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Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven: A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot (and Healthy) Mother!
Skinny Bitch created a movement when it exposed the horrors of the food industry, while inspiring people across the world to stop eating "crap." Now the "Bitches" are back -- this time with a book geared to pregnant women. And just because their audience is in a "delicate condition" doesn't mean they'll deliver a gentle message. As they did with Skinny Bitch , Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin expose the truth about the food we eat -- with its hormones, chemicals, and other funky stuff. But even though they are "Skinny," they want women to chow down on the right foods and gain their fair share of weight through their pregnancies.
They also won't mince words on these topics:
the best foods for a healthy baby and mommy
the dangers of common lotions, creams, and beauty products that women slather on their bodies (many contain carcinogens)
why every mother should "suck it up" and breastfeed
the lowdown on what really happens "post-push" (after birth)
how the companies we trust don't care about children (choosing baby food and other products carefully)
With the same sassy tone that made Skinny Bitch laugh-out-loud funny, Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven will give expectant moms the information they need to "use their head" and have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
They also won't mince words on these topics:
the best foods for a healthy baby and mommy
the dangers of common lotions, creams, and beauty products that women slather on their bodies (many contain carcinogens)
why every mother should "suck it up" and breastfeed
the lowdown on what really happens "post-push" (after birth)
how the companies we trust don't care about children (choosing baby food and other products carefully)
With the same sassy tone that made Skinny Bitch laugh-out-loud funny, Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven will give expectant moms the information they need to "use their head" and have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
48 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Rory Freedman
24 books97 followersRory Freedman is the co-author of "Skinny Bitch". She attended the University of Maryland, and used to not like writing, but has developed a passion for writing due to her passion for the subjects that she writes about. She wrote "Skinny Bitch" because she is passionate about not being skinny or being a bitch, but to educate everyone about becoming vegetarian and vegan. Rory Freedman was not always a vegan, or vegetarian. Growing up she ate meat every day. Her passion for becoming vegetarian and vegan developed about 15 years ago. Her passion developed due to reading an article about animals being slaughtered for food. She always saw herself as an animal lover and she was disgusted by what she saw in the article. One image was of baby chickens crammed into a garbage bag and thrown into a dumpster. The next picture she sees is a picture of a mother cow and a baby cow. The baby was taken away from the mother, and being upset that she baby was taken away from her, she started to ram the cage and broke her neck. The mother cow was left there to lay and die with a broken neck. The other picture she saw was of a downer cow, an injured cow, on the back of a truck being unloaded by a chain wrapped around the cows legs. She was devastated to know that animals were being treated this way due to her eating meat. After reading this article in the magazine, she made the decision to become vegetarian. She did not want to contribute to the torture and slaughter of animals. The sole reason she became a vegetarian was so that she did not have to be part of the pictures that she saw.
Since she became vegetarian, she was now interested in doing more research on nutrition. People always said that vegetarians lack protein and other things that your body needs, so therefore she conducted research and found that these statements and assumptions are not true. Rory found out that by becoming vegetarian, you do not lack protein, and that most Americans actually have too much protein in their diets. Becoming a vegetarian had a total change on Rory. She felt as though she became nicer, happy, had more energy, and overall a better person. She became an animal rights activist due to her passion for animals. After making these changes, she felt as though she had a purpose in life. Rory encourages people to try a 30 day Veg Pledge. This is trying to be vegetarian for 30 days to just try to and see if you like the changes that your body will go through.
*Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling books.
She resides in Los Angeles.
Since she became vegetarian, she was now interested in doing more research on nutrition. People always said that vegetarians lack protein and other things that your body needs, so therefore she conducted research and found that these statements and assumptions are not true. Rory found out that by becoming vegetarian, you do not lack protein, and that most Americans actually have too much protein in their diets. Becoming a vegetarian had a total change on Rory. She felt as though she became nicer, happy, had more energy, and overall a better person. She became an animal rights activist due to her passion for animals. After making these changes, she felt as though she had a purpose in life. Rory encourages people to try a 30 day Veg Pledge. This is trying to be vegetarian for 30 days to just try to and see if you like the changes that your body will go through.
*Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling books.
She resides in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
September 7, 2011
When I first found out I was pregnant, I trekked over to the bookstore to look at a few books to get the lay of the land. I flipped through a few and bought them, this one included. I had opened to a food list in the middle of the book that listed healthy food options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and thought it would be a good resource to have on hand. I’d only read snippets of the original Skinny Bitch book, so I was ill-prepared for this one.
The Good: The aforementioned food list, a comprehensive meal plan with loads of great ideas, a formidable works cited section at the end of the book.
The Bad: The reliance on scare tactics to shame women into changing eating behaviors, the writing style, the insistence that anything non-organic is not worth eating.
The Ugly: Everything else.
First, let me get this out there: I eat organic when I can. I’m trying to eat it more now, but I am by no means eating organic and locally grown food for every single meal. Not at all. With that being said, I’ve always tried to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and tend to lean toward vegetarian options more often than meat ones because I was raised a vegetarian as a child. I’m not downing McDonald’s five times a week over here, but nor am I eating locally-grown arugula salads with homemade dressing at every meal either. No extremes. I like delicious food, bottom line. If it’s made with cheese, I don’t go shame-cry in the corner. I love cheese.
Second, this book touches on the fact that most women have food aversions, nausea or cravings at some point during the average pregnancy, but continues to say that a cup of peppermint tea (for example) can help you “avoid a sugarfest.” This kind of advice, while helpful (especially to the non-pregnant), struck me as completely ridiculous. Although I didn’t have much nausea, I’ve had food aversions to nearly every “normal” food or drink I had prior to pregnancy. Coffee? Nope. Red meat? Hell no. Peppermint tea?! Let me put it this way: I almost vomited opening a cupboard above my sink that had my peppermint tea stash in it.
In addition to these no-sugar-not-even-once scare tactics, they pile dairy and any type of meat on the heap. Yet, in their recommended food section, they list a whole host of packaged, processed organic goodies to substitute for, oh, for example, an egg white omelette. I cannot—will not—accept that a frozen, packaged organic waffle is better for me than an egg white omelette made with veggies and greens. No way, not happening, not buying it.
I acknowledge that they put forth a lot of research to support their views, and I can see how valuable such a diet may be for someone attempting to, well…become a “skinny bitch” (bun in the oven or not). That’s not me. I want to eat good food, cook good food and eat some sour candy when I feel like it. I’ll eat organic when I can and I won’t sweat it when I don’t. I’ve got too many other things to worry about to stress about whether or not I should be eating a burger made with soybeans.
If you’re curious, buy this book for The Good parts I mentioned above. Honestly, the meal plans are great and it’s easy to substitute ingredients if something doesn’t sound quite up your alley.
In the end, maybe I didn’t give this book a fair chance. Maybe I got wrapped up in the horrendous writing or overtly pathetic scare tactics and should have focused on the overall message instead. But, let’s face it: I’m more bitch than skinny these days and I don’t really have time for any nonsense.
P.S. I wrote this post eating Sour Patch candy.
P.P.S. I’m making a salad later, don’t freak out.
The Good: The aforementioned food list, a comprehensive meal plan with loads of great ideas, a formidable works cited section at the end of the book.
The Bad: The reliance on scare tactics to shame women into changing eating behaviors, the writing style, the insistence that anything non-organic is not worth eating.
The Ugly: Everything else.
First, let me get this out there: I eat organic when I can. I’m trying to eat it more now, but I am by no means eating organic and locally grown food for every single meal. Not at all. With that being said, I’ve always tried to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and tend to lean toward vegetarian options more often than meat ones because I was raised a vegetarian as a child. I’m not downing McDonald’s five times a week over here, but nor am I eating locally-grown arugula salads with homemade dressing at every meal either. No extremes. I like delicious food, bottom line. If it’s made with cheese, I don’t go shame-cry in the corner. I love cheese.
Second, this book touches on the fact that most women have food aversions, nausea or cravings at some point during the average pregnancy, but continues to say that a cup of peppermint tea (for example) can help you “avoid a sugarfest.” This kind of advice, while helpful (especially to the non-pregnant), struck me as completely ridiculous. Although I didn’t have much nausea, I’ve had food aversions to nearly every “normal” food or drink I had prior to pregnancy. Coffee? Nope. Red meat? Hell no. Peppermint tea?! Let me put it this way: I almost vomited opening a cupboard above my sink that had my peppermint tea stash in it.
In addition to these no-sugar-not-even-once scare tactics, they pile dairy and any type of meat on the heap. Yet, in their recommended food section, they list a whole host of packaged, processed organic goodies to substitute for, oh, for example, an egg white omelette. I cannot—will not—accept that a frozen, packaged organic waffle is better for me than an egg white omelette made with veggies and greens. No way, not happening, not buying it.
I acknowledge that they put forth a lot of research to support their views, and I can see how valuable such a diet may be for someone attempting to, well…become a “skinny bitch” (bun in the oven or not). That’s not me. I want to eat good food, cook good food and eat some sour candy when I feel like it. I’ll eat organic when I can and I won’t sweat it when I don’t. I’ve got too many other things to worry about to stress about whether or not I should be eating a burger made with soybeans.
If you’re curious, buy this book for The Good parts I mentioned above. Honestly, the meal plans are great and it’s easy to substitute ingredients if something doesn’t sound quite up your alley.
In the end, maybe I didn’t give this book a fair chance. Maybe I got wrapped up in the horrendous writing or overtly pathetic scare tactics and should have focused on the overall message instead. But, let’s face it: I’m more bitch than skinny these days and I don’t really have time for any nonsense.
P.S. I wrote this post eating Sour Patch candy.
P.P.S. I’m making a salad later, don’t freak out.
April 24, 2009
Ok, honestly, I did not read this whole book. After reading part of it I went back and read the entire cover looking for where it said that the book advocates a vegan diet (not what I was looking to read about) and promotes totally insane conspiracy theories. It doesn’t say anything about that on the cover at all!
I think the problem is that the book was written by models. Now, as a big fan of America’s Next Top Model and as someone who practices poses in the mirror several times a day, I really am interested in models and modeling. But I have a firm belief that most models should not write nutrition books! People who eat 3 carrot sticks a day and claim to be full and fat…hello?! That’s like a smoker writing a book about healthy lifestyles. Not the most qualified point of view!
Also, I think these very lovely ladies watch a little too much ‘20/20’. When I was a kid I loved that show. They were always doing exposés on things like: The grass in your yard has been genetically modified to open your front door, run down the hall, and climb in your ears at night to tickle your brain so that you don’t get sleep. It is the government’s goal to keep the American public sleep deprived and confused because they are easier to control that way.
Ok, so I made that one up, but there were often ridiculous things that they did stories on. These ladies run along the same vein. Except where they mention that celery has toxins in it. I almost gave the book 5 stars just for that. Obviously, that is not an insane theory. Celery is clearly the most disgusting food ever and is obviously full of poison.
But what I disliked the most is that the authors were mean. They continually would spew out some stupid conspiracy (ie ‘Milk causes cancer!’) and then tell you directly that you are stupid cuz you never knew that and if you don’t follow their awesome advice now and forever you are dumb and dumber! And they swear a whole hell of a lot.
So, skip it. Unless you are a mean model vegetarian -- or looking to become one.
I think the problem is that the book was written by models. Now, as a big fan of America’s Next Top Model and as someone who practices poses in the mirror several times a day, I really am interested in models and modeling. But I have a firm belief that most models should not write nutrition books! People who eat 3 carrot sticks a day and claim to be full and fat…hello?! That’s like a smoker writing a book about healthy lifestyles. Not the most qualified point of view!
Also, I think these very lovely ladies watch a little too much ‘20/20’. When I was a kid I loved that show. They were always doing exposés on things like: The grass in your yard has been genetically modified to open your front door, run down the hall, and climb in your ears at night to tickle your brain so that you don’t get sleep. It is the government’s goal to keep the American public sleep deprived and confused because they are easier to control that way.
Ok, so I made that one up, but there were often ridiculous things that they did stories on. These ladies run along the same vein. Except where they mention that celery has toxins in it. I almost gave the book 5 stars just for that. Obviously, that is not an insane theory. Celery is clearly the most disgusting food ever and is obviously full of poison.
But what I disliked the most is that the authors were mean. They continually would spew out some stupid conspiracy (ie ‘Milk causes cancer!’) and then tell you directly that you are stupid cuz you never knew that and if you don’t follow their awesome advice now and forever you are dumb and dumber! And they swear a whole hell of a lot.
So, skip it. Unless you are a mean model vegetarian -- or looking to become one.
November 5, 2010
No friends, I am not pregnant. But yes, as the well-informed librarian that I am, I am starting to do my research in preparation. I even have a pregnancy shelf now. I suppose it's a bit embarrassing that this wacky title is among the first of my "research", but here's the deal: Despite what you may infer from the title, this is one of the most recent books out there about vegan pregnancy. Sad, right?!
While I did find some stuff in here that was interesting or affirming to my chosen lifestyle, as someone who's already been vegan for over 11 years and meat-free for half of my life, the long gross-out chapters about factory farming, the dairy industry, corporate greed and scandal, and deplorable lack of food regulation sadly were old news to me. "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer does a much better job at delivering the harsh blows more effectively to your average omnivore if you really want to know the cold hard facts (and you should!).
But back to buns in the oven. I skimmed through some of the negative reviews here, and it seems that many women pick this up while pregnant and are instantly repelled by the over-the-top condemning snark-fest. Put down the damn Cheetos! Diet Coke is Satan! Go do some yoga or you'll end up with a chud baby! Sigh. This is their whole shtick. Their advice is common sense, but they're gunna yell at you and make you feel guilty. They are the rich white straight pretty blond bitches from LA. We can already see how alienating this is for many of us, and it just doesn't work for a pregnancy book, when us ladies are already freaked out and vulnerable and just want some help. And while their backing data and references are cited consistently throughout the book, overall the information is poorly organized and all over the place. They don't spend nearly enough time on the recommended eating chapter, with uninspired menus lacking nutritional info and a shopping list full of hard-to-find and/or expensive specialty items.
I just wish, as one of the very few current vegan pregnancy books out there, that this didn't have to be so gimmicky and incendiary. I already know that I'm going to get unfairly judged for choosing to remain vegan when I'm pregnant, despite how healthy and informed I constantly strive to be, and I worry books like this will just make people judge me even more.
While I did find some stuff in here that was interesting or affirming to my chosen lifestyle, as someone who's already been vegan for over 11 years and meat-free for half of my life, the long gross-out chapters about factory farming, the dairy industry, corporate greed and scandal, and deplorable lack of food regulation sadly were old news to me. "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer does a much better job at delivering the harsh blows more effectively to your average omnivore if you really want to know the cold hard facts (and you should!).
But back to buns in the oven. I skimmed through some of the negative reviews here, and it seems that many women pick this up while pregnant and are instantly repelled by the over-the-top condemning snark-fest. Put down the damn Cheetos! Diet Coke is Satan! Go do some yoga or you'll end up with a chud baby! Sigh. This is their whole shtick. Their advice is common sense, but they're gunna yell at you and make you feel guilty. They are the rich white straight pretty blond bitches from LA. We can already see how alienating this is for many of us, and it just doesn't work for a pregnancy book, when us ladies are already freaked out and vulnerable and just want some help. And while their backing data and references are cited consistently throughout the book, overall the information is poorly organized and all over the place. They don't spend nearly enough time on the recommended eating chapter, with uninspired menus lacking nutritional info and a shopping list full of hard-to-find and/or expensive specialty items.
I just wish, as one of the very few current vegan pregnancy books out there, that this didn't have to be so gimmicky and incendiary. I already know that I'm going to get unfairly judged for choosing to remain vegan when I'm pregnant, despite how healthy and informed I constantly strive to be, and I worry books like this will just make people judge me even more.
September 5, 2009
While browsing the bookstore the original "Skinny Bitch" was on the display rack. It made me laugh...a lot. I noticed there was a pregnancy version so I was all to happy to get it. I think most pregnancy books are stupid and there is no reason you should be purchasing a pregnancy book when you have the internet to reference.
I knew beforehand that this book promoted a vegetarian, mostly vegan, lifestyle. Sarcasm and vegetarianism is just right up my alley. This wasn't another boring month-to-month guide about how your precious alien is growing inside of you. Most people will contest the vegetarian/vegan pregnancy out of ignorance and old fartyness (is that a word?). If the mother-to-be has a clue about how to calculate protein and other than that should be an idicator that she might know what she's doing. Mommy won't be eating junk food her whole pregnancy. If she does not this book does help.
The one thing that I didn't like about this book is the fact after fact after fact after fact format. I also wish it had a section about how to tell and educate your grandma and other skeptical people in your life about your choice to have a vegetarian pregnancy. If you tell an uneducated person about how you are not going to eat meat during your pregnancy you will get the dreaded protein lecture in hopes you will come to your senses. You maybe even get stoned or get the silent treatment.
I enjoyed this the sarcasm, raunchiness and vulgarity that this book had to offer. Thank you.
I knew beforehand that this book promoted a vegetarian, mostly vegan, lifestyle. Sarcasm and vegetarianism is just right up my alley. This wasn't another boring month-to-month guide about how your precious alien is growing inside of you. Most people will contest the vegetarian/vegan pregnancy out of ignorance and old fartyness (is that a word?). If the mother-to-be has a clue about how to calculate protein and other than that should be an idicator that she might know what she's doing. Mommy won't be eating junk food her whole pregnancy. If she does not this book does help.
The one thing that I didn't like about this book is the fact after fact after fact after fact format. I also wish it had a section about how to tell and educate your grandma and other skeptical people in your life about your choice to have a vegetarian pregnancy. If you tell an uneducated person about how you are not going to eat meat during your pregnancy you will get the dreaded protein lecture in hopes you will come to your senses. You maybe even get stoned or get the silent treatment.
I enjoyed this the sarcasm, raunchiness and vulgarity that this book had to offer. Thank you.
July 27, 2010
I'm sure some people may find this helpful. I got stuck on the preachy bits (like milk is evil and no one should drink it but baby cows) the zillions of references (over 500 other sources cited seems excessively excessive to me), and the sophomoric humor (the lead in to the chapter on "pooping" for instance). It was really just the same info from those 500 plus other sources, tossed with not-so-witty comments. There are much better books out there that deliver better -- Girlfriend's Guide, for instance. If you want the humor, go for Jenny McCarthy's books. This one just left a bad aftertaste and didn't provide any new insight, or laughs, as far as I was concerned.
September 30, 2008
don't be offended by the title - sorry!
1. this is NOT a diet book!!
2. this is a great (but very sassy & yes it has some swearing) book on overall nutrition/health & has a lot of truth in it. it really makes you think twice about what you eat.
3. it has a lot of the same info as their first book "skinny witch," which I read/loved but did not buy, but I'm glad I bought this one!
p.s. a quick thought-provoking, habit-changing read. it took me a long weekend on vacation to read - something you could read in one sitting!
1. this is NOT a diet book!!
2. this is a great (but very sassy & yes it has some swearing) book on overall nutrition/health & has a lot of truth in it. it really makes you think twice about what you eat.
3. it has a lot of the same info as their first book "skinny witch," which I read/loved but did not buy, but I'm glad I bought this one!
p.s. a quick thought-provoking, habit-changing read. it took me a long weekend on vacation to read - something you could read in one sitting!
March 22, 2009
double suck it, ladies. same as all of their books: the info is good. the tone is insulting and the message of the title is simply there to sell books. and seriously, "skinny bitch" for a pregnant woman???
June 19, 2009
I HATED this book! It was all concerned with staying thin while pregnant, gave bad dietary advice (don't eat any dairy!) and generally sucked!
June 27, 2010
I was already a vegan before becoming pregnant, and just looking for guidance on being sure that I was getting enough of the "extras" required for pregnancy. So I can't speak to how well this book converts the non-believers, or educates the uninitiated, etc.
But it is reassuring to have cheerleaders who are not only saying, yes you can be both pregnant and a vegan without giving birth to a mutant owl baby because you refused to eat meat, but also saying, you're doing the good thing for your body and your child, and here's why. And I do agree, if I had decided that it was healthiest for my body to be free of the issues that come with digesting animal products, why would I expose my baby, who I'm supposed to be protecting to the utmost, to these same products? My doctor has no problem with me being vegan, and parts of this book echo in my head whenever I'm staring at a slice of cheesecake and thinking, "just do it, you know you want it."
All that said, yes, they are a bit fanatical, and I'll be the first to say that I also have to put the book aside, lest I be overwhelmed by the guilt of not being healthy enough. This book (and frankly almost every other pregnancy book/resource) can have the unintended consequence of making us hyperemesis ladies feel really horrible about our condition. No, I have not, in these first three months of pregnancy been able to get 17 servings of different whole grains (including amaranth, quinoa, bulgur, teff, and wheat berries) into my daily meals. yes, I have eaten enough fries and drank enough sweet tea to fill the coliseum and the dead sea, respectively. But, I'm sorry, it's all I can keep down. Please don't report me to the pregnancy police. But, one day, I will be able to eat again, and I know that this book will help me to make smart choices about providing myself and my baby with healthy, whole foods, and it will keep me laughing in the process.
Should you read this book if you're completely new to the idea of vegatarianism/veganism and looking for a resource manual? Well, no, at least not exclusively. Should you read this book if you're offended by the idea that not everyone believes that animal products are good for you and are in fact bad for you? Well, no, not unless you want to be offended. Should you read this book if you are a longtime vegan and feel pretty comfortable with the ins and outs of vegan nutrition? Well, its probably not necessary, but a refresher course never hurts does it? So who should read this book? Anyone in between these extremes, especially those with open minds, and the willingness to reexamine those everyday food choices we all so blithely make.
Oh, one last thing. I personally think having a pregnancy book with "skinny bitch" in the title is hilarious. NO, the authors are not saying that pregnant women should be concerned about gaining/losing weight in this process. Please, people, unknot your knickers. But if the title offends you, you're probably not the target audience for the snark contained between the covers, either.
But it is reassuring to have cheerleaders who are not only saying, yes you can be both pregnant and a vegan without giving birth to a mutant owl baby because you refused to eat meat, but also saying, you're doing the good thing for your body and your child, and here's why. And I do agree, if I had decided that it was healthiest for my body to be free of the issues that come with digesting animal products, why would I expose my baby, who I'm supposed to be protecting to the utmost, to these same products? My doctor has no problem with me being vegan, and parts of this book echo in my head whenever I'm staring at a slice of cheesecake and thinking, "just do it, you know you want it."
All that said, yes, they are a bit fanatical, and I'll be the first to say that I also have to put the book aside, lest I be overwhelmed by the guilt of not being healthy enough. This book (and frankly almost every other pregnancy book/resource) can have the unintended consequence of making us hyperemesis ladies feel really horrible about our condition. No, I have not, in these first three months of pregnancy been able to get 17 servings of different whole grains (including amaranth, quinoa, bulgur, teff, and wheat berries) into my daily meals. yes, I have eaten enough fries and drank enough sweet tea to fill the coliseum and the dead sea, respectively. But, I'm sorry, it's all I can keep down. Please don't report me to the pregnancy police. But, one day, I will be able to eat again, and I know that this book will help me to make smart choices about providing myself and my baby with healthy, whole foods, and it will keep me laughing in the process.
Should you read this book if you're completely new to the idea of vegatarianism/veganism and looking for a resource manual? Well, no, at least not exclusively. Should you read this book if you're offended by the idea that not everyone believes that animal products are good for you and are in fact bad for you? Well, no, not unless you want to be offended. Should you read this book if you are a longtime vegan and feel pretty comfortable with the ins and outs of vegan nutrition? Well, its probably not necessary, but a refresher course never hurts does it? So who should read this book? Anyone in between these extremes, especially those with open minds, and the willingness to reexamine those everyday food choices we all so blithely make.
Oh, one last thing. I personally think having a pregnancy book with "skinny bitch" in the title is hilarious. NO, the authors are not saying that pregnant women should be concerned about gaining/losing weight in this process. Please, people, unknot your knickers. But if the title offends you, you're probably not the target audience for the snark contained between the covers, either.
May 3, 2009
I found this book fun to read simply because there are NO current day books out there that focus on veganism and pregnancy.
I also understand the authors "style" of writing, so their cursing and "in your face" approach didn't really bother me because I knew what to expect.
A few things you may have to be concerned with is:
1) that this book's audience is most likely middle class people who live in locations where a whole foods vegan diet is "easy". I question how feasible any whole foods diet is (vegan or omnivorous) for people who are the working poor in this country and located in areas such as the inner city, in which there have been a plethora of public health reports indicating that there are no farmer's markets, natural grocers, or health options available.
2) this book kind of assumes all pregnant women reading this book are straight and married to a man. If you are lesbian identified woman, the heterosexual oriented nature of the book may irk you. If you are a single woman looking to become pregnant or are already pregnant, it may irk you a bit.
However, I commend that fact that the authors wrote this book, simply because NO ONE ELSE IS providing current books on how to achieve a healthy vegan pregnancy.
I also understand the authors "style" of writing, so their cursing and "in your face" approach didn't really bother me because I knew what to expect.
A few things you may have to be concerned with is:
1) that this book's audience is most likely middle class people who live in locations where a whole foods vegan diet is "easy". I question how feasible any whole foods diet is (vegan or omnivorous) for people who are the working poor in this country and located in areas such as the inner city, in which there have been a plethora of public health reports indicating that there are no farmer's markets, natural grocers, or health options available.
2) this book kind of assumes all pregnant women reading this book are straight and married to a man. If you are lesbian identified woman, the heterosexual oriented nature of the book may irk you. If you are a single woman looking to become pregnant or are already pregnant, it may irk you a bit.
However, I commend that fact that the authors wrote this book, simply because NO ONE ELSE IS providing current books on how to achieve a healthy vegan pregnancy.
September 30, 2009
I am so embarrassed I read this. I just needed a pregnancy nutrition book, and there were so so few at our library. But, it was amazingly well researched, an engaging read, and a compelling argument for veganism. So, if you don't mind the word bitch... go for it.
September 7, 2019
This book was really awesome, all things considered. I wasn't expecting it to be such a well thought out, consumer-conscious, well meaning read. Astoundingly truthful and not at all about "staying skinny for pregnancy," it has the intent to make sure expectant mothers have the latest information on maternal and gestational fetus' nutritional needs. I would recommend this book to everyone.
Please, do not single out this book *just* for the title, you'd be missing out.
Please, do not single out this book *just* for the title, you'd be missing out.
February 17, 2011
I think this book just wasn't really what I was looking for. I don't particularly care for the potty-mouthed tone of the Skinny Bitch book series, but I went ahead and bought this one anyway because at the moment there aren't any other books on vegan pregnancy. Sayward Rehbal is publishing one through Herbivore this spring that I think will probably be more of what I was hoping for with this one.
Here's the thing: this is a nutrition book for pregnancy, not an all-encompassing book about pregnancy. That's fine, and if you're one of those who is still eating animal products, this is a great, great, great book for you. However, I already knew the information found in over half of the book. The chapter on sugar and the sample menus were helpful. I also found some good info in a few of the shorter chapters at the back of the book.
I found the writing to be repetitive and a bit stale in places. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. You've already mentioned thing x and thing y on over other page. Enough, already. I also think the authors seemed to be trying to hard with the wording in some places. I don't particularly want to read a pregnancy nutrition book full of cursing. Get over yourselves, already. I felt like it undermined some of the great information and facts found in the book. All of the sources are listed in the back of the book, so maybe it's a better idea to just read some things from the original source material so I don't feel like I'm listening to some educated, trailer park teenager.
If you're already vegan and looking for a book on pregnancy, you could probably get away with just flipping through one of these in the store or borrowing it from the library. If you're still an omnivore, then I definitely think you should read this. It won't feel like old hat to you.
Here's the thing: this is a nutrition book for pregnancy, not an all-encompassing book about pregnancy. That's fine, and if you're one of those who is still eating animal products, this is a great, great, great book for you. However, I already knew the information found in over half of the book. The chapter on sugar and the sample menus were helpful. I also found some good info in a few of the shorter chapters at the back of the book.
I found the writing to be repetitive and a bit stale in places. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. You've already mentioned thing x and thing y on over other page. Enough, already. I also think the authors seemed to be trying to hard with the wording in some places. I don't particularly want to read a pregnancy nutrition book full of cursing. Get over yourselves, already. I felt like it undermined some of the great information and facts found in the book. All of the sources are listed in the back of the book, so maybe it's a better idea to just read some things from the original source material so I don't feel like I'm listening to some educated, trailer park teenager.
If you're already vegan and looking for a book on pregnancy, you could probably get away with just flipping through one of these in the store or borrowing it from the library. If you're still an omnivore, then I definitely think you should read this. It won't feel like old hat to you.
December 8, 2015
I have one word for this book: Garbage. Well, actually I have more than one word. In fact, this writer lost me at "skinny bitch" as a pregnancy book title. And I think this was mostly written to further inflate this person's ego. Why do I say that? Because being skinny doesn't make you hotter than someone who has extra weight. This person seems to have zero self respect for herself and zero respect for others. Now, I'm a size 4, so I'm not shaming skinny chicks. But I'm sick of vegans who think their lifestyle is the only way and then demonize anyone who refuses to live the same way they do. Some people actually do need meat and dairy. A great example is that I eat meat and dairy and I'm never sick, while my vitamin pill popping vegan brother is sick constantly. Now, I love my steak and cheese. So this author ruined any chance at 5 stars when she actually told her readers that milk is EVIL and BAD FOR YOU. But she doesn't stop there, every arrogant word was dripping with hate and holier than thou without any real merit or evidence, just a bunch of jargon of he said she said, and absolutely no evidence or facts from the opposing side of this fence. So, this book was extremely biased. Unfortunately, I'd never heard of this weirdo before and the book didn't offer much info on the site I bought it on so I had to read it before discovering I'd wasted an entire dollar on this junk. I decided that before reviewing I'd skim through it, but I got halfway through and around the "milk is the devil" part I put it in the trash and went and ate some chocolate. And that was just for my heartache. I ate ice cream and washed it down with a huge glass of whole milk and then slipped into my size 4 jeans and decided this book deserves zero stars and the author should retire.
May 6, 2016
This was over-the-top in a lot of ways and so that was a turn-off, but as someone who already eats fairly healthily and almost all vegan, a lot of the information didn't quite need to be pounded home for me the way this book intended. With all the instruction given to pregnant women today, I think a softer approach is warranted, though I understand their perspective and that the book is stylized in a particular way for creative effect.
I was completely re-traumatized by the accounts of animal abuse in factory farms even though I've heard so many of them before, which actually made me think that not eating animals who are being treated that way is the very least, bare minimum that we can do to combat that kind of atrocity. Aside from the information about veganism, I found a great deal of the information about breast milk to be almost all new to me and very enlightening. The vitamin chapter is unclear and didn't stick with me at all, but on the whole I learned a fair amount and while I am not entirely on board with this approach to presentation I did wind up thinking harder about living a compassionate lifestyle. I probably wouldn't recommend it for fear of offending someone, unless they really desperately need a wake-up call.
I was completely re-traumatized by the accounts of animal abuse in factory farms even though I've heard so many of them before, which actually made me think that not eating animals who are being treated that way is the very least, bare minimum that we can do to combat that kind of atrocity. Aside from the information about veganism, I found a great deal of the information about breast milk to be almost all new to me and very enlightening. The vitamin chapter is unclear and didn't stick with me at all, but on the whole I learned a fair amount and while I am not entirely on board with this approach to presentation I did wind up thinking harder about living a compassionate lifestyle. I probably wouldn't recommend it for fear of offending someone, unless they really desperately need a wake-up call.
February 28, 2011
If you've read any of the other "Skinny Bitch" books, save yourself the trouble. Absolutely nothing original here, and clearly an attempt to keep making money on their brand.
More specifically to the book: I hated it. I felt like there was a vicious harpy screaming every word at me. Seriously, there is already so much pressure on pregnant women to be perfect/create a perfect nesting spot for baby -- this book is unnecessarily patronizing toward any woman who is not willing/able to give up all mainstream comforts in the name of a "pure" ascetic diet. The basic message is, if you aren't willing to achieve physical perfection through pregnancy, enjoy the rest of your life knowing you're responsible for all your kid's flaws.
Seriously, get a grip. Even the most careful woman can't maintain these standards of health while also managing a life full of job, household, bills, family needs, etc. Most days I'm lucky to add spinach to my sandwich -- I'm not interested in feeling guilty about the fact that I didn't grow it in my garden or use freshly homemade bread.
More specifically to the book: I hated it. I felt like there was a vicious harpy screaming every word at me. Seriously, there is already so much pressure on pregnant women to be perfect/create a perfect nesting spot for baby -- this book is unnecessarily patronizing toward any woman who is not willing/able to give up all mainstream comforts in the name of a "pure" ascetic diet. The basic message is, if you aren't willing to achieve physical perfection through pregnancy, enjoy the rest of your life knowing you're responsible for all your kid's flaws.
Seriously, get a grip. Even the most careful woman can't maintain these standards of health while also managing a life full of job, household, bills, family needs, etc. Most days I'm lucky to add spinach to my sandwich -- I'm not interested in feeling guilty about the fact that I didn't grow it in my garden or use freshly homemade bread.
October 16, 2009
Finding a book on vegan pregnancy excited me. However, this one was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't like the tone of the book. It was misogynist (both in terms of the language it used, the way it views women's bodies and motherhood). It lacked a lot of the answers to nutritional questions I have about vegan pregnancy - it's more of an intro to veganism while you're pregnant than a book for pregnant vegans and vegetarians.
February 27, 2009
The more I read this, the less I wanted to. A gruesome collaboration of how to feel horrible about absolutely everything you have ever eaten in your entire life's history (assuming you were brought up normal, and not raised on sticks and bird berries).
September 23, 2010
I stopped reading 1/3 of the way through when I realized the book was all about becoming vegan. NOPE!! Sorry! I like my eggs, milk and meat. (I also like my fruits veggies and grains, so I think I'm doing pretty ok)
LAAAAAAME
LAAAAAAME
October 14, 2008
this book scared me. if you are not ready to hear that milk is the devil, meat is gross and cheese causes cancer - i wouldn't recommend. i hope i can return it.
December 31, 2010
Couldn't put it down. The horrors! Didn't expect it to be so political.. And so... Vivid. Geez. Even lanolin can't escape their critique.
December 14, 2018
This book came recommended by my sister-in-law who thought it was hilarious. Apparently we do not share the same sense of humor!
While reading, I constantly flipped between liking this book and absolutely hating it. There were certain parts that rang true and I was grateful for the information provided. But then there were other times where I felt the information was ridiculous. And when looking at their citations, sometimes they were scientific, sometimes it seemed like the authors just googled a topic until they found a site that felt the same way they did and quoted it without evidence to back it up. There were times where they made a statement and I wanted to know more but there was nothing to describe what they meant and no citation either. This book was poorly written.
Also, the condescending way the authors wrote really got to me. There's a clever way of writing sarcasm, and then there's this garbage. The authors would make a statement, not follow it up with scientific information, but then write something along the lines of "if you believe this, you're a total moron". Um, excuse me? I think you are the morons for attempting to pass off this book as an accurate informational guide!
Some of the topics are worth looking into, but I wouldn't waste my time with this book. It has a lot of potential but falls flat. There are far better resources out there.
While reading, I constantly flipped between liking this book and absolutely hating it. There were certain parts that rang true and I was grateful for the information provided. But then there were other times where I felt the information was ridiculous. And when looking at their citations, sometimes they were scientific, sometimes it seemed like the authors just googled a topic until they found a site that felt the same way they did and quoted it without evidence to back it up. There were times where they made a statement and I wanted to know more but there was nothing to describe what they meant and no citation either. This book was poorly written.
Also, the condescending way the authors wrote really got to me. There's a clever way of writing sarcasm, and then there's this garbage. The authors would make a statement, not follow it up with scientific information, but then write something along the lines of "if you believe this, you're a total moron". Um, excuse me? I think you are the morons for attempting to pass off this book as an accurate informational guide!
Some of the topics are worth looking into, but I wouldn't waste my time with this book. It has a lot of potential but falls flat. There are far better resources out there.
October 24, 2019
I enjoyed the sarcastic tone from the cover and during the first couple chapters. I also didn't realize it was promoting a vegan lifestyle for a little while (thought it was more eating healthy & organic), but then the scare tactics started, the writing went downhill, and I just couldn't fully finish this book. I did skim the rest because 1) it was like a car wreck on the highway and I couldn't believe some of the bs that it was spewing, and 2) because I hate not finishing books (I've not finished 5-6 books in my lifetime). Yes, there's a whole host of citations at the end, but you can cite conspiracy theory websites just as well as you can cite reputable sources. All dairy and meat are bad? Come on. If you want to be vegan, fine but don't look down upon others who choose not to and don't use lies to try to convert people. I stayed perfectly "skinny" during my pregnancy without going vegan.
For eating healthy (and fitness) during pregnancy, Jillian Michaels book "Yeah Baby!" was much more well-rounded!
For eating healthy (and fitness) during pregnancy, Jillian Michaels book "Yeah Baby!" was much more well-rounded!
October 9, 2021
I bought this book bc I wanted information on how to sustain a healthy weight while pregnant. I did not know that it would remind me of the horrors of the meat, dairy, sweetener (sugar) industries - I’m glad it talked about all of that. A lot of the bad reviews on here seem to be from people who can’t stomach the politicalness of the book. Some cons from this book: they pick and choose which studies are ok to study less than 18 people in it and deem the study “garbage” and which studies can have the same amount of people and deem it “the end all be all” of that topic. If you read the book you’ll know what I’m talking about. Also the title is misleading as I’m sure you’ve figured out by either reading the book or from reading reviews. All in all you take what you can live by and forget the rest - you gave them money anyway.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2018
Very informative!
Tons of great information and tips on finding healthy ways to take care of your body during pregnancy and beyond. Entertaining and fast-moving but packed with facts delivered in a memorable way.
Tons of great information and tips on finding healthy ways to take care of your body during pregnancy and beyond. Entertaining and fast-moving but packed with facts delivered in a memorable way.
March 20, 2019
I picked this book up for the skinny-bitch wisdom that is expected in these books. I was surprised to learn tips such as how unhealthy milk is. I enjoyed learning about the problems with the livestock industry, and alternatives to eggs, beef, chicken, and milk.
January 10, 2020
I give it two stars because it made me laugh a few times....and honestly I couldn't even finish it. I think I read the first page of each chapter and was done. Too much narcissistic mumbo jumbo health food fanatic stuff for me!
August 1, 2018
Very one- sided and somewhat inaccurate views on food during pregnancy or anytime.
August 6, 2019
Lots of helpful information. As mentioned in the forward, the beginning is slightly repetitive to the original Skinny Bitch book (also very good).
May 25, 2015
I bought this book after doing a search on Amazon for Vegan Pregnancy and unfortunately there just aren't that many books for pregnant vegan mums. Especial for people who are already vegan and just want confidence in their decisions and information and studies to back up their choices.
When It arrived, I had a quick glance through it and decided that I wasn't going to learn very much, because I have already been vegan for 5 years and had one vegan pregnancy and this book goes into great depths explaining why you should go vegan.
Anyway, I decided to read it, and what I found was... that although I had watched earthlings and read about factory farming, this book really, really affected me and made me never want to touch meat or dairy again. I mean, I had no idea how many chemicals, hormones, anti-biotics where given to animals in factory farms, or that such a thing a Johnes (yoneez) disease even existed. (In case you are wondering, it's a disease where the cows have uncontrollable diarrhoea and sometimes the poop goes onto the udders of the cow and into the milk that people are drinking. (I mean gross right!)
Anyway, what I also got from this book, was a confidence in my decision to stay vegan during pregnancy and a knowing that it was the right thing for my baby. They discuss the different scare stories that are on the internet about potential health risks and share their take on it. For example the study that was done in the UK that showed Vegetarian mothers where 5 times more likely to give birth to a baby with Spadias. (I'd never heard of it before either, it's a deformity of the male genitals.) But basically, there have been several other studies done since this one, that have not been able to replicate the findings. Maybe because Vegetarians are more clued up on diet and nutrition these days? Or maybe because something else skewed the original study's findings. (Sometimes you need to also take into account who is funding the study, so you know if they have a bias towards a particular agenda.)
The book has loads of greats advice, whether it's cutting down on chemicals in food and beauty products, to what vitamins and minerals are recommended to supplement during pregnancy. I enjoyed the ladies quirky writing style and would definitely read other books by them in the future.
When It arrived, I had a quick glance through it and decided that I wasn't going to learn very much, because I have already been vegan for 5 years and had one vegan pregnancy and this book goes into great depths explaining why you should go vegan.
Anyway, I decided to read it, and what I found was... that although I had watched earthlings and read about factory farming, this book really, really affected me and made me never want to touch meat or dairy again. I mean, I had no idea how many chemicals, hormones, anti-biotics where given to animals in factory farms, or that such a thing a Johnes (yoneez) disease even existed. (In case you are wondering, it's a disease where the cows have uncontrollable diarrhoea and sometimes the poop goes onto the udders of the cow and into the milk that people are drinking. (I mean gross right!)
Anyway, what I also got from this book, was a confidence in my decision to stay vegan during pregnancy and a knowing that it was the right thing for my baby. They discuss the different scare stories that are on the internet about potential health risks and share their take on it. For example the study that was done in the UK that showed Vegetarian mothers where 5 times more likely to give birth to a baby with Spadias. (I'd never heard of it before either, it's a deformity of the male genitals.) But basically, there have been several other studies done since this one, that have not been able to replicate the findings. Maybe because Vegetarians are more clued up on diet and nutrition these days? Or maybe because something else skewed the original study's findings. (Sometimes you need to also take into account who is funding the study, so you know if they have a bias towards a particular agenda.)
The book has loads of greats advice, whether it's cutting down on chemicals in food and beauty products, to what vitamins and minerals are recommended to supplement during pregnancy. I enjoyed the ladies quirky writing style and would definitely read other books by them in the future.
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