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Expecting 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice for Your Pregnancy
Congratulations! You’re pregnant! Now, where do you turn to for the best advice? What if you could bottle the wisdom of all those women who came before you—and combine it with the solid medical advice from a renowned Beverly Hills’ OB/GYN and nationally known pediatrician? Expecting 411 is the smart, up-to-date and refreshingly free of paranoia, this is the book you’ll turn to for quick answers to your most pressing questions.
692 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2010
73 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 7, 2011
No, I'm not pregnant, I'm just learning. But not from this book, because this book is for ding dongs. Here is a simple rubric for grading a pregnancy book: If the book contains the word "bitchy," repeated use of the phrase "girl parts," and advice about how to get "your man" to deal with the idea that you might not be into sex all the time when you are pregnant, the book is for ding dongs.
June 9, 2011
I picked up Expecting 411 as a supplement to my "main" pregnancy book (Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy) because I wanted a more casual book to contrast the scientific Mayo Clinic. This book answers the questions that are not covered in the Mayo Clinic, such as "are bikini waxes safe in pregnancy?" (Yes but it will hurt more). It's not organized particularly well, for instance you'll find nutrition information both in the nutrition chapter as well as the lifestyle chapter. When I wanted to go back to reference certain pages it was difficult to find them again. But all in all this book was worth the read, it made me feel like I was talking to an older sister instead of a doctor.
This book does not break down the pregnancy week by week (it does but very high level and only a few sentences). If you're the type of person who wants to know exactly (or thereabouts) what's happening in the 14th week, I'd pick up the Mayo Clinic Guide.
This book does not break down the pregnancy week by week (it does but very high level and only a few sentences). If you're the type of person who wants to know exactly (or thereabouts) what's happening in the 14th week, I'd pick up the Mayo Clinic Guide.
November 24, 2012
Started reading this in April, but wasn't ready to post it here for all my GoodReads friends to know what I've REALLY been reading. The cover is the least attractive part of this book. They update this every year, but don't manage to make the cover appealing.
In both timeline and Q&A format, I've found this a great resource with a fun "voice" that make the whole thing tolerable. I am a reluctant parent, so I knew I had found the right book when the first quote was:
"It sometimes happens, even in the best of families, that a baby is born. This is not necessarily cause for alarm. The important thing is to keep your wits about you and borrow some money. ~Elinor Goulding Smith"
Recommended.
In both timeline and Q&A format, I've found this a great resource with a fun "voice" that make the whole thing tolerable. I am a reluctant parent, so I knew I had found the right book when the first quote was:
"It sometimes happens, even in the best of families, that a baby is born. This is not necessarily cause for alarm. The important thing is to keep your wits about you and borrow some money. ~Elinor Goulding Smith"
Recommended.
March 4, 2014
As a 41-year-old pregnant woman, the irreverent (and at times, patronizing) tone seemed more fitting for someone much younger whose attention would easily wander. However, the medical information was helpful. If your pregnancy is going well, skip the chapters "The Complicated Pregnancy" and "When It Doesn't Work"; they'll needlessly worry you when your energy is better spent preparing for a healthy baby. I would recommend Expecting 411 as a good overall resource.
January 26, 2020
Read it cover to cover (minus the stuff I really didn’t need). This book is FULL of good info. Really the same and/or similar to what I get with my daily reading on the “What to Expect,” “The Bump,” or “Pregnancy+” app, but this felt way more comprehensive and I learned lots of good extra nuggets along the way. I highly recommend this book to expecting PARENTS (not just moms) because there are lots of good partner tips along the way. Next up is BABY 411 and then TODDLER 411!
January 6, 2020
I really like this 411 series. (Previously enjoyed Baby 411; glad to stumble upon this one.)
The format is straightforward, the tone is accessible and alarming topics are tucked into their own areas, if needed. (This last point is in sharp contrast to the What to Expect book, which I found alarmist & is not one I recommend.)
The format is straightforward, the tone is accessible and alarming topics are tucked into their own areas, if needed. (This last point is in sharp contrast to the What to Expect book, which I found alarmist & is not one I recommend.)
January 2, 2023
I read this particular book at the recommendation of my OB. It was set up in a way that was easy to read and understand. I'm counting it "done" even though I ended up skipping content that did not apply to me like the chapter on carrying multiples or dealing with gestational diabetes. I would definitely recommend this is a helpful resource to people navigating a pregnancy.
November 7, 2019
I have to say this book is better than “what do you expect when you are expecting”. Questions are clearly answered in a funny way and covered most of my concerns.
Thank you expecting 411 to guide me through my first pregnancy. Now is the time for baby 411. lol
Thank you expecting 411 to guide me through my first pregnancy. Now is the time for baby 411. lol
December 20, 2019
Very informative (a lot of information for a beginner actually).. but very good insight of everything!! As it is written by gynecologist and obstetrician it brings relief and belief in what we are reading!
January 24, 2021
My girlfriend Shavonne recommended this guide and I enjoy the chatty tone, like you are talking to one of your friends. It is a nice compliment/change from my "What to Expect" guide and the ACOG guide I got from my doctor. I enjoy referencing all of them when I want to get more information.
March 6, 2018
Helpful overview of what to expect.
October 21, 2018
Excellent information!
March 8, 2020
Very helpful and full of information
February 15, 2022
Lots of good info. I liked the style of writing. Like talking to some girlfriends.
July 27, 2025
Fast practical advice. Some stuff slightly outdated but still great sanity checks and easily searchable
July 25, 2010
I've been a fan of this series for a while-- I avidly recommend all first-time parents-to-be read Baby Bargains to help them figure out the daunting and intimidating world of baby gear, and kept a copy of Baby 411 near me at all times right after
My son was born. My sister recently lent me a copy of Expecting 411 and I have mixed feelings about it. A lot of the information seems quite good, and they do a decent job of giving down-to-earth explanations and information. There were a few parts that I was disappointed by (eg- the immediate assumption that all breech babies must be born via c-section; almost no mention of the option to delay cord clamping in the otherwise-thorough discussion on cord blood banking). But, since it's written by an OB and pediatrician, I expected some of that. At least they mentioned midwives and birth center/home births as viable (if undesirable in the authors' eyes) options, which is a plus!
My son was born. My sister recently lent me a copy of Expecting 411 and I have mixed feelings about it. A lot of the information seems quite good, and they do a decent job of giving down-to-earth explanations and information. There were a few parts that I was disappointed by (eg- the immediate assumption that all breech babies must be born via c-section; almost no mention of the option to delay cord clamping in the otherwise-thorough discussion on cord blood banking). But, since it's written by an OB and pediatrician, I expected some of that. At least they mentioned midwives and birth center/home births as viable (if undesirable in the authors' eyes) options, which is a plus!
February 14, 2015
This is a meaty book with a lot of good advice. But it suffers from some significant flaws. The organization and presentation (all Q&A) left something to be desired. But more importantly to me is the recommendation of alternative medicine. There were numerous suggestions of homeopathy, acupuncture, and other unproven treatments. As fashionable as these things are, "alternative medicine" is not medicine. Otherwise, we would all just call it medicine.
They did give a warning about these remedies, but they buried it in the Appendix.
It's too bad. There's some great tips in here, but it's hard to trust anything in a book that also suggests homeopathy.
They did give a warning about these remedies, but they buried it in the Appendix.
It's too bad. There's some great tips in here, but it's hard to trust anything in a book that also suggests homeopathy.
August 9, 2011
funny, informative, and honest. Great for any expecting parents and includes advice for partners. If you are looking for a week-by-week, this briefs it but you want a different book for in depth discussion. Covers everything from the changes to your body to what happens if the unthinkable happens. Great for first time parents-to-be, recap for seasoned parents, and good for parents-to-be of multiples.
March 27, 2014
This certainly was better than 'What to expect when your expecting." I've enjoyed this series of books in the past and found their baby supply shopping manual and toddler advice very helpful. In comparison this book was not as note worthy, perhaps it was the differing authors. I'm still glad I picked it up from a garage sale early in my pregnancy, but I'm even more grateful I didn't pay full price.
October 27, 2014
I liked the dry humor and realistic perspective while reading about the crazy and boring acts about pregnancy. I also liked that it was categorized by subject and not time of pregnancy. Pregnancy is so different for different people that not everyone encounters the same things during the same stages if even at all.
March 3, 2012
This book answered a lot of questions I had about pregnancy and will be a great reference if questions arise during pregnancy. The only thing I wish it had is a more extensive walk through of each trimester and changes taking place in the baby.
March 13, 2013
I like that it's updated very year. Very simple to look things up. Not a great reference for birth options, but if you like list formats (I do) this is a good companion to some of the more detailed and informative birth books out there.
June 12, 2025
Expecting 411: Or, Preggos Pointers
Yeah, so this speaks for itself. A helpful guide for all stages of pregnancy. Easy to navigate. Straightforward answers. Recommend for anyone who doesn't know anything about pregnancy like me.
Yeah, so this speaks for itself. A helpful guide for all stages of pregnancy. Easy to navigate. Straightforward answers. Recommend for anyone who doesn't know anything about pregnancy like me.
January 10, 2011
Great reference. Unfortunately, I would love if they published a new version every year to keep up on all the reviews, but it was still worth the read. Used it as a reference often.
April 14, 2011
This a a great book and I will be reading the others in the series and referring to them for years to come.
September 29, 2011
Easy to read, especially in short bursts. Easy to look up specific questions.
July 30, 2011
Liked the question-answer format and how chapters were broken down by subjects. Very easy for every day questions. Would recommend.
September 17, 2012
Fantastic reference for anyone going through pregnancy!
October 3, 2014
This book was great. Direct, to the point, but chatty enough to cover topics the strictly clinical books don't.
October 22, 2015
Helpful for 1st time pregnancies
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews