Pregnancy For Dummies

by Joanne Stone, Mary Duenwald

Everything expectant mums need to know, trimester by trimester Both new and seasoned parents alike have questions and concerns over the course of the nine–month adventure. Pregnancy For Dummies offers comfort and reassurance while serving as a guide to what mother and baby experience before, during, and just after birth. Here, you’ll find expert advice on diets and exercise when you’re pregnant; guidance on following your baby’s development, trimester by trimester; tips on how to prepare for the big day; techniques for taking care of yourself before and after delivery; and support for caring for a newborn baby. Pregnancy For Dummies gives parents–to–be authoritative, friendly, up–to–date advice on every aspect of pregnancy and childbirth. This new edition offers all of the latest information expecting parents want to know, including medical and nutritional information and updated resources/changes in NHS practice, so that new mums will feel prepared and reassured ahead of the birth. A guide to what mother and baby experience before, during, and just after birth Helpful information on preparing for pregnancy Advice on diet and exercise during pregnancy Information on your rights and welfare benefits Guidance on how to care for a newborn baby If you’re an expectant mum looking for practical, down–to–earth guidance on what to expect before, during, and after pregnancy, Pregnancy For Dummies will keep you prepared and reassured every step along the way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Health, Self Help, Education

408 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

please read this book with a skeptical mind. or at least just know that it is skewed very heavily towards a technocratic approach to childbirth. readers should be warned that the information is coming from two obstetricians with a very strong medically-oriented bias. as was pointed out by another reviewer, i found some statements that are absolutely not true: one is the authors' claim that pitocin does not lead to more painful contractions; the second is that giving birth in the lithotomy position (on your back) makes for the easiest delivery. (it may be easist for the doctor.) both of these are known to be false. in fact, it has been pointed out that the lithotomy position is the single most dysfunctional position for delivery. it actually makes the pelvis more narrow and increases the likelihood of tears. also, it has been the least common position adopted by birthing women throughout history and the world except in cultures that have embraced a medical approach to birth (and then, it was the doctors' idea). i think this is very irresponsible of the authors and the publisher should have balanced their perspective with that of natural-birth practitioners so that women could hear more than one viewpoint.

i gave it two stars instead of one because there is some helpful information. also, on a personal level, this was the book that prompted me to call my midwife because of the early contractions i was experiencing. some other books seemed to imply that the contractions could be normal. in other words, i think this book is most useful for the medically urgent issues that may come up during pregnancy but NOT for a normal, healthy pregnancy that is moving along smoothly.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it for a friend and it was really helpful and a little bit scary.

[Kinga (oazaksiazek) · Rating 5 out of 5]

To najlepsza książka o ciąży jaką miałam okazję przeczytać. Przydatnych informacji jest w niej mnóstwo, więc bez problemu znalazłam coś dla siebie i dla mojego narzeczonego.

W moim odczuciu jest to bardzo naukowa pozycja, ale wiedza w niej zawarta podana jest w sposób łatwy i przyjemny. Najważniejsze treści są odpowiednio wyszczególnione, tak aby ktoś, kto nie ma zamiaru przeczytać jej od deski do deski, mógł swobodnie skorzystać z poradnikowej części tej pozycji.

"Ciąża dla bystrzaków" porusza m.in. takie tematy jak odpowiednie przygotowanie do ciąży, opisy poszczególnych trymestrów i metod porodu, radzenie sobie w połogu czy zachowania noworodka w pierwszych dniach na świecie.

Zaznaczyłam w niej mnóstwo fragmentów i jestem ogromnie zadowolona z lektury tej książki. Polecam zarówno tym, którzy ciążę dopiero planują, jak i tym, którzy już w niej są.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

On page 158 this book declares that "It is a common misconception that oxytocin makes labor more painful. It does not." And then, on page 159, "Again, the contractions produced as a result of this augmentation are no stronger and no more painful than contractions that occur during a spontaneous labor."
I'm assuming that was written by Keith Eddleman, M.D. It was obviously not written by a woman who experienced both, and would actually know what she was talking about. As my dad would say: "Do you think I just fell off the rutabaga truck?"

[Luciana]

I don’t know how this ended up on my “currently reading” list (maybe I hit the wrong button while editing my Kindle downloads), but my now six-year-old twins are the only biological children I currently have, or who will ever inhabit my body.

I don’t think I read past the first page, but ***Spoiler Alert*** it’s a human!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have chosen not to read What to Expect While You're Expecting while pregnant. I have heard over and over that it's effusive information can make a mom-to-be worry more than is necessary. I know my own propensity to worry, and decided to deny myself the opportunity.

That said, this book is PERFECT to prepare for pregnancy. Granted, I'm not there yet, so that remains to be seen, but the book is informative yet concise, realistic yet supportive, and narrative yet organized. I highly recommend it.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I think that title might have people questioning whether to pick it up but since I have little experience with newborns I found it extremely helpful. It has clearly labeled sections that made it really easy to find what I was looking for. I also felt that it focused on what moms to be really need to know and it was not designed just to scare them. I also felt that it was very easy to read and understand. Thus far, it has addressed all of my mommy concerns!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book for my first pregnancy and read it cover to cover. It really helped me understand what was going on with my body and answered any question I could think up. It was a wonderful read and was written in a quirky, humorous writing style that held my interest. I haven't found many informative books like that. I'd recommend it to any first time preggos (or even if it's your second or third go-around!)

[Chloe Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful

[Nathan Hatch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book because I was curious about pregnancy (no, nobody I know is expecting children any time soon), and this one happened to be available through my local library.

What I liked

It seems fairly thorough. It discusses everything from how to conceive up through the first few months after delivery (newborn baby care, getting back in shape, breastfeeding in particular). And of course (as indicated by the title) it's quite approachable.

It discusses the uncomfortable, embarrassing, and dangerous parts of pregnancy, but not to the point of scare-mongering. The selection of topics seems biased toward a medical/obstetrician's perspective. For example, it devotes several pages each to such topics as amniocentesis (a procedure for collecting amniotic fluid, often used to test for genetic conditions), gestational diabetes (diabetes that occurs only during/because of pregnancy), and breech presentation (when the baby's oriented feet-first). It emphasizes that most complications are rare (giving actual percentages), and even when they occur, there are effective known procedures for handling them. There's even a special icon to draw your attention to things you shouldn't worry about.

At the end of the book, there's a dedicated section (albeit eyebrow-raisingly short) about how fathers/partners can help with the whole process.

What I did not like

I think there are a lot of editions of this book, and I'm not sure I found the right one on Goodreads. The edition I read was a UK edition, so a lot of the details about health coverage and legal concerns are not relevant to US readers.

I have no specific complaints, but nothing in particular stands out about this book either.

[Pollo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mi primera experiencia con la colección "para dummies" (y con el embarazo). No, no es una guía para castos explicando como embarazar a alguien, sino una larga y bastante completa serie de consejos para prepararse ante el futuro nacimiento. Pensaba que sería algo muy básico, con hartos dibujos y chistes malos. Todo lo contrario. Dudo que esté dirigida precisamente a tontos, mas bien me sentí uno al no entender los múltiples términos científicos de sustancias químicas, medicamentos, enfermedades o partes del cuerpo. Además, incluye diversos escenarios inesperados para los que están esperando: mellizos, trillizos, prematuros, tranfusiones de sangre al feto, pérdidas multiples, muerte fetal etc. lo que confirman mi idea de que no es taaaaan introductorio, de hecho creo que podría ser suficiente su lectura sin tener que acudir a otros textos. Será motivo para buscar, si existe, la secuela: Nacimiento para dummies y Crianza para dummies.

[Evi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Laat me kort zijn: het oog wil ook wat. Dit boek is niet mooi vormgegeven, al is het wel handig om snel in te grasdijnen en snel wat mee te pikken. Verder is het wat mij betreft - uiteraard, want geschreven door dokters - te medisch. Als ik het niet cadeau had gekregen en de andere zwangerschapslectuur was niet uit had ik het niet gelezen. Op naar de mooie borstvoedingsboeken.

[Sonia Sanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ilustrativo y profesional, en ocasiones un tanto condescendiente. Entiendo que se considera un clásico por el machismo que rezuman algunas afirmaciones contenidas entre sus páginas. No obstante, cumple su cometido divulgativo y aporta también contenido de calidad.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot! It’s like a textbook overview of everything regarding pregnancy, the trimesters, birth, and post partum. Authors lay out all the different birth methods etc. without being biased. Lots of definitions and explanations. Easier than most pregnancy books.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, accessible info. Now I can ask good questions when chatting with pregnant people!

[Kurtbg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent, but not as well-suites as a reference as “Great Expectations: Pregnancy and Childbirth” by Sandy Jones.

[Elena Tasdighi · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتاب خوبی بود شاید بتوان گفت بهترین کتاب در حوزه بارداری می تونه باشه و می تونه برای تمام خانم های باردار مرجع باشه
از خرافات گرفته و تا داروهای مجاز و غیر مجاز

[Jorgina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Esta muy desactualizado

[Miguel Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imprescindible, buen libro para empezar.

[Kirsten Mattheis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt outdated compared to other books I've been reading. There were some good resources in there though.

[Orsi Nagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alapvetően informatív könyv, viszont voltak azért benne túlkapások. A legdurvább talán, amikor először közli, hogy a pár hónapos (anyatejen élő) gyerek mellett nyugodtan lehet fogamzásgátlót szedni, majd pár sorral lejjebb arról ír, hogy természetesen minden gyógyszerből valamennyi továbbadódik a babának. Van épeszű nő, aki ezt nem tudja fejben összerakni?

Amerikaiaknak íródott, és ez látszik is, sokszor az én ízlésemhez képest túlságosan szabadelvű, pl. "ne szoptass, ha nincs kedved, vagy ha irtózol a gondolattól". Kissé túl sokszor emleget gyógyszert, fájdalomcsillapítót, nyugtatót, szteroidot, vitamint és ritkán szól a hasznos/nem hasznos zöldségekről, gabonákról stb., mintha mindenre a tabletták nyújtanák az egyedüli megoldást. Arról nem is beszélve, hogy egy csomó fölösleges dolgot leír, ami Magyarországon még nem is elérhető (alternatív szülési módok, tanfolyamok stb.).

Mindezek ellenére jó referenciakönyv, kissé néha túl részletekbe menő is (az alcíme lehetne: 250 mód, ahogy a szülés félre tud siklani - komolyan, minden létező komplikációt leír), de azért hasznos és érthető.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended after I complained how uninformative "Very Popular Pregnancy Book" was. It repeatedly gave broad, bland statements then said "ask your doctor". Pregnancy for Dummies IS asking your doctor! It is full of reasonable advice and invaluable information. The "For Dummies" format with the icons for organizing information is superb. I especially liked the "Don't Worry" icons. This allows for an excellent balance of information and common sense. Another great organizational feature is the last several special chapters. They place the important, but not universally needed, information in here rather than putting the rare and scary stuff in the main chapters.
This book is obviously written by skilled and caring practitioners who are confident in their knowledge and are willing to guide the reader through the unknowns of pregnancy.
I now recommend this to everyone who is first time pregnant or has a newly pregnant friend they want to gift.

[Viv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy buena información para madres primerizas como yo. Lo que no me gustó que no entraban en mucho detalle como si en verdad los k estuviéramos leyendo este libro fuéramos unos Dummies. Me hubiera guatado mucho que abarcará todos los síntomas o cosas que pasan en cada trimestre. Les falto mensionar todas esas pequeñas molestias que nosotras las embarazadas experimentamos cada día. Pero en general este libro nos da buenas referencias a lo que esperar durante el embarazo y después de el. Le doy 3.5 estrellas.

[Rocio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy informativo! Lei partes para un trabajo de investigacion y me parecio un libro completo e interesante! Contiene informacion medica que ayuda a la mujer entender procesos normales y anormales a la vez. El libro explica las cosas de una manera que la futura mama pueda entender y da buenos consejos para prevenir ciertas complicaciones durante el embarazo. Creo que toda mujer deberia leer Embarazo para Dummies para prepararse y descubrir mas sobre esta hermosa etapa de la vida!

[Julie Mayne Barschow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book for full-price at Borders with no coupons the day after I found out I was pregnant. If you know me, you know I rarely buy books new without coupons. Well, I was feeling a bit anxious and needed somewhere to unravel the thoughts and questions attacking my mind. This book definitely helped! Thanks to Heather for recommending it!

[Bobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I actually read this book. I didn't think I would be able to get through any of my old OB text books and I figured this would be great for Lisa as well. It's actually pretty detailed and not as dumbed down as you would expect.

[Agostina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para tener un panorama general respecto del embarazo, dificultades, qué esperar y varias cosas más, es un buen libro, preciso, conciso y con un nivel de detalle acotado que permite entender los temas tratados y buscar más información si fuera necesario. Es una buena orientación.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend using this book along with What to expect when you are expecting.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informational. Not like those hard to understand big word books. Good reference book for first time moms.

[Andrika · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a great booking to accompany me during my 1st pregnancy. it tells you what other people don't!