delivery costs between $8,000 and $16,000 and the average cesarean costs between $32,000 and $42,000, someone is making a lot more money even if the insurance company pays the doctor the same amount for both types of deliveries.
October 13, 2012
You kind of expect a book that is written by a group of OBGYNs to downplay midwifery as an option or even to discourage it. However, the doctors and moms behind this book explain how they were trained by midwives while attending their very first births. They go into detail about their respect for midwives and agree that midwifery care at home, in a birth center, or in the hospital can be a great choice for low-risk moms.
The trio behind this book – referred to as “The Mommy Docs” – consists of obstetricians Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, and Alane Park, who are also the stars of the hit television show Deliver Me.
Even though they recognize alternate childbirth settings and choices, it’s clear that this book is written primarily for women who plan to give birth in a hospital with an OBGYN. It’s full of information about common hospital procedures and practices.
A good portion of this book is dedicated to pregnancy complications and high risk pregnancy information, as well as what to expect in the weeks and months after you give birth, e.g. caring for your postpartum body, postpartum depression and emotions, and caring for your baby.
Though it remains a very mainstream pregnancy book, topics in this book are approached in a more personal manner than most, with all of the perspectives in the book stemming from a woman’s point of view. They include lots of real life examples and scenarios to give you an idea of the many ways in which women may experience pregnancy and birth.
The Mommy Docs attempt to bust some common myths about pregnancy and birth, such as what you should or should not eat and a few other old wives tales that may be floating around.
One gem, near the middle of this book, lends respect and encouragement for the use of a labor support person, for example a friend, family member, or professional doula. It’s encouraging to hear a pregnancy book talk about this important choice in childbirth.
The information in this book is a little scattered, but a comprehensive glossary and index located in the back of the book make it easy to find what you are looking for.
The Mommy Docs’ Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth takes the unknown out of fertility issues, hospital birth, high risk pregnancy, complications, and what you may experience in the weeks and months after your baby is born. If you are facing any of these situations or are looking for a general mainstream guide to pregnancy and birth, this will suffice. If you are giving birth with a midwife or in an alternative location, this book is not the most suitable for you.
Read more: http://naturalfamilytoday.com/pregnan...
The trio behind this book – referred to as “The Mommy Docs” – consists of obstetricians Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, and Alane Park, who are also the stars of the hit television show Deliver Me.
Even though they recognize alternate childbirth settings and choices, it’s clear that this book is written primarily for women who plan to give birth in a hospital with an OBGYN. It’s full of information about common hospital procedures and practices.
A good portion of this book is dedicated to pregnancy complications and high risk pregnancy information, as well as what to expect in the weeks and months after you give birth, e.g. caring for your postpartum body, postpartum depression and emotions, and caring for your baby.
Though it remains a very mainstream pregnancy book, topics in this book are approached in a more personal manner than most, with all of the perspectives in the book stemming from a woman’s point of view. They include lots of real life examples and scenarios to give you an idea of the many ways in which women may experience pregnancy and birth.
The Mommy Docs attempt to bust some common myths about pregnancy and birth, such as what you should or should not eat and a few other old wives tales that may be floating around.
One gem, near the middle of this book, lends respect and encouragement for the use of a labor support person, for example a friend, family member, or professional doula. It’s encouraging to hear a pregnancy book talk about this important choice in childbirth.
The information in this book is a little scattered, but a comprehensive glossary and index located in the back of the book make it easy to find what you are looking for.
The Mommy Docs’ Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth takes the unknown out of fertility issues, hospital birth, high risk pregnancy, complications, and what you may experience in the weeks and months after your baby is born. If you are facing any of these situations or are looking for a general mainstream guide to pregnancy and birth, this will suffice. If you are giving birth with a midwife or in an alternative location, this book is not the most suitable for you.
Read more: http://naturalfamilytoday.com/pregnan...
August 23, 2013
I read at least eight pregnancy books when I became pregnant with our first child last April. Out of all of them, this vied for my favorite with one that was more specific to my experience (Big, Beautiful, and Pregnant: Expert Advice and Comforting Wisdom for the Expecting Plus-Size Woman). This book had most of the information that others have, but what made it especially helpful was the way that the three authors (all female OB/GYNs who have at least two kids of their own) inserted their own experiences to help illustrate what they were saying. The ways in which their own personal experiences as mothers helped inform the way they treat patients was clear and helped me better understand the importance of what they were saying. In all honesty, I tended to believe their advice more than what I read in other books, because they had all clearly "been there." For instance, all the books told me that round ligament pain would be, well, painful. But when one of the Mommy Docs said that she literally thought that her appendix was rupturing and went to the ER to have it checked out, only to find out it was round ligament pain . . . well, that made it a lot more clear that people were NOT kidding about it. Each of the authors had their own challenges to deal with as they had their own children: one had fertility issues, another had a premature infant, etc. These stories made them seem more human, and made their writing personal and much more compelling.
In addition to the authors' own stories, they also added in snippets of the experiences of their patients, which made things not only more clear, but easier to take in. The authors also included a section entitled "The Fourth Trimester" about what happens in the three months *after* you bring the baby home. Their information was especially helpful and unique to the baby books I read. I highly recommend this book, and think it should take pride of place on any reading list of a first time parent!
In addition to the authors' own stories, they also added in snippets of the experiences of their patients, which made things not only more clear, but easier to take in. The authors also included a section entitled "The Fourth Trimester" about what happens in the three months *after* you bring the baby home. Their information was especially helpful and unique to the baby books I read. I highly recommend this book, and think it should take pride of place on any reading list of a first time parent!
March 5, 2015
Out of my library's entire selection, this looked like the best option - a science-based book written by female doctors that have kids, so this was what I selected. Not bad. I preferred reading all the anecdotes of strangers as relayed by doctors to getting advice from strangers in real life, and I got a few tidbits of advice that I hadn't yet picked up along the way, but nothing earth-shaking.
May 25, 2012
I got this book because it was cheap at the Borders going out of business sale. It served my purpose well. Covered all the information I wanted, easy to read, reasonably well organized. My favorite parts were that it focused on the likelihood of good outcomes, had myth-busting inserts, and had lots of personal stories.
August 9, 2014
This was a pretty good mix of personal and patient anecdotes and medical information from 3 Obstetricians who are also moms themselves. I liked that it wasn't preachy or scare-mongering and it was also respectful of midwifery and natural births for low-risk pregnancies. A helpful look ahead for First Time Moms.
January 12, 2020
The best pregnancy, delivery & newborn book out there! One of these doctors delivered my first baby, and another delivered my next 2, and is my OB/ GYN to this day. They are incredible & so is this book.
March 28, 2014
This book was fine. Nothing super enlightening, but I do like that it was written by doctors. I skipped the section on complications as I don't have any interest is hearing about what could go wrong, I'd rather believe it will just go right.
February 10, 2012
I really liked this pregnancy book too. Written by real doctors with great stories and real details about pregnancy and labor. Very factual.
September 6, 2012
Very useful (although somewhat biased) book with lots of facts, a logical order, and a few personal stories interspersed.
January 29, 2013
Kind of overwhelming and slightly more than I want to know.
August 10, 2014
I keep reading and rereading sections of this book. Good information in an easy to follow (and skim later) format.
January 12, 2014
I've never seen this show (didn't even know it existed) but this was a good summary of information (from a very OB medical point of view) and I liked the little stories spread throughout the book.
August 6, 2016
clear info, they do a good job of not scaring you, answering questions and breaking down info so its not overwhelming
November 16, 2016
This book is very comprehensive and well written. It answered every question I had about pregnancy and more!
May 20, 2017
Nice, practical advice. This book did not have the scaremongering approach that "What to Expect" seems to have.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews