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Up the Duff: The Real Guide to Pregnancy
Australian Kay Cooke gives you the up-to-date lowdown on pregnancy, birth and coping when you first get home. No bossy-boots rules, just lots of cartoons and the soundest, sanest, wittiest advice you'll ever get. Everything you need to know about the scary parts, the funny parts, and your private parts.
466 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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June 28, 2020
This one had some very helpful information (even if some of it is 20 years out of date haha), but I often found the author was trying too hard to be funny and I completely skipped over her unnecessary 'diary' entries. Other than that, I'd recommend it!
September 17, 2014
Jeepers. So many people love this book. Only three people (including me) have given it 1 star! But I thought it was terrible.
The book is split up into the weeks of pregnancy. This structure has meant that, in weeks when nothing particular happens, Cooke has forced herself into a corner -- she still needs content for that chapter. So it feels like many chapters are either padded with unnecessary information, or there is information plonked un-chronologically into chapters, in order to even-out chapter sizes. As a result, what could have been a small, maybe useful reference book has ended up as a bloated, fluffy book that often seems out-of-order.
Each chapter also has a repeating structure. It begins with a couple of sentences about the baby's development in this week and what the mum might be feeling, then goes into a fictional account of a woman's diary during this week of her pregnancy (really, really terrible -- I couldn't relate to these weird diary entries at all), then gives some further information that is supposed to be useful at this point.
So, my overall criticisms would be: that the book seemed bloated, fluffy, had weird fictional diary entries, and last but not least... has a lot of negative, frightening information, some of which seems to go a bit overboard (like the strong warnings against aromatherapy oils).
I became so negatively affected by the "don't do these things" and "these things can be dangerous" kind of advice at one point that I didn't pick up the book again for a few weeks. And, at a couple of times when certain information would really have been useful, it wasn't in the book.
It was not practical nor useful to me. Seems like I gotta write my own version.
The book is split up into the weeks of pregnancy. This structure has meant that, in weeks when nothing particular happens, Cooke has forced herself into a corner -- she still needs content for that chapter. So it feels like many chapters are either padded with unnecessary information, or there is information plonked un-chronologically into chapters, in order to even-out chapter sizes. As a result, what could have been a small, maybe useful reference book has ended up as a bloated, fluffy book that often seems out-of-order.
Each chapter also has a repeating structure. It begins with a couple of sentences about the baby's development in this week and what the mum might be feeling, then goes into a fictional account of a woman's diary during this week of her pregnancy (really, really terrible -- I couldn't relate to these weird diary entries at all), then gives some further information that is supposed to be useful at this point.
So, my overall criticisms would be: that the book seemed bloated, fluffy, had weird fictional diary entries, and last but not least... has a lot of negative, frightening information, some of which seems to go a bit overboard (like the strong warnings against aromatherapy oils).
I became so negatively affected by the "don't do these things" and "these things can be dangerous" kind of advice at one point that I didn't pick up the book again for a few weeks. And, at a couple of times when certain information would really have been useful, it wasn't in the book.
It was not practical nor useful to me. Seems like I gotta write my own version.
July 2, 2011
My sister passed this book onto me when I was back home in Australia at the beginning of the year; it was the only book, she said, that really helped her. If you've never heard of Kaz Cooke before, she's an Australian columnist, author, cartoonist and resident funny lady. I have one of her earlier books, Get a Grip, but to be honest you don't really see her stuff outside Australia.
Cooke wrote this book after her own experience with first pregnancy and being unable to find a decent book - and one that looked at post-pregnancy as well, what to do with a newborn and more practical advice for preparing for one. She's also written what could be the only humorous and irreverent book on pregnancy, so if you're the kind of person who enjoys the lighter side of things and laughing at yourself (and the "baby industry"), this is probably a better book for you than the dry doctorly ones.
Up the Duff is, like many pregnancy books, divided into chapters for each week of pregnancy. The beginning of each chapter gives a general overview, such as:
Aside from weight, each chapter also shows - with a ruler no less! - approximately how big your foetus is from head to bum, and comes with one of Cooke's witty cartoons.
After that initial introduction to what you can expect in that week, comes a fictional diary by one Hermoine the Modern Girl. These diary accounts must be an accumulation of Cooke's own experiences, the experiences of others and a general sympathy towards what women go through. Sometimes, I found the diary entries very entertaining, and they contained some useful tidbits not spelled out in the more formal section of the chapter that follows. But overall, I found myself a bit alienated by Hermoine. In an effort to make her relatable, I found her increasingly hard to relate to. I shared very very few of her experiences during pregnancy - which is probably a good thing. I certainly didn't hire movers to come in every few weeks to move the furniture around! Who does that? She was an older city girl with a well-paying job and lived a bit of a yuppy life it seemed to me. Her anxieties were alien to me, even if they were funny. But you can't please everyone.
You also can't get pregnancy details spot-on, it's just not possible, so the typical week in which you might experience a new symptom, for example, is probably going to be off. That's not a fault of the book (all pregnancy books will have this problem), it's simply a result of the fact that every woman and every pregnancy is different. Still, the info on how the foetus is developing is reliable and I found that fascinating, since you can't see through your own skin, fat and muscle to what's going on inside, you can't feel anything except when the baby moves, and you have no control over what it's getting up to in there anyway.
What you do get is a lot of reassurance. Whether from the fact that Hermoine's experiences are nuttier than what you're going through, or from the ultra-calm and clear-headed information contained in the chapters, this book will never make you feel like a freak; rather the opposite.
On the practical side, the book is Australian, so the information on medical coverage (Medicare), hospitals, midwives vs. obstetricians, and many other details will be Australian-specific (also New Zealand). It's very similar to Canada, though, and since I wasn't looking for advice on whether to go with a midwife or not, it was largely superfluous to me and I skimmed over it.
Practical information on preparing for your newborn often comes weeks in advance, giving you, well, time to prepare. Sometimes I read ahead because I was so fascinated (and I love the chapter beginnings like the ones quoted above), but I also found that when I read ahead I would get confused over the weeks and forget where I was at that point in time, leading me to think my baby was bigger than it really was, for instance. If you read the book all in one go, I think you'd find it overwhelming, purely by dint of subject matter. There's just too much coming later that you really don't need to worry about early on, and reading too far ahead can make you over-anxious, which you should definitely avoid being while pregnant! So it's a good book to read a chapter of per week.
It doesn't have absolutely everything in it, though. For example, Hermoine's experience at a pre-natal class were mostly for comic affect and were sometimes alarming, and the information sections didn't go into the same kind of helpful detail that my own prenatal classes did. My advice: a book is great but a really good prenatal class that suits you and your attitude towards birth is indispensable. Mine was taught by a woman who's also a yoga instructor and a doula - she's been to over 600 births and has a very natural approach to pregnancy and labour, and her aim was to remove the fear of childbirth (which is exactly what I needed). Rather than have us watch videos of women in labour, she told stories and even acted out women's experiences, right down to the sounds they make. My husband was a little taken aback but I found it incredibly more useful than any video, and learning what a two- or three-day labour actually looked like was incredibly reassuring. In comparison, I was extremely disappointed in how Cooke brushed over certain aspects of labour and delivery. So don't look only to a book for education on what to expect in labour, and don't expect a book to cover all possible experiences. There's just too much variation and no set rules. Pregnancy is highly unpredictable.
And nothing can beat having good midwives who give you half-hour appointments and who listen to your experiences, reassure you and offer explanations that help ground you. But that's my personal choice. :)
There were other things that I felt like I knew more about thanks to my midwives (I have four) and the prenatal classes, than what was supplied in the book (and granted, the book is long enough and there's only so much you can squeeze in. It's not meant to be your only source of information). For example, under Week 36 Cooke discusses late babies and induction methods. One is Prostaglandin, a kind of hormone; a synthetic version like a large pill put on the cervix can make it ripen. What Cooke doesn't mention is that prostaglandin is naturally found in semen, and having sex as often as you can does the same trick without invasive medical intervention. (It's also found naturally in the uterus, and female orgasms work on the uterus in a similar way to contractions, so sex all around is a good thing - as long as your membrane (your "water") hasn't broken; if it has, you should avoid intercourse. And baths.)
Cooke wasn't able to help me with things that caused me personal anxiety, like the whole "you HAVE to sleep on your left side" - I finally got a medical reason from the midwives, but like all things pregnancy-related, we tend to over-emphasize new findings, forgetting that women have been carrying babies and delivering them for millennia without this "critical" knowledge, and to trust your instincts. There's nothing wrong with sleeping on your right side, or even your back - there is an important artery that the weight of the baby can compress, blocking blood flow, but you will turn over if it gets uncomfortable. Still, I had a month of shitty sleep - or lack of - for stressing over how I was supposed to sleep, especially as the left side wasn't comfortable (and the baby didn't seem to like it either). Again, education is the key to a stress-free pregnancy I think, and this book can only go into so much detail.
It also doesn't give much info on Braxton-Hicks contractions (practice contractions), so I'll tell you that in my experience it feels like a tightening of your uterus (your entire tummy, that is) and period cramps that don't go away. The contractions - something that you don't feel much and it isn't at all painful - work at stretching your cervix and pulling it upwards, hence the feeling of period cramps. You know they're not real contractions because the cramps stay. I would have liked Cooke to talk more about what things feel like, like my prenatal instructor did, because then you know when you're experiencing it and what it is, and you don't worry about it. (I read that the new revised edition - with a yellow cover instead of the lime-green one I've got - goes into more detail on early labour and labour complications, which is good.)
There is some excellent info in this book about everything from food cravings to crying babies; it's well-researched and everything's been run past medical experts and other professionals. As mentioned, you'd have to be selective over what to include in a book designed to cover 43 weeks - that's a long time, and a lot happens during pregnancy, childbirth and the first couple of weeks. Cooke includes resources such as other good pregnancy and child-raising guides, and contact info for support services, in the back. It's a great companion book to read alongside getting information from classes and medical professionals, which again is far better than being inundated with helpful "advice" and personal anecdotes from work colleagues and, yes, even relatives. While they can be good at first, you soon reach a point where it all becomes "noise" that clutters your brain and makes you feel disengaged with your own body. Besides, every woman has a different experience, so it's not good to be distracted by other people's terrible stories when they probably won't happen to you anyway.
Up the Duff is followed by Cooke's Kid-Wrangling: The Real Guide to Caring for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers.
Cooke wrote this book after her own experience with first pregnancy and being unable to find a decent book - and one that looked at post-pregnancy as well, what to do with a newborn and more practical advice for preparing for one. She's also written what could be the only humorous and irreverent book on pregnancy, so if you're the kind of person who enjoys the lighter side of things and laughing at yourself (and the "baby industry"), this is probably a better book for you than the dry doctorly ones.
Up the Duff is, like many pregnancy books, divided into chapters for each week of pregnancy. The beginning of each chapter gives a general overview, such as:
Week 18
What's Going On
You'll find many pregnancy books tell you that this is the week you'll start to feel a first baby move around. Don't hold your breath: you might not feel it move for weeks yet, and that doesn't mean there's anything wrong. Babies mostly move when you're resting at night: basically after 8 p.m. and before 8 a.m. When you move around during the day, you rock the baby to sleep. Use pillows to support your growing tummy while you sleep.
According to some pregnancy experts, this week the foetus can make facial expressions. Oh yeah? Like what? Astonishment? 'Euwww yuk, that amniotic fluid tastes bad'? Anyway, the foetus is definitely able to move around a lot, swing on the umbilical cord (well, that's what it looks like) and can bite its own fingers or do the hokey-pokey if it feels like it. There is lanugo hair all over the body, and blood cells start to form in the bone marrow. Tastebuds are forming.
Weight: about 200 grams. [p.173]
Aside from weight, each chapter also shows - with a ruler no less! - approximately how big your foetus is from head to bum, and comes with one of Cooke's witty cartoons.
After that initial introduction to what you can expect in that week, comes a fictional diary by one Hermoine the Modern Girl. These diary accounts must be an accumulation of Cooke's own experiences, the experiences of others and a general sympathy towards what women go through. Sometimes, I found the diary entries very entertaining, and they contained some useful tidbits not spelled out in the more formal section of the chapter that follows. But overall, I found myself a bit alienated by Hermoine. In an effort to make her relatable, I found her increasingly hard to relate to. I shared very very few of her experiences during pregnancy - which is probably a good thing. I certainly didn't hire movers to come in every few weeks to move the furniture around! Who does that? She was an older city girl with a well-paying job and lived a bit of a yuppy life it seemed to me. Her anxieties were alien to me, even if they were funny. But you can't please everyone.
You also can't get pregnancy details spot-on, it's just not possible, so the typical week in which you might experience a new symptom, for example, is probably going to be off. That's not a fault of the book (all pregnancy books will have this problem), it's simply a result of the fact that every woman and every pregnancy is different. Still, the info on how the foetus is developing is reliable and I found that fascinating, since you can't see through your own skin, fat and muscle to what's going on inside, you can't feel anything except when the baby moves, and you have no control over what it's getting up to in there anyway.
What you do get is a lot of reassurance. Whether from the fact that Hermoine's experiences are nuttier than what you're going through, or from the ultra-calm and clear-headed information contained in the chapters, this book will never make you feel like a freak; rather the opposite.
On the practical side, the book is Australian, so the information on medical coverage (Medicare), hospitals, midwives vs. obstetricians, and many other details will be Australian-specific (also New Zealand). It's very similar to Canada, though, and since I wasn't looking for advice on whether to go with a midwife or not, it was largely superfluous to me and I skimmed over it.
Practical information on preparing for your newborn often comes weeks in advance, giving you, well, time to prepare. Sometimes I read ahead because I was so fascinated (and I love the chapter beginnings like the ones quoted above), but I also found that when I read ahead I would get confused over the weeks and forget where I was at that point in time, leading me to think my baby was bigger than it really was, for instance. If you read the book all in one go, I think you'd find it overwhelming, purely by dint of subject matter. There's just too much coming later that you really don't need to worry about early on, and reading too far ahead can make you over-anxious, which you should definitely avoid being while pregnant! So it's a good book to read a chapter of per week.
It doesn't have absolutely everything in it, though. For example, Hermoine's experience at a pre-natal class were mostly for comic affect and were sometimes alarming, and the information sections didn't go into the same kind of helpful detail that my own prenatal classes did. My advice: a book is great but a really good prenatal class that suits you and your attitude towards birth is indispensable. Mine was taught by a woman who's also a yoga instructor and a doula - she's been to over 600 births and has a very natural approach to pregnancy and labour, and her aim was to remove the fear of childbirth (which is exactly what I needed). Rather than have us watch videos of women in labour, she told stories and even acted out women's experiences, right down to the sounds they make. My husband was a little taken aback but I found it incredibly more useful than any video, and learning what a two- or three-day labour actually looked like was incredibly reassuring. In comparison, I was extremely disappointed in how Cooke brushed over certain aspects of labour and delivery. So don't look only to a book for education on what to expect in labour, and don't expect a book to cover all possible experiences. There's just too much variation and no set rules. Pregnancy is highly unpredictable.
And nothing can beat having good midwives who give you half-hour appointments and who listen to your experiences, reassure you and offer explanations that help ground you. But that's my personal choice. :)
There were other things that I felt like I knew more about thanks to my midwives (I have four) and the prenatal classes, than what was supplied in the book (and granted, the book is long enough and there's only so much you can squeeze in. It's not meant to be your only source of information). For example, under Week 36 Cooke discusses late babies and induction methods. One is Prostaglandin, a kind of hormone; a synthetic version like a large pill put on the cervix can make it ripen. What Cooke doesn't mention is that prostaglandin is naturally found in semen, and having sex as often as you can does the same trick without invasive medical intervention. (It's also found naturally in the uterus, and female orgasms work on the uterus in a similar way to contractions, so sex all around is a good thing - as long as your membrane (your "water") hasn't broken; if it has, you should avoid intercourse. And baths.)
Cooke wasn't able to help me with things that caused me personal anxiety, like the whole "you HAVE to sleep on your left side" - I finally got a medical reason from the midwives, but like all things pregnancy-related, we tend to over-emphasize new findings, forgetting that women have been carrying babies and delivering them for millennia without this "critical" knowledge, and to trust your instincts. There's nothing wrong with sleeping on your right side, or even your back - there is an important artery that the weight of the baby can compress, blocking blood flow, but you will turn over if it gets uncomfortable. Still, I had a month of shitty sleep - or lack of - for stressing over how I was supposed to sleep, especially as the left side wasn't comfortable (and the baby didn't seem to like it either). Again, education is the key to a stress-free pregnancy I think, and this book can only go into so much detail.
It also doesn't give much info on Braxton-Hicks contractions (practice contractions), so I'll tell you that in my experience it feels like a tightening of your uterus (your entire tummy, that is) and period cramps that don't go away. The contractions - something that you don't feel much and it isn't at all painful - work at stretching your cervix and pulling it upwards, hence the feeling of period cramps. You know they're not real contractions because the cramps stay. I would have liked Cooke to talk more about what things feel like, like my prenatal instructor did, because then you know when you're experiencing it and what it is, and you don't worry about it. (I read that the new revised edition - with a yellow cover instead of the lime-green one I've got - goes into more detail on early labour and labour complications, which is good.)
There is some excellent info in this book about everything from food cravings to crying babies; it's well-researched and everything's been run past medical experts and other professionals. As mentioned, you'd have to be selective over what to include in a book designed to cover 43 weeks - that's a long time, and a lot happens during pregnancy, childbirth and the first couple of weeks. Cooke includes resources such as other good pregnancy and child-raising guides, and contact info for support services, in the back. It's a great companion book to read alongside getting information from classes and medical professionals, which again is far better than being inundated with helpful "advice" and personal anecdotes from work colleagues and, yes, even relatives. While they can be good at first, you soon reach a point where it all becomes "noise" that clutters your brain and makes you feel disengaged with your own body. Besides, every woman has a different experience, so it's not good to be distracted by other people's terrible stories when they probably won't happen to you anyway.
Up the Duff is followed by Cooke's Kid-Wrangling: The Real Guide to Caring for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers.
March 3, 2012
I absolutely loved this book.
My sister gave it to me. She was initially going to give me a copy of 'What to expect when expecting', and I'm glad she didn't because I had 3 copies already!
I was someone who didn't see the 'magic' in pregnancy. I have spent a lot of time not coping with all different aspects. Reading this book has helped me to see the funny side while also giving me valuable information.
This book was definitely for me, but may not be for every one. I think that a lot of the humour is very Australian-based, and having grown up here, in the country I understood it a lot.
Definitely recommended, if not just for the information inside!
My sister gave it to me. She was initially going to give me a copy of 'What to expect when expecting', and I'm glad she didn't because I had 3 copies already!
I was someone who didn't see the 'magic' in pregnancy. I have spent a lot of time not coping with all different aspects. Reading this book has helped me to see the funny side while also giving me valuable information.
This book was definitely for me, but may not be for every one. I think that a lot of the humour is very Australian-based, and having grown up here, in the country I understood it a lot.
Definitely recommended, if not just for the information inside!
May 8, 2017
I’m a bit of a control freak and don’t deal at all well with Unknowns. Which makes pregnancy super fun. I figured if I could just gather as much info. as possible, I could get a handle on everything that was happening and everything that was going to happen and it would all be okay. (Mums, I can hear you laughing. Shut. Up.) It took me about 2.5 nanoseconds to figure out that the Internet is brimming with crackpot advice and I didn’t have the energy or inclination to sift through the bullshit. So I hit the books. I started with the latest edition of What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff. I’d heard it was one of the more informative tomes around and its general heft was reassuring. And also, it’s the book everyone seems to talk about.
I didn’t make it beyond the first trimester chapters. To be fair, it is brimming with useful information, and I was learning a lot. But it’s also really targetted at US readers and a lot of the information isn’t relevant to an Aussie mum-to-be (for starters, our healthcare system and costs, as well as our maternity leave rights and benefits are completely different). That I could have moved beyond. More troubling was the way Murkoff made me feel guilty about how I was handling things. I found the way she talks about what to eat, exercise and how to manage weight gain particularly problematic. Eg: it just felt mean being told that my craving for, I don’t know, cheese pizza was really my body calling out for something sensible, like more carbs (but not too many!), and instead of giving in, I should make for the kitchen and whip up a batch of whole wheat bran muffins, despite having spent the past half hour ingloriously flomped over the toilet and barely having the energy to order Uber Eats. As did the suggestion that continuing regular exercise was a must! It would give me energy! And make me feel SO much better! Let me just say this: I’m an active person. I actually like exercise. Pre-pregnancy, I went for a 7km run most evenings and did yoga and power pilates. However, during the first trimester, a gentle, hour-long walk (which I tried my darndest to keep up) more often than not left me feeling drained, nauseous and infinitely worse than I did while lying on the couch. And the mere thought of running was totally laughable. Murkoff also takes great pains to emphasise that you should not be gaining a lot of weight in the first trimester, in fact, many women actually lose weight early on—which is totally what you want to hear when you can no longer get the zip all the way up on your favourite skirt and the only things you seem to be able to keep down that day are sour gummy bears. Look, I get it: you need to stay healthy and active and look after yourself and your bub during pregnancy. BUT, I’m not convinced that necessarily involves measuring out exact serves of everything, comprehensive exercise plans and regular weigh-ins. In Murkoff’s defence, she does throw in a lot of ‘listen to your body!’ and ‘everyone’s different!’ and ‘there is no ‘right’ way to go about things!’ but the underlying vibe I got was that there most certainly is a Right and a Wrong way to do pregnancy—even if she doesn’t directly come out and say as much.
Also, Murkoff’s tone is condescending AF. Project Runway binge sessions aside, I’m pregnant, not brain dead. And being told my kid-to-be is currently the size of a cute lil’ plum (and a weird array of other fruits) or to think about all the cuddles I’ll eventually enjoy with my bouncing bundle of joy while I’m puking my guts up, was decidedly unhelpful. I found there was a lot of emphasis on how much I’m going to love and adore this baby, which seemed oddly presumptuous given it’s really not that simple for many women. Honestly, the more I read, the more it stressed me out, and stress, as Murkoff kept emphasising, is bad for the baby. Also, I don’t need to feel like a guilty mum before I’m even a mum, so I gave the book the boot.
But I still wanted info. A number of friends with kids confided that they’d also thought Murkoff needed to remove the giant stick from where the sun don’t shine and instead recommended Up the Duff by Kaz Cooke. I’d been seeing it in bookshops for years, but always found the title off-putting—it felt too far in the opposite direction to What to Expect When You’re Expecting: flippant, dumbed down and potentially riddled with other cringy, dinky-di colloquialisms that I’ve never heard an actual Australian actually use outside Kath and Kim. And look, there are a few too many ‘blimey’s for my taste, but that was my only real criticism of the entire 535-page book (which, incidentally, I read in its entirety in less than 24 hours).
Cooke packs in a tonne of useful information, broken down week by week. And she includes the first few weeks after the birth as well, which is incredibly helpful because the prospect of having a completely vulnerable creature being entirely dependant on you is utterly terrifying. Each chapter also includes a fictional pregnancy diary (which I found hilarious and endlessly reassuring) and points readers towards a bunch of additional resources (apps, books, websites, etc.) where you can learn more.
As well as all the big physiological and psychological stuff you’d expect, Cooke also talks a lot about the little day-to-day stuff: offering tips for dealing with the endless torrent of unsolicited advice, horror stories and belly-grabbers who regard a pregnant woman’s body as public property to be poked and commented on at will. Also, picking value-for-money maternity clothes and baby gear, telling people you’re pregnant and dealing with well-wishers who think it’s totally cool to drop by whenevs once the baby is born. What’s more, all the info. is tailored for Australian readers. There’s a lot of advice about healthcare and birthing options (and also about costs and what Medicare will cover), which is super handy. But even little things, like having the baby’s developing size and weight given in metric units, are helpful (and save you having to measure stuff in your fruit bowl).
And Up the Duff is funny. Which is so completely refreshing when you’re feeling sick and exhausted and your body is doing all kinds of freaky shit that you’re completely unprepared for and don’t understand, and you’re also being constantly poked, prodded and bombarded with (un)helpful advice and warnings about the squillion things that can go wrong. Honestly, the whole thing feels so completely absurd that you kind of have to laugh every now and then to keep yourself sane, and anyone or thing that encourages that gets a big fat tick of approval from me.
But mostly I loved Up the Duff for the way Cooke reassures her reader that it’s okay to feel like a hot mess and to lose your shit every now and then. She doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that pregnancy is often uncomfortable and overwhelming, and that you are perfectly entitled to feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed and shouldn’t have to pretend that it’s opened your eyes to a whole new wondrous aspect of womanhood if that’s not your experience. She emphasises again and again that women shouldn’t feel guilty for eating the odd slice of cake or extra Tim Tam, if that’s going to make their day that little bit easier, that it’s not their fault if something goes wrong and that it’s totally normal to be anxious and scared at times.
Basically, for me, reading Up the Duff offered a lot of comfort and practical info., and had me breathing an epic sigh of relief.
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I didn’t make it beyond the first trimester chapters. To be fair, it is brimming with useful information, and I was learning a lot. But it’s also really targetted at US readers and a lot of the information isn’t relevant to an Aussie mum-to-be (for starters, our healthcare system and costs, as well as our maternity leave rights and benefits are completely different). That I could have moved beyond. More troubling was the way Murkoff made me feel guilty about how I was handling things. I found the way she talks about what to eat, exercise and how to manage weight gain particularly problematic. Eg: it just felt mean being told that my craving for, I don’t know, cheese pizza was really my body calling out for something sensible, like more carbs (but not too many!), and instead of giving in, I should make for the kitchen and whip up a batch of whole wheat bran muffins, despite having spent the past half hour ingloriously flomped over the toilet and barely having the energy to order Uber Eats. As did the suggestion that continuing regular exercise was a must! It would give me energy! And make me feel SO much better! Let me just say this: I’m an active person. I actually like exercise. Pre-pregnancy, I went for a 7km run most evenings and did yoga and power pilates. However, during the first trimester, a gentle, hour-long walk (which I tried my darndest to keep up) more often than not left me feeling drained, nauseous and infinitely worse than I did while lying on the couch. And the mere thought of running was totally laughable. Murkoff also takes great pains to emphasise that you should not be gaining a lot of weight in the first trimester, in fact, many women actually lose weight early on—which is totally what you want to hear when you can no longer get the zip all the way up on your favourite skirt and the only things you seem to be able to keep down that day are sour gummy bears. Look, I get it: you need to stay healthy and active and look after yourself and your bub during pregnancy. BUT, I’m not convinced that necessarily involves measuring out exact serves of everything, comprehensive exercise plans and regular weigh-ins. In Murkoff’s defence, she does throw in a lot of ‘listen to your body!’ and ‘everyone’s different!’ and ‘there is no ‘right’ way to go about things!’ but the underlying vibe I got was that there most certainly is a Right and a Wrong way to do pregnancy—even if she doesn’t directly come out and say as much.
Also, Murkoff’s tone is condescending AF. Project Runway binge sessions aside, I’m pregnant, not brain dead. And being told my kid-to-be is currently the size of a cute lil’ plum (and a weird array of other fruits) or to think about all the cuddles I’ll eventually enjoy with my bouncing bundle of joy while I’m puking my guts up, was decidedly unhelpful. I found there was a lot of emphasis on how much I’m going to love and adore this baby, which seemed oddly presumptuous given it’s really not that simple for many women. Honestly, the more I read, the more it stressed me out, and stress, as Murkoff kept emphasising, is bad for the baby. Also, I don’t need to feel like a guilty mum before I’m even a mum, so I gave the book the boot.
But I still wanted info. A number of friends with kids confided that they’d also thought Murkoff needed to remove the giant stick from where the sun don’t shine and instead recommended Up the Duff by Kaz Cooke. I’d been seeing it in bookshops for years, but always found the title off-putting—it felt too far in the opposite direction to What to Expect When You’re Expecting: flippant, dumbed down and potentially riddled with other cringy, dinky-di colloquialisms that I’ve never heard an actual Australian actually use outside Kath and Kim. And look, there are a few too many ‘blimey’s for my taste, but that was my only real criticism of the entire 535-page book (which, incidentally, I read in its entirety in less than 24 hours).
Cooke packs in a tonne of useful information, broken down week by week. And she includes the first few weeks after the birth as well, which is incredibly helpful because the prospect of having a completely vulnerable creature being entirely dependant on you is utterly terrifying. Each chapter also includes a fictional pregnancy diary (which I found hilarious and endlessly reassuring) and points readers towards a bunch of additional resources (apps, books, websites, etc.) where you can learn more.
As well as all the big physiological and psychological stuff you’d expect, Cooke also talks a lot about the little day-to-day stuff: offering tips for dealing with the endless torrent of unsolicited advice, horror stories and belly-grabbers who regard a pregnant woman’s body as public property to be poked and commented on at will. Also, picking value-for-money maternity clothes and baby gear, telling people you’re pregnant and dealing with well-wishers who think it’s totally cool to drop by whenevs once the baby is born. What’s more, all the info. is tailored for Australian readers. There’s a lot of advice about healthcare and birthing options (and also about costs and what Medicare will cover), which is super handy. But even little things, like having the baby’s developing size and weight given in metric units, are helpful (and save you having to measure stuff in your fruit bowl).
And Up the Duff is funny. Which is so completely refreshing when you’re feeling sick and exhausted and your body is doing all kinds of freaky shit that you’re completely unprepared for and don’t understand, and you’re also being constantly poked, prodded and bombarded with (un)helpful advice and warnings about the squillion things that can go wrong. Honestly, the whole thing feels so completely absurd that you kind of have to laugh every now and then to keep yourself sane, and anyone or thing that encourages that gets a big fat tick of approval from me.
But mostly I loved Up the Duff for the way Cooke reassures her reader that it’s okay to feel like a hot mess and to lose your shit every now and then. She doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that pregnancy is often uncomfortable and overwhelming, and that you are perfectly entitled to feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed and shouldn’t have to pretend that it’s opened your eyes to a whole new wondrous aspect of womanhood if that’s not your experience. She emphasises again and again that women shouldn’t feel guilty for eating the odd slice of cake or extra Tim Tam, if that’s going to make their day that little bit easier, that it’s not their fault if something goes wrong and that it’s totally normal to be anxious and scared at times.
Basically, for me, reading Up the Duff offered a lot of comfort and practical info., and had me breathing an epic sigh of relief.
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July 11, 2025
This is an Australian staple on the subject. The humour will clearly be hit or miss for some people, but I appreciated how simple and straight to the point it was compared to other books, and also that it was divided week by week. It helps you not feel too overwhelmed, and I actually found it quite helpful.
I ended up buying the sequel about toddlers, which also seems great so far. Recommended.
I ended up buying the sequel about toddlers, which also seems great so far. Recommended.
November 22, 2008
A humourous and generally light-hearted take on the everything pregnancy.
My wife pretty much went with the flow - so I was chief researcher... I'd have to say that this book was my primary reference for all things pregnancy.
The fact it is Australian, and pretty new, means that it is up-to-date with the current conditions and advice. I particularly like the fact it provides a list of resources that are available - it makes finding out more detail about a particular subject much easier.
We would occasionally pull out this book, and I would share with my wife what the little one was up to that week - "Oh, the bubs fingernails will have started growing this week.."
This book takes you up to roughly the end of week 1 of the new baby's life, if you enjoyed this book check out Kid Wrangling: Real Guide to Caring for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers (Paperback)
My wife pretty much went with the flow - so I was chief researcher... I'd have to say that this book was my primary reference for all things pregnancy.
The fact it is Australian, and pretty new, means that it is up-to-date with the current conditions and advice. I particularly like the fact it provides a list of resources that are available - it makes finding out more detail about a particular subject much easier.
We would occasionally pull out this book, and I would share with my wife what the little one was up to that week - "Oh, the bubs fingernails will have started growing this week.."
This book takes you up to roughly the end of week 1 of the new baby's life, if you enjoyed this book check out Kid Wrangling: Real Guide to Caring for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers (Paperback)
January 4, 2013
I would never recommend this book. All it did for me was piss me off and make me terrified of scented candles.
May 4, 2024
Great book for all things pregnancy. Brings some humour to some of the struggles of pregnancy. Very informative and well researched too.
August 5, 2016
Firstly I would not recommend this book to anyone (at least not as a 'pregnancy guide'). I am not a mainstream mum and I really don't like these mainstream books, I read this book out of curiosity.
Having said this what I enjoyed about this book was a huge sub-text that the author probably isn't even aware of.
The author set out to write a casual guide to pregnancy, and the bulk of the book is the type of fence-sitting ideas that one might expect from such a book. Everything is kind of wishy washy and the focus is everywhere but on the mum.
The author never stops and focuses on herself, never spends any time mentally preparing herself for her own birth. The final chapters are well worth a read. The author finds herself way out of her depth in the hospital and a cascade of interventions results in a c-section, something the author was not mentally prepared for. The following months for her are a struggle. She is full of self doubt and struggles with post-natal-depression (common after c-sections). The result is that the book is quite powerful in showing how real birth trauma can be, even in what seems like a routine birth by a very prepared woman.
The book is published as a how-to guide for a real pregancy. When I read it I wish she had taken the time to revise the book and advise mums to spend time on themselves, preparing mentally, ensuring they have great support (in the form of private midwives or doulas) etc etc.
Having said this what I enjoyed about this book was a huge sub-text that the author probably isn't even aware of.
The author set out to write a casual guide to pregnancy, and the bulk of the book is the type of fence-sitting ideas that one might expect from such a book. Everything is kind of wishy washy and the focus is everywhere but on the mum.
The author never stops and focuses on herself, never spends any time mentally preparing herself for her own birth. The final chapters are well worth a read. The author finds herself way out of her depth in the hospital and a cascade of interventions results in a c-section, something the author was not mentally prepared for. The following months for her are a struggle. She is full of self doubt and struggles with post-natal-depression (common after c-sections). The result is that the book is quite powerful in showing how real birth trauma can be, even in what seems like a routine birth by a very prepared woman.
The book is published as a how-to guide for a real pregancy. When I read it I wish she had taken the time to revise the book and advise mums to spend time on themselves, preparing mentally, ensuring they have great support (in the form of private midwives or doulas) etc etc.
May 7, 2012
Great lighthearted humerous book to read on your pregnancy journey. Light on information, but good to balance out heavier books like "what to expect, when you're expecting" which can make you into a little (well huge) hypochondriac.
Would recommend this book for your collection. I would also reccomend getting a book that covers birth and post partum issues in more detail. Also, she doesnt really cover breastfeeding and breastfeeding myths which is a disapointment as research says if you are planning to breastfeed, you want to read up/educate yourself during pregnancy.
Would recommend this book for your collection. I would also reccomend getting a book that covers birth and post partum issues in more detail. Also, she doesnt really cover breastfeeding and breastfeeding myths which is a disapointment as research says if you are planning to breastfeed, you want to read up/educate yourself during pregnancy.
September 28, 2013
I asked for books that wouldn't scare me about pregnancy and this is perfect. A light hearted look at pregnancy, with practical information thrown in too. I read a section each week and feel better about all the changes that are happening. Would recommend to anyone that is pregnant.
Now that I have had my baby I find this book quite negative about natural births and limited in birth options. However, I still enjoyed reading it weekly and the honesty in the last sections after the birth was really appreciated, as it seemed more real than other books.
Now that I have had my baby I find this book quite negative about natural births and limited in birth options. However, I still enjoyed reading it weekly and the honesty in the last sections after the birth was really appreciated, as it seemed more real than other books.
July 6, 2020
3.5 en realidad.
Humorístico a la vez que instructivo de lo más básico del embarazo, el nacimiento y el cuidado del bebé.
Recomendado para toda madre primeriza o no y cualquiera que como yo, sea un espíritu curioso.
Semana tras semana (43 semanas) te muestra lo que ocurre con el embrión, feto y bebé, junto con un diario (historia), consejos e información.
P. D. Se me quedará grabado siempre que por casualidades de la vida mientras lo leí, mi peque (🐿️) se quedó en estado 😅. Me muero de amooor ❤️
"Un bebé es una granada de mano arrojada al matrimonio."
Nora Ephron.
Humorístico a la vez que instructivo de lo más básico del embarazo, el nacimiento y el cuidado del bebé.
Recomendado para toda madre primeriza o no y cualquiera que como yo, sea un espíritu curioso.
Semana tras semana (43 semanas) te muestra lo que ocurre con el embrión, feto y bebé, junto con un diario (historia), consejos e información.
P. D. Se me quedará grabado siempre que por casualidades de la vida mientras lo leí, mi peque (🐿️) se quedó en estado 😅. Me muero de amooor ❤️
"Un bebé es una granada de mano arrojada al matrimonio."
Nora Ephron.
January 8, 2012
This book was my pregnancy bible the first time around. The pregnancy diary helped me feel like the things I was feeling weren't so weird after all.
The jovial nature of Kaz Cooke's writing shone a new, silly light on pregnancy and made it OK to laugh at it.
I lend it to every pregnant woman I can, and this book has helped three women through four pregnancies so far, including me on my second now.
The jovial nature of Kaz Cooke's writing shone a new, silly light on pregnancy and made it OK to laugh at it.
I lend it to every pregnant woman I can, and this book has helped three women through four pregnancies so far, including me on my second now.
August 20, 2021
A classic pregnancy guideline for Aussie Women! What else can I say - the book is chock-full of useful info, all presented hilariously through wacky (Becky Bloomwood from Shopaholic series-style) diary entries and cartoons.
The week-on-week guideline may not be completely aligned with your pregnancy, and it doesn't have the accurate anatomy and baby size measurements for each week, but you can easily find other apps like Pregnancy+ and books like What to Expect... for these type of info, so I didn't mind it at all. I ended up just reading the chapters every couple of weeks, and sped through the last few weeks close to baby's birth. It still worked for me.
The week-on-week guideline may not be completely aligned with your pregnancy, and it doesn't have the accurate anatomy and baby size measurements for each week, but you can easily find other apps like Pregnancy+ and books like What to Expect... for these type of info, so I didn't mind it at all. I ended up just reading the chapters every couple of weeks, and sped through the last few weeks close to baby's birth. It still worked for me.
February 17, 2021
I found this book full of reputable Australian resources, and written in a funny and pragmatic way. After the initial chapter on preparing for having a baby, it’s set week by week so it’s small, palatable pieces of information whereas What to Expect was month by month and it was really general advice and there was sooo much of it. I found Up the Duff a much more enjoyable reading experience for someone preparing for pregnancy and birth.
January 19, 2024
I started this book early on in my pregnancy and man oh man has it helped!
I thank my mother in law deeply for providing me with this book, it’s helped me not freak out at every little different stage and even though you can only be so prepared as a first time mum, this gave me understanding to what my body was doing, why I was crying some days and felt on top of the world the next.
100% recommend this to all mums, first time or not!
I thank my mother in law deeply for providing me with this book, it’s helped me not freak out at every little different stage and even though you can only be so prepared as a first time mum, this gave me understanding to what my body was doing, why I was crying some days and felt on top of the world the next.
100% recommend this to all mums, first time or not!
May 19, 2024
An excellent foundation book for all things pregnancy that does not take itself seriously. I found it really nice to read alongside other reference books which included more research or dense subject matter.
Alone, it gives a good general overview, but it downplays or doesn't explain a lot of important matters like advocacy and choices available when it comes to birth. It does however include some practical tid-bits and is also just nice to turn to when everything is feeling that bit too serious!
Alone, it gives a good general overview, but it downplays or doesn't explain a lot of important matters like advocacy and choices available when it comes to birth. It does however include some practical tid-bits and is also just nice to turn to when everything is feeling that bit too serious!
April 14, 2023
Loved this book and it is so helpful and funny with a first time pregnant lady!
August 16, 2020
Quick and fun read for first time pregnancy, although best used as a guide, not a bible - I wouldn’t take it too seriously
June 17, 2015
The main benefit of this book isn’t the education it gives one about the pregnancy journey.
The main benefit of this book isn’t even the uproarious laughs it gives one from all the self-deprecating, obvious, brilliant jokes.
The main benefit of this book – perhaps beyond almost every other pregnancy book out there – is that it gives one the sense that they aren’t alone on the pregnancy journey. YES, it provides heaps of helpful information. YES, it’s very funny. But mostly, the book is so empathetic, so understanding, so non-judgmental of pregnant women and their husbands.
It definitely gives one the sense of “Well, Kaz…who sounds just like us…managed ok…so maybe we will too.” It talks to you, and not DOWN to you.
It’s awesome. It alleviated so many of my (and by extension my wife’s) concerns during her first pregnancy. I’m very grateful to Kaz (and to my friend Helen who loaned us the book) for that.
9/10
The main benefit of this book isn’t even the uproarious laughs it gives one from all the self-deprecating, obvious, brilliant jokes.
The main benefit of this book – perhaps beyond almost every other pregnancy book out there – is that it gives one the sense that they aren’t alone on the pregnancy journey. YES, it provides heaps of helpful information. YES, it’s very funny. But mostly, the book is so empathetic, so understanding, so non-judgmental of pregnant women and their husbands.
It definitely gives one the sense of “Well, Kaz…who sounds just like us…managed ok…so maybe we will too.” It talks to you, and not DOWN to you.
It’s awesome. It alleviated so many of my (and by extension my wife’s) concerns during her first pregnancy. I’m very grateful to Kaz (and to my friend Helen who loaned us the book) for that.
9/10
April 21, 2011
I'm not, nor have I been, pregnant. But as a nanny I meet a lot of pregnant people and I'm working for a family expecting another baby so I felt that it was important that I understand better what she's going through. The book was funny and easy to read. It gives you all the information - even the unpleasant stuff - without freaking you out or making you feel squeamish (and I feel squeamish at just the word 'episiotomy'). A great resource of Australian agencies and products and services for women expecting babies in Australia. One day when I need it for myself, I will definitely grab it and tell everyone else I know to get one too.
March 8, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. My husband bought a bunch of pregnancy books when I first found out I was pregnant, all of which were invariably British or American, and I really struggled with them, finding them condescending or overly emotive. I love that this book is written in a distinctly Australian voice. Yes it's a bit frivolous at times but it's fun and easy to read and most of the time presents all the options and facts without passing judgment, which I am discovering is a rare thing in this pregnancy space.
August 14, 2014
An unexpected mix of lighthearted fun and facts, I found this to be the easiest pregnancy book I've read yet. Of course I'm also reading the "official" books written by medical doctors but this one was much more fun to read. :-)
April 7, 2014
There's a good reason everyone recommends this book to prospective parents. It's easily digestible, covers off all the basics in sufficient detail and is backed up by serious research. Best of all it's realistic and non-judgmental.
April 21, 2014
"The other thing pregnancy books tend to do is describe the size of the developing fetus in comparison with food. One week it's a Brazil nut, then a plum, then an eggplant. At one point I became convinced I was going to give birth to a giant museli."
October 19, 2015
Friend recommended this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more and given it more stars had I started reading it at the beginning of my pregnancy. That being said, it was a cute, funny book with some practical information.
July 25, 2016
Helpful, but the character started to bug me with how pessimistic she was, she got on my nerves.
But the information in here is invaluable for a first timer.
But the information in here is invaluable for a first timer.
September 2, 2017
“Up the duff” is a great week-by- week companion book to read during pregnancy. It contains all the most relevant information from baby’s development, how your body changes with pregnancy, practical tips about what to buy for baby, what to eat, information about medical examinations and doctor’s visits and contact details for institutions that offer help with everything pregnancy and baby related.
Besides being a practical guide to pregnancy, it’s also a great resource to have handy if you need to look up information, be it on postnatal depression hotlines or breastfeeding classes or safety rules for car seats. Up the duff is just a great hand book to keep around in reaching distance while pregnant.
Besides being practical, Up the duff is refreshingly pragmatic and written with a great portion of humour, which makes it a fun read.
Parts of the book are written in diary format from the perspective of fictional first-time pregnant lady “Hermione” who describes her experiences week by week. She is generally quite relatable.
That and the humorous writing take away a lot of the worry and anxiety especially first-time mums struggle with in pregnancy. Constantly hearing so many horror-stories throughout pregnancy, especially if you’re looking up pregnancy-related stuff on the internet (and who doesn’t? Nobody has enough self-control not to if you ask me!) can easily lead to treating your own pregnancy like a disease or like your bump is going to catch fire any second. It’s hard to relax and just trust that despite all the risks and unknown factors and nasty surprises pregnancy inevitably throws at you at some point everything is going to work out just fine in the end.
Up the duff made me feel like everything was going to be alright and that everything I was going through was completely normal. Getting reassurance like that is just priceless in pregnancy!
This book is a must-read for every anxious mother to be!
I also loved that not at any point did I feel lectured (about healthy dieting and exercise for example) because who needs to be made feel bad if they’re already going through the emotional and physical challenge that is called pregnancy? Right.
At the same time, Up the Duff is very middle-of-the road with its advice. I couldn’t point out a single thing mentioned that would cause controversy. I didn’t feel like there was any specific agenda or direction the book wanted to push. “Up the Duff” is good to have as a base source of information on pregnancy. On top of that you might want to “supplement” with literature that takes a more defined direction - one that that you lean towards personally. At least that’s what I would recommend.
The only thing to criticise here is that Up the Duff lacked more in-depth and specific information about labour and birth itself, which is really one of the most crucial parts of pregnancy and having a baby.
Quick heads-up: Keep in mind that “Up the Duff” is an Australian book and all the information is Australian based.
Besides being a practical guide to pregnancy, it’s also a great resource to have handy if you need to look up information, be it on postnatal depression hotlines or breastfeeding classes or safety rules for car seats. Up the duff is just a great hand book to keep around in reaching distance while pregnant.
Besides being practical, Up the duff is refreshingly pragmatic and written with a great portion of humour, which makes it a fun read.
Parts of the book are written in diary format from the perspective of fictional first-time pregnant lady “Hermione” who describes her experiences week by week. She is generally quite relatable.
That and the humorous writing take away a lot of the worry and anxiety especially first-time mums struggle with in pregnancy. Constantly hearing so many horror-stories throughout pregnancy, especially if you’re looking up pregnancy-related stuff on the internet (and who doesn’t? Nobody has enough self-control not to if you ask me!) can easily lead to treating your own pregnancy like a disease or like your bump is going to catch fire any second. It’s hard to relax and just trust that despite all the risks and unknown factors and nasty surprises pregnancy inevitably throws at you at some point everything is going to work out just fine in the end.
Up the duff made me feel like everything was going to be alright and that everything I was going through was completely normal. Getting reassurance like that is just priceless in pregnancy!
This book is a must-read for every anxious mother to be!
I also loved that not at any point did I feel lectured (about healthy dieting and exercise for example) because who needs to be made feel bad if they’re already going through the emotional and physical challenge that is called pregnancy? Right.
At the same time, Up the Duff is very middle-of-the road with its advice. I couldn’t point out a single thing mentioned that would cause controversy. I didn’t feel like there was any specific agenda or direction the book wanted to push. “Up the Duff” is good to have as a base source of information on pregnancy. On top of that you might want to “supplement” with literature that takes a more defined direction - one that that you lean towards personally. At least that’s what I would recommend.
The only thing to criticise here is that Up the Duff lacked more in-depth and specific information about labour and birth itself, which is really one of the most crucial parts of pregnancy and having a baby.
Quick heads-up: Keep in mind that “Up the Duff” is an Australian book and all the information is Australian based.
January 28, 2025
This book’s week-by-week breakdown of what to expect during pregnancy initially caught my attention. In the first trimester, when there’s already a lot of information to absorb, it was refreshing to see everything organized in a simple format. However, much of the content feels repetitive and mirrors what’s widely available elsewhere. If you’re using a pregnancy app, you might find those more helpful, as they often provide expert, evidence-based advice tailored to each stage of pregnancy.
That said, the book stands out for its Australia-specific guidance, which is especially useful for local readers. I appreciated practical sections like the hospital bag checklist, nesting phase tips, and recommendations for baby items that align with Australian standards. Additionally, the advice on vaccines and scan appointments was informative and relevant.
The tone is informal and attempts to add humor, likely to make the journey feel less overwhelming. While the lighthearted approach could resonate with some, not all readers may appreciate the humor, which at times felt forced or distracting. The inclusion of diary-style entries also seemed unnecessary and occasionally rambled without adding much value.
While I found some sections valuable, the book doesn’t necessarily provide groundbreaking insights or advice beyond what you’d find in apps or online resources. It feels more like a casual companion to your pregnancy journey rather than a must-have guide. If you’re looking for Australia-specific details and enjoy a conversational style, this might work for you. However, for evidence-based, in-depth information, other resources may be more reliable.
Overall, I would have been disappointed, if I went out of my way to buy the book myself. It was given to me by a friend who said she found it useful. You can find this book in some Melbourne libraries, the cover is eye catching and seems to look modern enough to want to pick up. A book that I would recommend, that I wish I had started reading earlier in the pregnancy is ‘You Having a baby: The Owner’s Manual To Having A Happy And Healthy Pregnancy’.
That said, the book stands out for its Australia-specific guidance, which is especially useful for local readers. I appreciated practical sections like the hospital bag checklist, nesting phase tips, and recommendations for baby items that align with Australian standards. Additionally, the advice on vaccines and scan appointments was informative and relevant.
The tone is informal and attempts to add humor, likely to make the journey feel less overwhelming. While the lighthearted approach could resonate with some, not all readers may appreciate the humor, which at times felt forced or distracting. The inclusion of diary-style entries also seemed unnecessary and occasionally rambled without adding much value.
While I found some sections valuable, the book doesn’t necessarily provide groundbreaking insights or advice beyond what you’d find in apps or online resources. It feels more like a casual companion to your pregnancy journey rather than a must-have guide. If you’re looking for Australia-specific details and enjoy a conversational style, this might work for you. However, for evidence-based, in-depth information, other resources may be more reliable.
Overall, I would have been disappointed, if I went out of my way to buy the book myself. It was given to me by a friend who said she found it useful. You can find this book in some Melbourne libraries, the cover is eye catching and seems to look modern enough to want to pick up. A book that I would recommend, that I wish I had started reading earlier in the pregnancy is ‘You Having a baby: The Owner’s Manual To Having A Happy And Healthy Pregnancy’.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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