Pregnancy Do's and Don'ts: The Smart Woman's A-Z Pocket Companion for a Safe and Sound Pregnancy

by Elisabeth Aron

For when you need the facts—not fear—about what food, drinks, activities, and procedures you should avoid during each month of your pregnancy. Over the years, Dr. Elisabeth Aron has soothed the worries of many soon-to-be moms who have come to her with questions such Can I exercise during my first trimester? Is canned tuna safe to eat throughout my pregnancy? Do self-tanners contain chemicals I should be worried about? I have to fly for work during my second trimester. Is this safe? Is cookie-dough ice cream safe to eat? Can I wear an underwire bra during my pregnancy? I’m six months pregnant. Is it alright for me to have a glycolic peel facial? Are peanuts safe to eat or will my baby develop a peanut allergy if I eat too many? There is a lot of chlorine in my health club’s pool. Is that a good or bad thing? Pregnancy Do's and Don'ts includes hundreds of entries on possible concerns—from apple cider to zinc and everything in between. In each entry, Dr. Aron identifies the item, the possible cause for concern, and explains the bottom line—whether it is something a woman should avoid completely, something to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach toward, or something that is perfectly fine.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Self Help

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 13, 2006

Reviews

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book you read cover-to-cover in one sitting - that would be like sitting down and reading the entire dictionary - but it is definitely a very helpful guide to haved close at hand. (I keep my copy in my nightstand right now.)

The language is easy to understand and the setup of each entry is excellent (each entry contains a basic description, pros, cons and a "bottom line"). The text was extremely concise, but very informative at the same time; the author is able to pack a lot of information into a small amount of words, which is exactly what I expected and wanted out of a book like this.

I appreciated the dictionary-like setup; however, I did find it slightly irritating when I would look up one word or phrase, only to be directed to another word or pharse for the information. Very similar to the writing style manuals I have, and just as bothersome, especially when I wanted information quickly (I was generally researching something that was concerning to me).

I couldn't give the book five stars because while it was informative, I felt a lot of information was left out. I would have really enjoyed, and benefitted greatly from, an FAQ section or even a list of common "symptoms" or issues pregnant women have.

All in all, I felt the guide was informative and served its purpose well. I thought it was more reader-friendly than some of the other "standard" pregnancy literature (I'm looking at you, What To Expect When You're Expecting) and I enjoyed paging through it. A good buy for first-time Moms.

[Katlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great source for a couple of projects I had for my Technical Writing class. I used it for a paper & an infographic. I plan to use this book later in life too.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really useful companion through your pregnancy. Great to quickly look up things especially medications or foods.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this one a lot because it actually tells you reasons behind avoiding certain foods and activities. For example, I was convinced that if I even looked at the kitty litter that I would get toxoplasmosis. But according to this book (written by a doctor), I stand a better chance of getting toxoplamosis by eating undercooked meat or unwashed veggies...and that if I did get it from scooping litter, I'd have to smear it into my face for it to even start to infect me. I feel a lot better about a lot of "dos and don'ts" after reading this book.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

WONDERFUL RESOURCE. Borrowed it from the library and immediately had to buy it. Any and all questions I have had in contemplating getting pregnant and what I can and can't have this has answered my plaguing thoughts. I literally read this in one sitting, some have mentioned that would be hard, but frankly it's not a book to 'read' it's educational and crucial to know and have. WONDERFUL GUIDE

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that it's an alphabetical list of things and activities with explanation and a key to let you know the safety level. The book used research and data to tell you if something is safe or not. If there was not much data available, they told you so. Not filled with antidotes and old wives tales like many pregnancy books, so just a great reference to have on hand before or during pregnancy.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very excellent! I have been watching what I eat, and carry this book around with me as I progress in my pregnancy. I don't always have the internet to look up certain things to find out if its safe or not.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-have guide -- and a great companion to any other pregnancy books -- for any pregnant woman or a woman who is planning to become pregnant. It is great for quickly looking up medication, ingredients, chemicals, products and foods to determine how safe they are during pregnancy.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how it is set up like a dictionary, in alphabetical order. Plus Dr. Aron provides an easy to follow legend to determine if a food, product or practice is dangerous, might be dangerous or is safe while pregnant. Very helpful!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very accurate and up to date, all the questions one might have! (my patients, not me mom!)i use this book on a daily basis... way to go Elisabeth!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is concise for a quick look-up on various topics, so it gives a quick answer to any concern, that might come up regarding pregnancy. I thought it was a quite useful book.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. The format was not really that readable.

[Ashley Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is an okay resource but I would not recommend reading it straight through like I did...

[Fengligirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

useful for immediate research

[Becki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably not supposed to read this book straight through like I did. It is no doubt intended to be more of a reference. But I learned a lot through reading and found it interesting.