The Pregnancy Test: 150 Important, Embarrassing, and Slightly Neurotic Questions

by Melissa Heckscher, Emily Sikking

Expecting moms have plenty of weird and blush-worthy questions they’d rather not ask their “Is it okay to get a bikini wax?” “Can my baby cry in the womb?” “Why have I gained so much weight?”  The Pregnancy Test turns these questions and others into a delightful multiple-choice guessing game, complete with carefully researched and informative responses to the wildest and most outrageous concerns. Authors Melissa Heckscher and Dr. Emily Sikking test readers’ knowledge of everything from fetal development to labor and delivery—and along the way, you’ll learn why pregnant women should stay off roller coasters and go easy on caffeine.  The perfect gift for new moms (and a terrific refresher course for seasoned veterans), The Pregnancy Test answers everything you’ve ever wondered while expecting.

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Melissa Heckscher is a freelance writer and columnist living in Los Angeles. She is the author of nine books, including BE HAPPY THAT... This Book Isn't Coated in Poison (Random House, 2009), DIS-Missals: Do-It-Yourself Rejection Letters for Any Occasion (Random House, 2008), BE SAFE! Simple Strategies for Death-Free Living (Quirk Books, 2004), and The Mysterious Times: Strange Stories of 30 Real Life Mysteries (Scholastic, 2004). Her latest book, The Pregnancy Test (Quirk Books) was released in 2011.

She began her career long, long ago as an editorial assistant at the Times Picayune in New Orleans and went on to work as a staff writer for The Monterey County Herald, AOL's Digital City, New York 1 News, and the Daily Breeze. She has also written for Maxim Magazine Online, LA.com, The New York Sun, and the Associated Press.

She lives in Manhattan Beach with her three boys: husband Noah and sons Gabriel and Max.

[From http://melissaheckscher.com]

Reviews

[Sara Grace]

Quick read and a good way to start reading about pregnancies. Some of the questions and answers were a little silly, but I guess it's better to know either way.

There was one question I found a little offensive. It was about "showing" by your 20th week. She says that only out of shape mothers show that early. However, in the last paragraph, she says obviously, if you're having multiples or petite, etc. you'd show too. I just think that could have been worded a little more respectfully.

[Angie]

Reads more like an amusing pamphlet than a book. A quick skim vs an in depth read.

[Lenore Webb]

"The Pregnancy Test" to help out the new momma. I think she will be thrilled with this one. It has 150 of those questions we do not want to ask out loud. And most of all, the answers too! You know the ones....can I ride a horse, is it okay to burn scented candles and why do my nipples sting. Odd ones for sure but they cross our mind when we are thinking of our unborn. What ones did you have or hear. The one I have always hated hearing was that cats were dangerous to newborns. Of course we would not have them sleeping in the crib with them. But they are not going to suck the life out of them.

[Erin]

Funny little multiple choice questions about odd pregnancy things. A quick read and fun book.