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Baby Laughs: The Naked Truth About the First Year of Mommyhood
Jenny McCarthy’s hilarious, no-holds-barred personality has made her an instantly recognizable TV personality and a bestselling author. In Baby Laughs she examines the full range of challenges that new mothers face, including:
* The humiliations of postnatal “numbing spray,” Tucks medicated pads, and adult diapers; jelly belly, balding, and gum disease; and becoming a “five-foot puke rag” for the baby
* Heart-stopping terrors, such as baby manicures, breathing checks, and burp failures
* Inadequacies, such as lullaby illiteracy and the need for a “heavy rotation” of toys, videos, and mobiles
* Daddy antics, such as infant wrestling, home-movie mania, sleeping like a log, and expecting sex
* Dueling grandmas, germ-ridden guests, Olympic-class competitive mommies, anorexic pets— and much more. Mothers and fathers will find much-needed relief and insight in this sometimes touching, sometimes gritty, but always perceptive and outrageously funny account of what it truly means to have your very own small bundle of joy.
* The humiliations of postnatal “numbing spray,” Tucks medicated pads, and adult diapers; jelly belly, balding, and gum disease; and becoming a “five-foot puke rag” for the baby
* Heart-stopping terrors, such as baby manicures, breathing checks, and burp failures
* Inadequacies, such as lullaby illiteracy and the need for a “heavy rotation” of toys, videos, and mobiles
* Daddy antics, such as infant wrestling, home-movie mania, sleeping like a log, and expecting sex
* Dueling grandmas, germ-ridden guests, Olympic-class competitive mommies, anorexic pets— and much more. Mothers and fathers will find much-needed relief and insight in this sometimes touching, sometimes gritty, but always perceptive and outrageously funny account of what it truly means to have your very own small bundle of joy.
225 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2005
64 people are currently reading
1285 people want to read
About the author
Jenny McCarthy
47 books265 followersJennifer McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress and author. She first appeared in Playboy magazine in October 1993 and was named Playmate of the Year in its June 1994 issue. She later began a career in television and film and has recently started writing books dealing largely with her pregnancy and motherhood of a child with autism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 417 reviews
June 2, 2008
I lost IQ points reading the first half of this book. I did make myself read the second half because I spend $12 on it, and it got a little better because she seemed to get over the fact that yes, babies poop. I still felt IQ points running out of my ears, though. If you have the attention span of a 3 year old but feel like you want an idea of what having a baby will be like, this is the book for you. If your reading level has surpassed the 4th grade and your sense of humor is slightly more sophisticated than that of the average citizen portrayed in Idiocracy, you might want to find ANYTHING else.
November 7, 2008
I enjoyed this book- but not as much as I enjoyed "Belly Laughs". I am not sure if its because her inital bluntness and tone were a novelty in the first one that wore off by the time the second one came around.
She certainly told some humorous tales of mommyhood- some of which I've already experienced with a newborn and others I'm sure are in my near future. I do enjoy her truth be told attitude and not sugar coating the hard parts of raising a baby.
She certainly told some humorous tales of mommyhood- some of which I've already experienced with a newborn and others I'm sure are in my near future. I do enjoy her truth be told attitude and not sugar coating the hard parts of raising a baby.
February 7, 2009
I will read anything by Jenny McCarthy. She has a way of relating to the reader that is just wonderful. She's humorous and touching. In the sea of books filled with overwhelming knowledge, this is a great read that will make you laugh and make you feel not so alone in all of the craziness of motherhood.
August 20, 2016
This book is absolutely terrible. While there are some nuggets of potentially helpful information for new moms and maybe a line or two that brought a little chuckle, for the most part McCarthy seems to be trying to hard to be glib in the hopes of getting a laugh or two at her own expense. This quick read is McCarthy's perspective on being a new mom to her little boy, Evan. She goes on and on about his development, labasting competitive moms (which I did appreciate) and speaking frequently about the "next time" she has a child with her husband, the love of her life. As I suppose is the case with any memoir type book written before the end of one's life, knowing how things turn out made me cringe. Since the publication of this book McCarthy has been a outspoken about her son's difficulties with autism. And, her marriage ended in a divorce before she had any additional children. Of course, given who McCarthy is as a celebrity, I doubt that any one would come to this book thinking that they should actually follow any serious advice she might give. The purpose of the book, I suppose, is to remind new parents to have a sense of humor - that this is a difficult new road they are going down, and if you're going to survive, you need a little perspective and a lot of laughter. While I didn't find McCarthy herself very funny, I do think she succeeded in bringing her positive message through to the reader.
June 27, 2012
jenny mccarthy has a baby & tells you all about it. in some ways, jenny mccarthy is kind of the perfect person to write about pregnancy & parenting because there are so many questionable body fluids & swellings & leakings & such forth involved, & you know she loves that stuff. jenny mccarthy never met an exploding diaper story she didn't love. but if that kind of thing doesn't exactly appeal to your sense of wit, most of the jokes are not going to land.
there's nothing negative about vaccinations here either (maybe there's a story about how she felt really bad having her son vaccinated because he cried a lot, but nothing about how he immediately contracted autism as a result), but the book is peppered with the world's most traumatizing illustrations. they're like erotic carnival mainway caricatures as drawn by a 12-year-old. i'm going to need like five years of therapy in order to heal from seeing them. they're so awful, they almost tip the book over into "gift book" territory (in my mind, a gift book is something you might pick up as a $2 remainder for your aunt phyllis's stocking stuffer), but because the writing was not quite as horrible as i expected, i won't tag it as such. that was a close call, jenny mccarthy. interview better illustrators next time. or, for the love of god, don't let there be a next time.
there's nothing negative about vaccinations here either (maybe there's a story about how she felt really bad having her son vaccinated because he cried a lot, but nothing about how he immediately contracted autism as a result), but the book is peppered with the world's most traumatizing illustrations. they're like erotic carnival mainway caricatures as drawn by a 12-year-old. i'm going to need like five years of therapy in order to heal from seeing them. they're so awful, they almost tip the book over into "gift book" territory (in my mind, a gift book is something you might pick up as a $2 remainder for your aunt phyllis's stocking stuffer), but because the writing was not quite as horrible as i expected, i won't tag it as such. that was a close call, jenny mccarthy. interview better illustrators next time. or, for the love of god, don't let there be a next time.
July 4, 2012
As you know, I was surprised to enjoy Ms. McCarthy's first book, Belly Laughs (see review: Belly Laughs: The naked truth about pregnancy and childbirth ). When I stumbled up on her newest tome at the library, I was pretty excited for another fun, easy read.
Unfortunately, Jenny seems to have decided that if her books are actually reaching the masses, as Belly Laughs did, she better put in some actual advice into them. Where her first book skewered all of the funny parts of being pregnant, this one hit one or two funny parts of raising kids, and then offered up the same advice you read in ALL baby books, or websites. My honest opinion is that she should stick to what she does best, which is make us laugh. In the funnier parts of this book, she definitely still did that.
Highlights for me included her take on babies being covered in poop, as well as her personal experience with constipation and hemorrhoids (which was coincidentally, also a high point of the last book).
Oh, and the chapter on the Umbilical Cord is a laugh riot!
All in all, this is not the riotous book that I expected, but my expectations were pretty high after how funny the first book was. It was another quick read, but a quieter, calmer one. Still enjoyable though!
Unfortunately, Jenny seems to have decided that if her books are actually reaching the masses, as Belly Laughs did, she better put in some actual advice into them. Where her first book skewered all of the funny parts of being pregnant, this one hit one or two funny parts of raising kids, and then offered up the same advice you read in ALL baby books, or websites. My honest opinion is that she should stick to what she does best, which is make us laugh. In the funnier parts of this book, she definitely still did that.
Highlights for me included her take on babies being covered in poop, as well as her personal experience with constipation and hemorrhoids (which was coincidentally, also a high point of the last book).
Oh, and the chapter on the Umbilical Cord is a laugh riot!
All in all, this is not the riotous book that I expected, but my expectations were pretty high after how funny the first book was. It was another quick read, but a quieter, calmer one. Still enjoyable though!
November 25, 2010
I liked this less than Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth. I think that she should have stuck to more funny stories and included less advice. It seemed like every chapter was about advice for new moms and a lot of that advice contradicted the things I have read or learned. (It could just be that the information is outdated since the book is now 5 years old, but it was distracting. It seemed like Jenny went through her pregnancy, etc, without having ever read any other book on the subject.)
It is a quick, easy read, but I wouldn't follow any of her guidance without also looking at other sources.
It is a quick, easy read, but I wouldn't follow any of her guidance without also looking at other sources.
January 29, 2009
Jenny McCarthy is not a writer so go in with appropriate expectations. Although I don't think her experiences apply to all, as a new mother I found myself chuckling because I could relate to her surprise and anxiety with each newborn experience. This is a super quick read -- perfect for new moms -- I recommend it to other new moms.
April 1, 2008
It's as funny or funnier than the first installment about pregnancy and childbirth. Hey, if you can't look at mommyhood and laugh, you'll find it tough in my opinion being a parent. This book keeps it real and will put you in stitches!
May 9, 2008
I absolutely hated this book. I read through the entire thing but only because it is terribly hard for me to put aside a book without finishing it. However, I would never read this book ever again and I wish I'd read a review like this before I wasted my time reading this drivel.
March 27, 2013
Meh. It made me laugh at times. Didn't do too much for me though. It's a quick read
September 9, 2011
(Memoir - Motherhood) Please don't judge me. Yes, I know she was a playmate. But I loved her as a host on MTV's Single Out (even though I may have been the only viewer) and I loved her in the Jenny McCarthy Show (very funny stuff ladies and gents!). She had me when she said that when she has a day off, her favorite thing to do is sleep. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a fierce napper. Oh yes, we're still discussing her book. Because I read it so long ago, I don't remember details, but I remember the important stuff. I had a newborn and I was figuring out mamahood and she made me laugh out loud and I looked forward to reading more of her book every day. I also remember that she wrote about things that I had not read in any other memoir (such as the anxiety about trimming the baby's nails and the bizarre night sweats!). Thank you J.C. for telling your unique story and making me laugh when I was running on very little sleep.
March 2, 2009
Another cute, funny, quick read from Jenny McCarthy about the first year of mommyhood. Insightful and honest about a lot of the things you think but don't always talk about and questions you have but a lot of the times don't have the nerve to ask others...Although I couldn't help thinking about the fact that she's no longer with her then husband while reading a lot of the book, but I digress, still a great little book.
June 2, 2009
Since Jenny is so famously frank, she made this book funny and very honest. It's shocking that other well-known baby books don't tell you these things. If you want to know all the HORRIBLE things that will happen to you during and after giving birth, you should read this book. Or if you had a disaster with your baby and wonder if it's just you...read this book. Jenny probably had the same issue. REALLY FUNNY. A quick read.
July 10, 2013
I thought that Jenny McCarthy would do a good job bringing humor to motherhood. However, it took me only a few hours to read this book and not in a good way like I couldn't put it down but because it was so lacking in material I felt like I was reading at a fifth grade level. Yes, Pamela Anderson has big tits, I get it. That reference was made at least five times in this short amount of writing. Overall I was really disappointed.
July 26, 2016
4.5/5
This book about the first year of motherhood was a lot of fun, just like her first one, Belly Laughs (which was about pregnancy). It was funny, honest, and down to earth. I think I liked Belly Laughs just a smidge better, but they were both excellent, humorous, and worth the read. I'd definitely like to read Jenny's other books now, and recommend both of these ones to pregnant women and mothers.
This book about the first year of motherhood was a lot of fun, just like her first one, Belly Laughs (which was about pregnancy). It was funny, honest, and down to earth. I think I liked Belly Laughs just a smidge better, but they were both excellent, humorous, and worth the read. I'd definitely like to read Jenny's other books now, and recommend both of these ones to pregnant women and mothers.
May 15, 2010
This is not high intellect reading but it does what it sets out to do: makes you laugh when you are facing the oh-so-daunting job of motherhood. Sure, McCarthy is full of superlatives but this is a comedy that is supposed to help you expect the unexpected. In spite of all the melodrama, I actually did learn from this book.
February 24, 2009
This book was such a fun and easy read. I actually read it while nursing Brady in the middle of the night- just a few chapters at a time. It was really funny and I could definitely relate to the things Jenny discussed as a new Mom. I would recommend this for any new Mom- a great shower gift!
July 15, 2012
this book was just not good. I feel that everything I read was written by a 12 year old. belly laughs was a great book so I had high expectations for baby laughs.... it fell short. in fact, it never got up off the ground it was that bad.
April 3, 2014
This is a is such a great book for laughs. My husband is even reading it now. If your expecting I recommended her books, they are quick easy reads packed with tons of great information that most people/books/blogs/etc don't bother to tell you.
July 1, 2013
Great book! Very funny & all true :)
March 3, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! I'm giving it 4 stars because I didn't learn anything new from it, but it did make me laugh and I could relate to so much of what she was talking about. It was kind of sad to read now, knowing what we know about Jenny McCarthy's romantic life/ failed relationships and her son's struggles with autism. At the time the book was written her son is somewhere around 2 years and his disabilities are not discussed (and potentially not discovered) yet. Shortly after the book was published her son was diagnosed and a few months later, she and her husband divorced. She talks about baby #2 and asks for luck and its sad to know that hasn't happened for her.
Overall, I really liked reading her thoughts and jokes about the first year of motherhood. I am very interested in reading some of her other books!
Overall, I really liked reading her thoughts and jokes about the first year of motherhood. I am very interested in reading some of her other books!
November 29, 2021
I really enjoyed this Kindle read
February 20, 2013
In Baby Laughs Jenny leads us through her first year of motherhood in her typical true to form raunchy way. From the ups and downs of bringing her little bundle of joy home to battling post partum depression to changing her baby's diapers she used her unique sense of humour to tell her story.
While this isn't the typical memoir we do get a unique glimpse into the life and times of a Hollywood mom and even though she may not be one of those in your face celebrities who appear in magazines every week she is a recognizable name in Tinsel Town.
I loved how she wrote about a lot of different scenarios she went through that are plausible enough to have happen to the average new mom. She talks about family, sex, getting her body back and going back to work. She shares the ups and downs ins and outs and even some things you may not want to read if you have a delicate stomach but she makes it hilarious.
Just like when I read her first book Belly Laughs this book had me hooked from the first page and had me laughing from the first page to the last. I can honestly say that I'll probably read anything that Jenny McCarthy writes because she's got the ability to get me out of a slump and have me laughing so hard I have tears running down my face.
I would recommend Baby Laughs to everyone not just moms or moms to be. Although now that I think about it, Baby laughs would make the perfect shower gift for expectant moms. I think it's one that I might just buy for my friends when they're expecting just for a laugh.
While this isn't the typical memoir we do get a unique glimpse into the life and times of a Hollywood mom and even though she may not be one of those in your face celebrities who appear in magazines every week she is a recognizable name in Tinsel Town.
I loved how she wrote about a lot of different scenarios she went through that are plausible enough to have happen to the average new mom. She talks about family, sex, getting her body back and going back to work. She shares the ups and downs ins and outs and even some things you may not want to read if you have a delicate stomach but she makes it hilarious.
Just like when I read her first book Belly Laughs this book had me hooked from the first page and had me laughing from the first page to the last. I can honestly say that I'll probably read anything that Jenny McCarthy writes because she's got the ability to get me out of a slump and have me laughing so hard I have tears running down my face.
I would recommend Baby Laughs to everyone not just moms or moms to be. Although now that I think about it, Baby laughs would make the perfect shower gift for expectant moms. I think it's one that I might just buy for my friends when they're expecting just for a laugh.
November 7, 2009
The chapter on Jenny's delivery completely freaked me out. From an emergency c-section to recovering, alone, in a room full of gunshot wound victims, her birth story was so horrible that I found myself wondering if this really, truly happened to her or if she compiled the worst birth stories she'd heard into a fictionalized account about herself. After reading this section I couldn't pick up the book again for a few days. Finally my husband talked me into finishing it, pointing out that the birthing center we're going to doesn't have an ER so in the very least, I won't have to worry about criminals with gunshot wounds keeping me company post delivery.
The rest of this book was decidedly more amusing, though at times horrifying in it's own way. Jenny writes about how babies "shit up the back," meaning they poop so much that it oozes out of their clothes. Yuck! I told me parents about this and they just laughed, which I took to mean: "Just you wait kiddo. Just you wait!" (Insert evil laugh.) Jenny also writes about her struggles with regaining her pre-baby figure, going back to work and, eventually, wanting another child. Which goes to show that despite troubles and mishaps becoming a parent is a marvelous thing that many, many people want to do more than once.
The rest of this book was decidedly more amusing, though at times horrifying in it's own way. Jenny writes about how babies "shit up the back," meaning they poop so much that it oozes out of their clothes. Yuck! I told me parents about this and they just laughed, which I took to mean: "Just you wait kiddo. Just you wait!" (Insert evil laugh.) Jenny also writes about her struggles with regaining her pre-baby figure, going back to work and, eventually, wanting another child. Which goes to show that despite troubles and mishaps becoming a parent is a marvelous thing that many, many people want to do more than once.
March 22, 2011
Jenny McCarthy’s hilarious, no-holds-barred personality has made her an instantly recognizable TV personality and a bestselling author. In Baby Laughs she examines the full range of challenges that new mothers face, including:
• The humiliations of postnatal "numbing spray," Tucks medicated pads, and adult diapers; jelly belly, balding, and gum disease; and becoming a "five-foot puke rag" for the baby
• Heart-stopping terrors, such as baby manicures, breathing checks, and burp failures
• Inadequacies, such as lullaby illiteracy and the need for a "heavy rotation" of toys, videos, and mobiles
• Daddy antics, such as infant wrestling, home-movie mania, sleeping like a log, and expecting sex
• Dueling grandmas, germ-ridden guests, Olympic-class competitive mommies, anorexic pets— and much more.
Mothers and fathers will find much-needed relief and insight in this sometimes touching, sometimes gritty, but always perceptive and outrageously funny account of what it truly means to have your very own small bundle of joy.
• The humiliations of postnatal "numbing spray," Tucks medicated pads, and adult diapers; jelly belly, balding, and gum disease; and becoming a "five-foot puke rag" for the baby
• Heart-stopping terrors, such as baby manicures, breathing checks, and burp failures
• Inadequacies, such as lullaby illiteracy and the need for a "heavy rotation" of toys, videos, and mobiles
• Daddy antics, such as infant wrestling, home-movie mania, sleeping like a log, and expecting sex
• Dueling grandmas, germ-ridden guests, Olympic-class competitive mommies, anorexic pets— and much more.
Mothers and fathers will find much-needed relief and insight in this sometimes touching, sometimes gritty, but always perceptive and outrageously funny account of what it truly means to have your very own small bundle of joy.
May 6, 2011
loved McCarthy's pregnancy book: Belly Laughs, so I was really looking forward to reading about her first year of motherhood. Baby Laughs didn't have as many laugh-out-loud moments for me as Belly Laughs did, but I still really enjoyed it.
Two weeks after finishing Baby Laughs, I find myself quoting sections of it to my mom or husband, and saying things like, "it took Jenny McCarthy one year to lose her baby weight, so I shouldn't expect to lose mine in the first two months," and "Jenny McCarthy cut the tips of her baby's fingers when she cut his nails, just like I did."
I think it's neat to know that a celebrity feels the same way I do about things. McCarthy's honesty and tell-it-like-it-is writing style are refreshing. Baby Laughs is set up exactly like Belly Laughs: each chapter chronicles her experience with a different challenge.
I'm glad I waited until after I had my baby to read this book: I definitely enjoyed it more than I would have had I read it before she was born. I would recommend this fast, fun read to all parents.
Two weeks after finishing Baby Laughs, I find myself quoting sections of it to my mom or husband, and saying things like, "it took Jenny McCarthy one year to lose her baby weight, so I shouldn't expect to lose mine in the first two months," and "Jenny McCarthy cut the tips of her baby's fingers when she cut his nails, just like I did."
I think it's neat to know that a celebrity feels the same way I do about things. McCarthy's honesty and tell-it-like-it-is writing style are refreshing. Baby Laughs is set up exactly like Belly Laughs: each chapter chronicles her experience with a different challenge.
I'm glad I waited until after I had my baby to read this book: I definitely enjoyed it more than I would have had I read it before she was born. I would recommend this fast, fun read to all parents.
November 6, 2014
I really enjoyed this book by Jenny. She writes her book expressing her experiences about her first year with her child.She connects with the reader in a down to earth way that makes you feel like a friend talking to you and sharing her story. One of the things I did enjoy in this book was her humor. I laughed throughout this book. I even shared some of the funny bits with my fiance :) He got a laugh as well. This may not be everyone's cup of tea but I thought it was a good book! I'm expecting my first baby in December, so it was a very nice change to read something that was down to earth where I could have some laughs compared to the serious and nerve racking books I've been reading! Also the cartoon photos were a nice touch to the book. I enjoyed them as well! It was a very quick read. Almost finished it in one setting. But at the end you kind of want to hear more from her. I would recommend this book if you're expecting or it's your first year with your child. Get ready to laugh! :)
Happy Reading!!
~MissBookAholic
Happy Reading!!
~MissBookAholic
August 11, 2008
If you can stomach Jenny's crude and in-your-face observations this is worth a read for new moms or soon to be new moms.
I wouldn't say I agree with everything she says, nor did I laugh at every joke, but I do appreciate her up-front reality check.
I have to admit to a personal weak spot for her since Singled Out, but I also respect her for her willingness to be herself in an industry where that can (and, I think it has for Jenny) really impact your career prospects. She also has done a lot for autism awareness - again, not always agreeing with her, but respect her efforts.
The writing is nothing special, but it is short 'essays' and not expected to be anything spectacular. It feels like you're reading an email from your friend, and I think that's the tone she's reaching for.
Without a kid or one on the way much of this went in one ear and out the other, but that isn't the fault of the book. I'm not the target audience.
I wouldn't say I agree with everything she says, nor did I laugh at every joke, but I do appreciate her up-front reality check.
I have to admit to a personal weak spot for her since Singled Out, but I also respect her for her willingness to be herself in an industry where that can (and, I think it has for Jenny) really impact your career prospects. She also has done a lot for autism awareness - again, not always agreeing with her, but respect her efforts.
The writing is nothing special, but it is short 'essays' and not expected to be anything spectacular. It feels like you're reading an email from your friend, and I think that's the tone she's reaching for.
Without a kid or one on the way much of this went in one ear and out the other, but that isn't the fault of the book. I'm not the target audience.
July 18, 2012
Written with the humor and honesty that Jenny McCarthy is famous for, "Baby Laughs" does not disappoint. The book covers all of those subjects that new moms are thinking about, but don't dare ask about in public. Whether its concerning the aftermath of birth, "will it really snap back in to place?", how to handle the umbilical cord, when will my body get back into shape, resuming a sex life, or coping with other "super mommy's", Jenny writes about it all with candor and humor. New moms will know that they are NOT alone. A great book and a fun read. The illustrations are also hilarious.
I admire McCarthy's bravery in being so honest about motherhood. This a book that new moms will love for the sheer entertainment value but also for its ability to shave a little guilt from a new mom's mind - I remember thinking, "thank goodness I am not the only one who feels this way!" In today's highly charged "its all about the baby" mentality, this book has stood the test of time for moms.
I admire McCarthy's bravery in being so honest about motherhood. This a book that new moms will love for the sheer entertainment value but also for its ability to shave a little guilt from a new mom's mind - I remember thinking, "thank goodness I am not the only one who feels this way!" In today's highly charged "its all about the baby" mentality, this book has stood the test of time for moms.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 417 reviews